It's been a long time since I contributed to this thread, so here goes one; which I hope would help potential immigrants to Toronto. I have moved here a couple of months back and these are just basics - things people figure out on their own, however, I hope it helps.
Public Transport in GTA is extremely strong, you would almost always have some form of connectivity. When I say GTA, it is generally implied as Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Scarborough, Markham, North York, Vaughan, Ajax etc. The Full list can be found at Wikipedia.
Here are the key points:
1. Each region has its own Transport, which typically connect to Toronto - So, what I mean by that is if you like in Markham, the Transport system is YRT (York Region Transit) which connects most places in the York Region (Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill etc) among each other and Toronto
2. Toronto is the hub, which is operated by TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) - It connects to almost all places in some form or the other. TTC consists of Subways, Street Cars (Downtown area) & Buses. TTC has the best connectivity among all (as expected)
3. So when you decide a place to stay - choose wisely, see the transit options available there, and try to stay at places which are 'directly' connected with TTC. This will help in you job searches also
4. Prices - This is where it is a bit funny over here - You always pay the full flat fare irrespective of how long have you traveled (except for Go Transit, I will explain this later), The fare varies a bit by Region, but is generally between $3.5 to $4 for one Region. If you use 2 different Transit authorities, like YRT & TTC, you pay twice ($3.5 + $ 4).
5. Mode of Payment - As soon as you land here, you should get your self and every Adult a Presto Card (https://www.prestocard.ca/en/) This works on all Transit Authorities and is a simple way to keep track of your expenses.
6. The Fare that you pay is generally valid for 2 hours -So, if you boarded a YR, then a TTC and then again a YRT - if both the YRT's are within 2 hours, you will only pay once.
7. Go Transit - There are some buses which are Go Buses. These are generally long distance buses, with fewer stops and are the most expensive. Go Transist is not a flat fare bases system, so when you board, you tap 'On' and tap 'Off' when you get off. You do not need to Tap 'Off' on any other Transit Authority.
8. The Machine you Tap looks like this on a bus : https://goo.gl/images/BH529h
and this in a Subway Station : https://goo.gl/images/ZSszjH
9. The easiest method to check transit times are using Google, just put to and from and it will show you a host of options. If you scroll down and tap on 'Agency Info' it will also show you the different Transit Options.
10. Bus times on Google are generally correct, however, you can expect a delay for a minute or two.
11. There is a bit of difference for kids fares across Transit Authorities, like Anyone upto 12 rides free on TTC, while that age till 5 on YRT (with a fare paying adult). Please check websites for more details.
If you are coming here for the first time and you need to find a Job, my suggestion is to live close to TTC, it would a far more easier for you to meet people.
All The Best!
Transit Authorities:
York : https://www.yrt.ca/en/index.aspx
Mississauga: http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/miway/transitway
Durham: https://www.durhamregiontransit.com/Pages/default.aspx
TTC: http://www.ttc.ca/
Public Transport in GTA is extremely strong, you would almost always have some form of connectivity. When I say GTA, it is generally implied as Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Scarborough, Markham, North York, Vaughan, Ajax etc. The Full list can be found at Wikipedia.
Here are the key points:
1. Each region has its own Transport, which typically connect to Toronto - So, what I mean by that is if you like in Markham, the Transport system is YRT (York Region Transit) which connects most places in the York Region (Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill etc) among each other and Toronto
2. Toronto is the hub, which is operated by TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) - It connects to almost all places in some form or the other. TTC consists of Subways, Street Cars (Downtown area) & Buses. TTC has the best connectivity among all (as expected)
3. So when you decide a place to stay - choose wisely, see the transit options available there, and try to stay at places which are 'directly' connected with TTC. This will help in you job searches also
4. Prices - This is where it is a bit funny over here - You always pay the full flat fare irrespective of how long have you traveled (except for Go Transit, I will explain this later), The fare varies a bit by Region, but is generally between $3.5 to $4 for one Region. If you use 2 different Transit authorities, like YRT & TTC, you pay twice ($3.5 + $ 4).
5. Mode of Payment - As soon as you land here, you should get your self and every Adult a Presto Card (https://www.prestocard.ca/en/) This works on all Transit Authorities and is a simple way to keep track of your expenses.
6. The Fare that you pay is generally valid for 2 hours -So, if you boarded a YR, then a TTC and then again a YRT - if both the YRT's are within 2 hours, you will only pay once.
7. Go Transit - There are some buses which are Go Buses. These are generally long distance buses, with fewer stops and are the most expensive. Go Transist is not a flat fare bases system, so when you board, you tap 'On' and tap 'Off' when you get off. You do not need to Tap 'Off' on any other Transit Authority.
8. The Machine you Tap looks like this on a bus : https://goo.gl/images/BH529h
and this in a Subway Station : https://goo.gl/images/ZSszjH
9. The easiest method to check transit times are using Google, just put to and from and it will show you a host of options. If you scroll down and tap on 'Agency Info' it will also show you the different Transit Options.
10. Bus times on Google are generally correct, however, you can expect a delay for a minute or two.
11. There is a bit of difference for kids fares across Transit Authorities, like Anyone upto 12 rides free on TTC, while that age till 5 on YRT (with a fare paying adult). Please check websites for more details.
If you are coming here for the first time and you need to find a Job, my suggestion is to live close to TTC, it would a far more easier for you to meet people.
All The Best!
Transit Authorities:
York : https://www.yrt.ca/en/index.aspx
Mississauga: http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/miway/transitway
Durham: https://www.durhamregiontransit.com/Pages/default.aspx
TTC: http://www.ttc.ca/
