Fast, frequent, safe and
efficient, the city's
public
transport is overseen by
the Toronto Transit Commission
(TTC); for all TTC inquiries,
call the customer information
line on tel 416/393-4636, or,
for the hearing impaired, tel
416/481-2523 (both phone lines
operate daily 8am-5pm). The
TTC's integrated network of
subways, buses and streetcars
serves every corner of the
city. With the exception of
downtown, where all the major
sights are within easy walking
distance of each other, your
best option is to use public
transport to hop between
attractions - especially in
the cold of winter or the
sultry summertime.
The core of the city's
public transport, Toronto's subway
pivots on a simple, two-line
system. The Bloor-Danforth
line cuts east to west along
Bloor, and the
Yonge-University-Spadina line
forms a loop heading north
from Union Station along
University Avenue and Yonge.
Transferring between the two
lines is possible at three
stations only: Spadina, St
George and Bloor-Yonge. The
subway operates Mon-Sat
6am-1am, Sun 9am-1am. A single
journey costs $2 (local
students and seniors $1.40,
and children under two travel
free), and tickets are
available at all subway
stations. Metallic tokens
can also be used, but are
impossibly small and difficult
to keep track of. More
economically, a batch of five
tickets or tokens can be
bought for $8.50, $17 for ten,
at any station and at most
convenience stores and
newsstands. Each ticket or
token entitles passengers to
one complete journey of any
length on the TTC system. If
this involves more than one
type of transport, it is
necessary to get a paper transfer
at your point of entry (there
are automatic machines that
provide transfers at all
subway stations). A day-pass
costs $7, and provides one
adult with unlimited TTC
travel all day on Saturdays
and after 9.30am on weekdays.
On Sundays, the same pass
becomes a terrific deal for
families: it covers up to six
people - only two of which can
be adults.
Supplementing the subway
are the TTC's buses and
streetcars . The system
couldn't be simpler, as a bus
and/or streetcar station
adjoins every major subway
stop. Prices are the same as
for the subway, and each
ticket or token entitles
passengers to one complete
journey of any length on the
TTC system. Transfers to the
subway from buses and
streetcars are available from
the driver.
The TTC has a
Request Stop
Program , which allows
women travelling alone and
late at night to get off buses
whenever they want, and not
necessarily at regular TTC
stops.
