Toronto Transit Tips
Tips and advice for trouble free trips on Toronto Public Transit
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Dress for the weather. While all Subway stations are underground and many bus shelters are undercover, when travelling by transit you will also be doing some walking as well as waiting for connections. You won't want to be uncomfortable so check the forecast and wear or bring along appropriate clothing.
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Always double check where you sat just before exiting any transit vehicle to make sure you've left nothing behind. We often find wallets, purses, cellphones, umbrellas, jewellery, or bus passes left on seats of buses. Loosing something like this can really spoil your day, so double check that you have all your belongings with you before getting off. If you do loose something try to remember the bus route, direction of travel and time of day when it was lost and contact TTC Lost Articles Office at 416-393-4100. The TTC Lost Articles Office is located at Bay Subway Station on the Bloor-Danforth Line.
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If your trip is originating on a bus and you haven't already purchased tickets, tokens or a Day pass from a Subway/RT Station or TTC Ticket Agent, you must have the exact coin fare ready. Bus and Streetcar Fare boxes do not accept paper money, charge cards or debit cards. You can not purchase a Day pass on a bus or streetcar, only from Subway Stations or TTC Ticket Agents, however you can of course use a Day pass to travel by bus or streetcar. See Fares for more info.
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Be sure you are standing at the correct bus stop. Not all buses stop at all stops as they may be express. Most stops served by more than one route have the route numbers and names listed on the bus stop sign. Do not remain sitting on the bus shelter bench as your bus approaches - it must be clear to the driver that you want the bus or he/she may pass by. Indicate to the driver that you would like his or her bus by making eye contact and taking a step toward the bus stop sign. During rush hour buses sometimes fill up, but service is very frequent and another bus will be along within a few minutes. Also watch for temporary signs attached to bus stops indicating service changes.
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Make sure you catch your bus, streetcar or subway going in the right direction. Don't just go by the route number. People often catch transit vehicles going in the wrong direction when travelling in unfamiliar surroundings. To avoid going out of your way on a bus or streetcar, ask the driver as soon as you get on to confirm the bus goes to your destination or transfer point.
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Some bus routes are express, having limited stops through all or a portion of their route. This is good for getting you somewhere quickly, but not so good if the bus doesn't stop where you are going. It's always a good idea to confirm with the driver that the bus stops at or near your intended destination.
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All buses, streecars and the subway have an automated system which announces all upcoming stops over the PA system as well as displaying the name of the upcoming stop on an overhead led display.
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When travelling later at night don't miss the last Subway Train. Generally Subway service ends at 1:30am. To be safe I would suggest you be at a station at least 60 minutes prior to these times depending on the length of your trip. There are night buses on designated routes in Metro Toronto which offer limited service through the night, but expect waits up to 30 minutes. To see which routes provide all night service see Night Network Map.
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It is very important to be safe when boarding and exiting from transit vehicles. Extra care is needed with streetcars. Motorists are required by law to stop when streetcars open their doors, however, since they do not always do so, it is extremely important to always look to your right when getting off of a streetcar to ensure that all cars have stopped, then move quickly to the sidewalk when it is safe. When boarding a streetcar wait until it comes to a full stop and opens it doors, then check for traffic before stepping from the sidewalk to board the streetcar.
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All Subway cars have route diagrams on the overhead panels where you can monitor your progress towards your destination as you travel. There are always uniformed staff at the Subway stations so don't hesitate to approach them for assistance.
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Try out the new TTC Trip Planner to help plan your trip.
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Bottom line is if in doubt ask questions at the start of your trip, not later when you may have to backtrack.
