The Toronto Subway is the rapid transit system serving the City of Toronto and York Region. The system operates over five (5) lines with a mixture of subway and light rail. The first 3 operate as heavy rail rapid transit. Whereas the last two (2) operate on a combination of separated and on-street tracks.
Presto is the automated fare collection system for Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area and select major cities in Ontario. For those connecting from GO Transit, Ontario’s One Fare Program passengers only pay for one fare.
Credit cards and mobile wallets are also accepted.
Fares
TTC uses a timed ticket system. Ride and transfer for up to 120 minutes (2 hours).
Services
The Subway acts as Toronto’s transit backbone. Once inside the fare paid zone, travellers can transfer to subway, LRT, streetcar, and buses all without leaving the system. The TTC’s stations act as hubs and passengers board the buses within the fare paid zone.
Routes
The five (5) operating rapid transit lines are:
- Line 1 Yonge-University
- Line 2 Bloor-Danforth
Line 3 Ontario(under construction)- Line 4 Sheppard
- Line 5 Eglington
- Line 6 Finch West
Lines 1, 2, & 4 are subway routes, where as Lines 4 & 6 are light rail separated and on-street tracks.
Baggage
TTC’s “Carry-on Items Policy” page breaks down what riders can and cannot bring onboard. The Subway can be very crowded during rush hour, especially at the busiest interchange – Bloor – Yonge Station.
Of note, the TTC’s 900 Airport Express buses offer dedicated luggage racks when travelling to Toronto Pearson (YYZ). Connect to route 900 by taking Line 2 Bloor-Danforth to the western terminus of Kipling Station.
Classes
Pros
- Very Extensive coverage across Toronto.
- Large subway network for Canadian standards.
- Good integration with regional GO Transit and nearby transit services.
- Subway stations acts as a hub for local bus routes.
- Large network makes it possible to travel and explore Toronto without a car.
Cons
- Crowding, especially during peak rush hour.
- Limited subway network with a lack of redundant routes can lead to serious delays.
- Construction projects are causing major route diversions and delays.
- The lack of subway expansion compared to the population growth of Toronto has lead to delays and crowding at major stations such as Bloor-Yonge.
Notes
- For visitors and tourists, while most of the subway is underground, several sections run aboveground.
All systems operated by
VIA Rail Canada
