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Travel to Toronto

Flying to Toronto

Airlines that fly direct from the UK to Toronto include Air Canada, Air Transat, British Airways and WestJet. Flights are most expensive during the summer, and the best deals tend to be available from January to March. Multiple airlines fly to Toronto from the USA.

Flight times

From London - 8 hours; New York - 1 hour 30 minutes; Los Angeles- 4 hours 40 minutes; Sydney- 21 hours (including stopover).

Travel by road

An extensive network of secondary highways (designated by two or three digits, such as Highway 35 and Highway 118) and motorways (400-series highways, such as Highway 401) covers the Province of Ontario.

Traffic drives on the right and the minimum driving age in Ontario is 16. The speed limit on secondary highways is 80kph (50mph). On 400-series highways it is 100kph (62mph). In built-up areas it's usually 30-50kph (19-31mph).

Proof of insurance is compulsory. American and European visitors may use national driving licences, while visitors from other countries are often required to carry an International Driving Permit as well.

The Canadian Automobile Association - CAA (tel: +1 416 221 4300 or +1 800 268 3750; www.caa.ca) provides a breakdown service throughout Canada and has partnership agreements with various motoring organisations, such as the American Automobile Association (AAA).

Emergency breakdown services

CAA (tel: +1 800 222 4357).

Routes

Toronto is served by a number of 400-series highways. Highway 401 bisects the city north of the city centre, connecting with London and Windsor to the west and Montreal to the east. Detroit is reached via Windsor.

Further north, a toll motorway, Highway 407, operates as a northern corridor around the city. The QEW (Queen Elizabeth Way) runs along the lakefront from Hamilton and Niagara Falls to downtown Toronto.

You can reach Buffalo via Niagara Falls. North-south routes include Highway 400, running from Parry Sound to the city's west end, and Highway 404, running from the suburb of Newmarket to the city's east end, becoming the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) as it nears downtown Toronto.

Coaches

A number of private companies operate scheduled services to and from cities throughout Canada and the USA, including Calgary, Montreal, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Vancouver and Winnipeg.

Operators include Greyhound Canada (tel: +1 800 661 8747; www.greyhound.ca), Coach Canada (tel: +1 800 461 7661; www.coachcanada.com) and Ontario Northland (tel: +1 800 363 7512; www.ontarionorthland.ca).

The main terminus for all of these companies is the Toronto Coach Terminal, 610 Bay Street, which has bar and restaurant facilities, plus luggage lockers.

Time to city

From Montreal - 5 to 6 hours; Ottawa - 4 hours 30 minutes; Niagara Falls - 1 hour 30 minutes; New York City - 9 hours.

Travel by Rail

Services

You can obtain VIA Rail tickets and information in person at Union Station, 65 Front Street West. Union Station is also the main hub for GO Trains, overland trains providing frequent commuter service to the city's outlying suburbs.

Operators

VIA Rail Canada (tel: +1 888 842 7245; www.viarail.ca) is Canada's national rail transport provider. VIA Rail operates services between Toronto and a number of national destinations, including Montreal  and Ottawa.

Both economy and first-class (VIA 1) cars are available on services along the Quebec City-Windsor corridor, which accounts for most of Canada's passenger rail traffic. The carriages are clean and quiet, with large windows that confer a sense of the country's vastness, as the train passes acres of farmland and mixed conifer and deciduous forests.

VIA 1 fares include a meal and complimentary Canadian wines. Longer distance services to Vancouver and the East Coast (changing at Montreal) offer a variety of seated and sleeper accommodation options.

Amtrak (tel: +1 800 872 7245; www.amtrak.com) links Toronto with New York City via its Maple Leaf service.

Journey times

From Montreal - 5 hours; Ottawa - 4 hours 15 minutes; New York City - 12 hours 30 minutes.

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

Book Accommodation

Featured Hotels

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Eaton Chelsea

Canada's largest hotel, the glass-clad, sky-high Eaton Chelsea tries to cater for everybody within its 1,590 guest rooms. For families, there are Nintendo games, a bottomless cookie jar and kids' discounts in the restaurants. While for business travellers, there is a dedicated floor of rooms equipped with cordless speaker telephones, faxes, well-stocked desks and back-friendly chairs.

Super 8 Downtown

Super 8 is a cheap and cheerful hotel set close to the Gardiner Expressway in Chinatown. With decent continental breakfasts, a gym and massage room, plus flatscreen TVs, microwaves and fridges in all rooms, make this an excellent budget choice. There are hot tub suites available at reasonable rates too.

Cambridge Suites

Located in the heart of the Financial District, this all-suites hotel is designed with the business traveller in mind. The experienced staff can handle all kinds of business occasions, from state-of-the-art presentations to informal breakfast meetings. All rooms have work areas that are comfortable, well designed and feature two double-line telephones and high-speed Wi-Fi access.

Hazelton Hotel

Since opening in 2007, the Hazelton in the ritzy Yorkville district has drawn a steady stream of actors and hipsters, many attracted by its proximity to luxury boutiques and Toronto International Film Festival events. Amenities include a lap pool, fitness centre, spa, private screening room and 24-hour room service.

The Westin Harbour Castle

This is a mammoth 38-storey, twin-towered hotel with 977 rooms that looks straight out onto Lake Ontario. As well as boasting spectacular views, the Harbour Castle features 70,000 square foot of meeting space, tennis courts, an indoor pool, whirlpool and giant windows throughout. The rooms are exceptionally comfortable and well equipped.

Fairmont Royal York Hotel

The tallest building in the British Empire when it opened in 1929, the massive Royal York even now is a prominent feature of Toronto's Lake Ontario skyline. Amenities include a business centre, indoor lap pool, 24-hour fitness centre, spa and children's wading pool.