Toronto Airport Transfers

Toronto has two airports used by visitors. Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) is in Mississauga, about 27 kilometres northwest of central Toronto. Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) is on Toronto Island, about three kilometres from downtown. Check the airport on your booking before choosing a route: Pearson has the direct UP Express rail link, while Billy Bishop sits beside the waterfront and downtown streetcar network. (Toronto Pearson UP Express, checked 2026-09-28; Billy Bishop access, checked 2026-09-28)

From Pearson, UP Express runs directly to Union Station. The TTC provides the 900 Airport Express from Kipling Station and the 52A Lawrence West route from Lawrence and Lawrence West stations. Overnight TTC routes also reach Pearson. Use UP Express for Union Station and the downtown rail corridor; use the TTC when one city transit fare and a subway connection fit your accommodation better. (TTC Pearson service, checked 2026-09-28)

Billy Bishop has a free pedestrian tunnel and a ferry between the mainland terminal building and the island terminal. Its complimentary shuttle connects the mainland access building with the Union Station area. The TTC 509 Harbourfront streetcar reaches Union Station from the mainland stop in under 15 minutes; the 511 Bathurst streetcar runs north towards Bathurst Station. (Billy Bishop public transit, checked 2026-09-28; Billy Bishop shuttle, checked 2026-09-28)

UP Express takes 28 minutes from Pearson to Union Station. Pearson places the UP Express station in Terminal 1 beside the Terminal Link train; passengers at Terminal 3 should take the free Terminal Link to Terminal 1. The 28-minute figure ends at Union Station, so add terminal walking, luggage, waiting and the onward walk, subway or streetcar to your accommodation. (Pearson UP Express, checked 2026-09-28; Pearson Terminal Link, checked 2026-09-28)

The TTC publishes about 20–25 minutes for the 900 bus between Kipling Station and Pearson. The 52A takes about 50 minutes off-peak and 75 minutes during peak periods. These are airport-bus figures, not complete downtown hotel journeys: the 900 still needs Line 2 from Kipling, while the 52A follows the Lawrence corridor. (TTC Pearson service, checked 2026-09-28)

At Billy Bishop, the ferry crosses 121 metres in about 90 seconds. The airport says the pedestrian tunnel connects the mainland and terminal in less than six minutes, and its shuttle takes approximately 15 minutes to the Union Station area, depending on traffic and road conditions. The 509 streetcar takes under 15 minutes from the mainland stop to Union, but the mainland walk and airport security remain part of the trip. (Billy Bishop ferry, checked 2026-09-28; Billy Bishop access, checked 2026-09-28; Billy Bishop public transit, checked 2026-09-28)

The adult UP Express one-way fare between Pearson and Union is CAD 12.35. Pearson publishes CAD 9.25 with PRESTO; children under 12 ride free, and youth and post-secondary students receive a 40% saving when using PRESTO. Buy online or at a station machine, or tap PRESTO, a contactless bank card or a mobile wallet on the UP Express payment device. (Pearson UP Express fares, checked 2026-09-28)

The TTC adult fare is CAD 3.30 with PRESTO, contactless debit or credit, or a mobile wallet. Cash costs CAD 3.35, and children aged 12 and under ride free. A PRESTO, bank-card or mobile-wallet tap gives a two-hour TTC transfer; keep using the same card or device for connecting buses, streetcars and subway rides. Cash does not include that two-hour transfer. (TTC fares, checked 2026-09-28)

Billy Bishop’s shuttle is free, and the ferry is free for pedestrians. The airport publishes CAD 15 for vehicles as a return trip, which does not apply to a passenger walking or taking a taxi across the mainland connection. Pearson does not publish one universal downtown taxi price: licensed taxis use flat destination rates, so use the airport estimate tool or ask the attendant for the rate before leaving. (Billy Bishop ferry, checked 2026-09-28; Billy Bishop shuttle, checked 2026-09-28; Pearson taxis and limos, checked 2026-09-28)

UP Express runs every 15 minutes, seven days a week. From Pearson, the first train is 05:27 Monday to Friday and 06:27 on weekends and holidays; the last train to Union is 00:57. From Union, the first train to Pearson is 04:55 on weekdays and 06:00 on weekends and holidays, with the last train published as 01:00. Check the date-specific schedule before travelling. (Pearson UP Express schedule, checked 2026-09-28)

The TTC 900 runs approximately 05:30–02:00 Monday through Saturday and 08:15–02:15 on Sunday. The 52A runs approximately 05:30–01:00 every day. Pearson also lists the overnight 300A Bloor-Danforth and 352 Lawrence West routes; their separate overnight windows are described below. All listed TTC airport services are accessible, but the airport advises passengers with non-folding mobility aids to confirm details with the bus provider. (TTC Pearson service, checked 2026-09-28; Pearson public transit buses, checked 2026-09-28)

Billy Bishop’s shuttle normally runs approximately every 15 minutes on a bump-and-go schedule. The airport publishes 25-minute intervals Monday to Friday from 05:00–06:10 and 23:00–00:15; Saturday from 05:00–06:45 and 20:45–22:30; and Sunday from 05:00–06:20 and 23:00–00:15. The ferry runs daily from 05:15 to 00:07, with crossings every 15 minutes. (Billy Bishop shuttle, checked 2026-09-28; Billy Bishop ferry, checked 2026-09-28)

Pearson remains connected after the UP Express last train. The TTC publishes the 300A Bloor-Danforth overnight route approximately 02:00–05:00 every day, with about 60 minutes from Yonge and Bloor. The 352 Lawrence West also runs approximately 02:00–05:00 every day, with about 60 minutes of travel time. The 334A Eglinton runs overnight from about 01:30 to 06:00 on weekdays and Saturday, and to 08:00 on Sunday; its published one-way time is about 75 minutes. Check the live TTC schedule for the direction and stop. (TTC Pearson service, checked 2026-09-28)

Sunday changes the Pearson daytime pattern: UP Express begins later from Pearson at 06:27, and the TTC 900 begins at approximately 08:15 rather than 05:30. The 52A continues approximately 05:30–01:00 daily. For Billy Bishop, both ferry and shuttle operate on Sunday, but the shuttle uses its slower 25-minute early-morning and late-evening pattern. Confirm the flight date in the UP Express or TTC planner and use Billy Bishop’s live shuttle tracker when the connection is tight. (Pearson UP Express, checked 2026-09-28; Billy Bishop shuttle, checked 2026-09-28)

The Billy Bishop ferry timetable is a guide rather than a fixed guarantee: the airport says times may change with weather and ferry capacity. If a late flight reaches the terminal after the shuttle’s practical window, use the pedestrian tunnel when open and continue by taxi or rideshare from the mainland. At Pearson, use the licensed taxi or limo area when public transport does not fit the arrival, and check the official airport estimate before departure. (Billy Bishop ferry, checked 2026-09-28; Billy Bishop access, checked 2026-09-28; Pearson taxis and limos, checked 2026-09-28)

At Pearson, licensed taxis wait on the Arrivals level: Terminal 1 uses Door D, while Terminal 3 uses Door E. Licensed vehicles display a GTAA number plate and window decal, accept major credit cards and charge flat rates without surge pricing. Limos are premium black cars and the airport says they cost approximately 10% more than a taxi. Do not accept an unsolicited ride inside the terminal. (Pearson taxis and limos, checked 2026-09-28)

Billy Bishop places taxi pickup at the corral beside the mainland pavilion at the foot of Eireann Quay. Uber and Lyft are available, but the airport has no separate rideshare pickup zone: the pickup and drop-off area is along the curb outside the mainland pavilion and ferry terminal. The airport publishes no universal taxi fare or journey time for Billy Bishop, so request the current quote before setting off. (Billy Bishop access, checked 2026-09-28)