Hi
Toronto is a big city and is actually served very well with public transport, who wants to drive on the first day of winter snow honestly?
The city has a comprehensive subway route, that connects the airport to Union station. There are four major subway routes that then spread out to the suburbs. Union station also hosts a VIA rail terminal. The rest of the city and surounding conurbations are serviced with a comprehensive bus route although the system does seem to have a few flaws that stops the sytem running smoothly.
I recently, moved to Toronto, yet, here are my tips.
Get the presto card, this saves you fumbling with coins and queuing up with a paper ticket to pass the gates into the subway.
Be aware your ticket gives you two hours of travel, so even if you have paper ticket you can use transfers, the presto card automatically updates your travel.
Avoid rush hour if you can. Like any major city peak times leads to sharing your subway train in close proximity (really close proximity) with your fellow passengers. Other times the subway and buses are practically empty. The buses can be problematical, however, the scheduling is pretty good so there isn’t too much of a wait for the next bus. Ironically, the first bus to arrive can be packed the next following close behind practically empty.
Plan your route if you’re using the buses. The route planner using google maps is pretty good and provides you with options, on the different routes for traveling from one location to the next. Don’t expect it to be totally trouble free, due to the sheer number of different combinations possible, if you review before travelling you might find there is actually a better route than first suggested. The google maps app on the phone gives you reassurance when you’re waiting for the next bus at the bus stop as not all bus stops gives you an indication of when the next bus will arrive.
Be nice to your fellow passengers, they might have had a bad day you could delight them by giving them your seat if they need to sit down more than you! Don’t put your VIP bag on the spare seat. Respect the elderly and people with disabilties, if you see someone with needs, be respectful and offer them your seat if you are in a better situation than them. If you’re on a bus, be aware that you’re wider with a backpack on and those walkways can be pretty narrow. You really don’t want to hit someone by accident when you turn around!
Have a great day.
Cheers Chris