Get to know the TTC

For those of you coming from out-of-town, here's a primer on the TTC.  This is the public transportation system in Toronto, and we think it's a pretty good one.  Yes, the subway system isn't nearly as comprehensive as New York's.  However, it's clean, reliable, and there are streetcars too!

A ride on the TTC is $2.75 CAD.  If you're going to be taking more than 3 trips - or are traveling with others on a weekend - we suggest the $9 day pass.  On Saturdays and Sundays, that one pass will provide unlimited public transportation for up to 2 adults and 4 children.  Pretty good deal, eh?

The subway system (see image below) is basically a big loop (Yonge/University/Spadina line) with a line across (Bloor/Danforth line) and a pretty much unused line (Sheppard) along the top.  The "host hotels" both have easy access to the Yonge/University/Spadina line and the Bloor/Danforth line.  These two subway lines will get you to all of the major tourist destinations - downtown, nightlife area, theatre district, CN Tower, and some hip neighborhoods (Annex, the Danforth).  In the downtown area (even where the hotels are), there isn't much distance between the "University/Spadina" part of the loop and the "Yonge" part - maybe a 10 minute walk, tops.  So if you're on Bloor Street or south, it may be more useful to just walk to the station that's a bit further rather than looping around the south part to head north (i.e., getting on southbound at St. George to head northbound to St. Clair).

As you can probably tell, there isn't much in the way of east-west subway coverage.  However, there are many east-west streetcars - pretty much along every major east-west roadway.  In some cases (like St. Clair Avenue) there is a designated streetcar lane, so the transit service is still speedy.

There are also plenty of bus lines... unfortunately we don't know too much about them, since the subway and street car have always been sufficient for us!

As we continue to blog, we'll include information about great areas and attractions to check out and how to get there.  By the time you arrive in Toronto, you'll be a pro on navigating the TTC!

And - just a nuance - most of the stations have a station operator (where you can pay in person or just flash your day pass).  However, the Bay Street station, located equidistant from the Marriott and Intercontinental, does not have an operator, so you can only get through using tokens.

Toronto's subway map. For an interactive map, click here.