Toronto Pearson International Airport to North York
GO Transit route 34 runs between Pearson and North York directly, avoiding the trip downtown. A flat-rate taxi is CAD 55-70 and takes about half an hour without traffic.
A second downtown that grew along the Yonge subway line โ office towers, the Toronto Centre for the Arts, and a dense strip of Korean and Persian restaurants that most visitors never hear about.
How far is North York from Toronto Pearson International Airport?
North York is 25 km (16 miles) from Toronto Pearson International Airport by road, about 30 min by car outside rush hour. In a straight line it is 20 km. By public transport, TTC route 900 + subway Line 1 takes about 1h 25m including a change and costs C$3.3.
Every way to get there
Our verdict: TTC route 900 + subway Line 1 is the cheapest way at C$3.3 (1h 25m, with a change on the way). A taxi from C$55 saves roughly 55 min and takes you to the door.
What it costs for your group
The bus / shuttle is charged per person, while a taxi is one price for the whole car โ so the more of you there are, the better door-to-door value looks.
| Group | Bus / shuttle (per person) | Taxi (per car) | Best value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo ยท 1 traveller | C$3.3 | C$55 | Bus / shuttle |
| Couple ยท 2 travellers | C$6.6 | C$55 | Bus / shuttle |
| Family of 4 ยท 4 travellers | C$13 | C$55 | Bus / shuttle |
Which option should you choose?
| If your priority isโฆ | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | TTC route 900 + subway Line 1 | From C$3.3, about 1h 25m, with a change on the way. |
| Speed | GTAA flat-rate taxi | 30 min and door-to-door, from C$55. |
| A group of 4 | TTC route 900 + subway Line 1 | Four tickets still come to about C$13.2 โ less than a car. |
| A late-night arrival | Taxi or pre-booked transfer | TTC route 900 + subway Line 1 does not run all night; check the last departure before you land. |
By transport mode
Bus / shuttle
The reason this route exists is that North York is due east of the airport and going via Union Station would be a detour of an hour. Tap PRESTO or buy from the machine; fares vary with how far along the line you travel.
Where to catch it: GO bus bays at ground level in both terminals, separate from the TTC and MiWay stands.
Best for solo & budget travellersBus / shuttle
One CAD 3.30 fare the whole way, but it is a long way round: bus to Kipling, Line 2 east, change at St George or Bloor-Yonge, then Line 1 north. Ninety minutes is realistic. Cheap, and a genuine test of patience with suitcases.
Where to catch it: TTC platforms at ground level in both terminals.
Best for solo & budget travellersTaxi
Crosses the top of the city on the 401, which is the busiest stretch of highway in North America and behaves accordingly between four and seven. The fixed zone price means the delay is not also a cost.
Where to catch it: Ground transportation level; destination confirmed and a waybill issued before departure.
Best for small groups in a hurryPrivate transfer
North York's towers look identical from the road and the condo entrances are often on a side street. A driver working from the address rather than a landmark saves a lap of the block.
Where to catch it: Met inside the terminal, flight number tracked.
Best for families, groups & late arrivalsCar rental
Parking here is easier and cheaper than downtown, and the 401 and 404 put the rest of the region within reach. Less compelling if you are staying on the subway line, which reaches most of what you would want.
Where to catch it: Terminal counters, garage pickup.
Best for travellers who want to exploreNorth York & Toronto in photos
Step-free access in Toronto
At Pearson, wheelchair and mobility help comes from your airline rather than the airport, so the booking happens with the airline.
- Arrange wheelchair and mobility assistance with your airline at least 48 hours before travel.
- Self-service wheelchairs are also available in the terminals.
- Accessible check-in kiosks, hearing loops and in-terminal shuttles after security are provided in Terminals 1 and 3.
- The TTC bus fleet, including the 900 Airport Express, is entirely wheelchair and scooter accessible, according to the TTC.
Getting from YYZ to North York
A second downtown that most visitors never see
North York Centre grew straight up along the Yonge subway line, which gives it a skyline of its own about twenty-five kilometres northeast of the airport. The Toronto Centre for the Arts is here, so are a great many condo towers, and so is a stretch of Yonge Street where the Korean and Persian restaurants are the reason people cross the city rather than an afterthought.
Almost nobody flies in as a tourist to stay here. Plenty of people fly in to visit family, attend something at the arts centre, or work in one of the towers โ and for all of them, the geography matters.
Why route 34 exists
North York sits due east of Pearson. Downtown sits southeast. Going into Union Station and back out again would add the better part of an hour to a journey that is, in a straight line, not far at all.
GO Transit's route 34 is the answer to exactly that. It runs between the airport and North York directly, across the top of the city, and it is the reason this journey does not have to involve downtown. Buses leave from the GO bays on the ground transportation level โ a separate area from both the TTC and MiWay stands, so read the signage. Fares run roughly CAD 7 to 12 depending on how far along the line you travel; tap PRESTO or buy from the machine before boarding.
The very cheap way, and what it really costs
One TTC fare of CAD 3.30 will get you here, and it is a genuinely long way round. The 900 bus goes to Kipling station at the western edge of the subway, then Line 2 runs east across the city, then you change at St George or Bloor-Yonge onto Line 1 and ride north. Three vehicles, two changes, and ninety minutes is a fair estimate rather than a pessimistic one.
It costs a third of the GO bus and takes nearly twice as long. With a rucksack and a book that is a reasonable trade. With suitcases and a connection to make, it is not.
The 401 problem
Every road option here crosses the top of the city on Highway 401, which carries more traffic than any other stretch of road in North America and behaves exactly as that suggests between four and seven in the evening. A drive that takes half an hour at ten in the morning takes an hour at five.
Airport taxis price this journey as a fixed zone rate of CAD 55 to 70, confirmed by the dispatcher and written on a waybill before you set off. That structure is worth more on this route than on most, because the delay is common and the price does not move with it. A CAD 10 surcharge applies to airport pickups.
A car arranged online comes to CAD 70-100, and the airport adds its CAD 15 exit fee to anything pre-booked. Their advantage here is specific: North York's towers look interchangeable from the road, and a good number of condo entrances are on a side street rather than the address you were given. A driver working from a typed address rather than a landmark saves a lap of the block and a phone call.
Hiring, and whether you need to
Parking here is easier and cheaper than downtown, and the 401 and 404 put the northern suburbs, Richmond Hill and the cottage routes within reach. Expect about CAD 45 a day upwards, collected from the terminal garage.
The counter-argument is the subway. North York Centre, Sheppard-Yonge and Finch stations cover most of what anyone comes here for, and Line 1 reaches downtown in half an hour without the parking problem at the far end. If you are staying on the Yonge corridor and not leaving the city, a car will spend most of the week parked.
In practice
Arriving in daylight with normal luggage: GO route 34, direct and half the price of a cab. Arriving late, or with more bags than hands: a flat-rate taxi, and accept that rush hour is rush hour. Staying a week and heading out of the city at some point: hire at the terminal. Travelling light on the tightest possible budget: the TTC will get you there for CAD 3.30 and ninety minutes of your life.
YYZ to North York โ FAQ
How far is North York from Toronto Pearson International Airport?
How much is a transfer from Toronto Pearson International Airport to North York?
What's the cheapest way from Toronto Pearson International Airport to North York?
How do I get from Toronto Pearson International Airport to North York at night?
How much is a taxi from Toronto Pearson International Airport to North York?
Other destinations from Toronto Pearson International Airport
