Transportation - Getting Around by Public Transit

Well, Canada has a very good public transit system (public transit means Buses, Trains, underground Metro or Subway, and Street cars).

Most large and medium-sized cities in Ontario have public transit systems of buses. Toronto also has a system of streetcars and subways. Most systems provide free transit maps.

The Toronto Transit System (TTC) has information in more than 20 languages on their phone system – call 416-393-4636.

Related Posts:

1. Getting around by public transit
2. Travel Local and International
3. Taxi - Rent a Car
4. Walking and road rules
5. Moving - International and Local Movers
6. Cheapest Way to Commute - Toronto

For me I use Mississauga Transit most of the times and I like it more, however if you are going from Mississauga to Toronto downtown for example, you have to plan your trip from where you live to Islington Subway Station first and then take the Subway to downtown. To plan your trip from Mississauga to the subway or to anywhere else in Mississauga you can use this PERFECT online trip planner.


Now, to use public transit, you can pay cash for each trip. You must have the exact amount of money for the buses because the drivers cannot give you change. If you use public transit often, you can buy tickets, tokens or a daily or monthly pass. It costs more if you pay cash for each trip. You can buy tickets, tokens and passes at bus or subway stations and in some stores.

For example, in Mississauga Transit you pay:

Cash: $3.00 per trip (you change as many as buses you want for free within 2 hours, but don’t forget to get the transfer from the driver)

Ticket: ticket is similar to cash, is valid for one trip, however it’s cheaper, you buy 10 tickets for $23.

Pass: Pass allows you to travel unlimited times before the pass expires. You can buy weekly pass for $24, or monthly pass for $99. You can also buy a GTA pass that allows you to use any transit system in the GTA unlimited times, weekly for $45 and monthly for around $180.

So I want to reassure that if you need to change from one bus, streetcar or train to another to get where you want to go. When this happens, you need a transfer. A transfer is a piece of paper that tells the driver that you do not have to pay again. Ask the driver for a transfer when you get on the first bus or streetcar, or get one at the subway station where you start your trip.

When I first arrived to Canada I kept on paying $2.75 every time I get on the bus lol, so if I have to change 3 buses in one trip I used to pay $8.25 ... lol