Gareth Slee writes:
> I'm flying in on the 7th form the UK and are staying downtown.
> I assume there's a taxi cab service from the airport to downtown but if
> someone can give me an idea of the lay of the land I'd be grateful.
There are four main choices. From highest to lowest price, airport limo,
taxi, Airport Express bus, or TTC bus plus subway. In all cases you
board directly outside the airport terminal on the arrivals level and
there will be signs to tell you where exactly, and/or people to ask.
* "Limo" here just means, in effect, a first-class taxi. High-end cars
with a higher class of driver. They only serve the airport. You pay
a flat fare based on this zone map:
http://www.gtaa.com/local/files/en/eastlimo_tariff_map.pdf
As you see, downtown (south of Bloor, between Bathurst and the Don
Valley) is $50 (for 1-4 passengers) and I would add a tip of up to $10.
The same prices apply in the other direction.
* Taxis also use zonal flat fares when traveling from the airport, slightly
less than the limo fare. If I'm going to use one or the other I'd rather
pay the extra for a limo. Here's the taxi fare map:
http://www.gtaa.com/local/files/en/easttaxi_tariff_map.pdf
So it's $46 (plus tip) to downtown. In the other direction, meter fare
applies unless a flat fare is agreed on in advance.
* The Airport Express uses a highway-type bus, what you call a coach,
with luggage space underneath. It runs every 20 or 30 minutes depending
on the time of day:
http://www.torontoairportexpress.com/downtown-schedFromYYZ-1.html
It serves both terminals at the airport, then travels nonstop to downtown,
then stops at a number of major hotels. Fare is about $17 (per person)
one-way with a small discount for a round trip. The driving time from
airport to downtown will be the same by bus, taxi, or limo, of course, but
with the bus you have to wait for it and the additional stops take time.
You might choose to switch to another mode once downtown, depending on
where you're going.
* The TTC uses ordinary city buses without luggage space. You want route
192 "Airport Rocket". This runs every 10-20 minutes depending on the
time of day. It doesn't take you downtown, but takes you to the Kipling
subway terminus at Dundas and Kipling, and drops you inside the subway
fare-pair area. Just go downstairs and you can continue east by subway
along Bloor Street to downtown. If you want to go south on University
Avenue you can change trains at St. George station, or to go south along
Yonge, change at Yonge station (also called Bloor or Bloor-Yonge).
TTC fare is $2.75 (adult fare, per person), exact change required.
This is a flat rate valid for one trip of any distance in Toronto plus
the airport, including changes of vehicle as required. There is a 5-trip
fare of $11.25 implemented using tickets or tokens (equivalent in value);
these are sold at shops and subway stations, but I don't know where you
can buy them at the airport, if anywhere. (At subway stations there are
also machines that sell 4 tokens for $9 if you pay with a $10 bill.)
The closer your hotel is to Bloor Street, the more competitive the TTC
option is in terms of travel time. I can make specific suggestions if
you say where downtown you are staying.
* I'm not describing the options of TTC route 58 or GO buses because
these are not likely to be worth considering.
--
Mark Brader | "I always pass on good advice. It's the only thing
Toronto | to do with it. It is never any use to oneself."
msb.RemoveThis@vex.net | -- Lord Goring (Oscar Wilde: An Ideal Husband)
My text in this article is in the public domain.
>> Stay informed about: Toronto Pearson Airport 
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