To get to Toronto Island from Union Station, walk about 1 km south on Bay Street to the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at Queens Quay, roughly 12 to 15 minutes, or ride the 509 or 510 streetcar one stop from Union's underground loop to Queens Quay. Then take a city ferry to Centre Island, Ward's Island or Hanlan's Point. Buy ferry tickets online in advance.
How to get to Toronto Island from Union Station: the short answer
There is no bridge to the Toronto Islands for cars, and no ferry at Union Station itself. The city ferries leave from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal, at the foot of Bay Street on Queens Quay, behind the Westin Harbour Castle hotel. From Union Station that is about a kilometre due south. Most people walk; some take the streetcar one stop; families with luggage, strollers or a grandparent who cannot walk far often take a car to the terminal. Our Toronto Islands transfer page covers drop-off points and planning fares from further afield; this post is the Union Station version.
The walk, step by step (12 to 15 minutes)
- Leave Union Station by the south side, towards Front Street and the Bay Street exit.
- Head south on Bay Street, passing under the rail corridor and the Gardiner Expressway. The arena and the tall towers of the south core are on your right and left.
- Cross Lake Shore Boulevard at the lights; it is wide and busy, so wait for the signal.
- Continue south on Bay to Queens Quay. The ferry terminal is straight ahead, on the water, just east of the hotel.
The route is flat and step-free, with wide sidewalks. In winter, the stretch under the Gardiner can be windy and icy; wear proper footwear.
The streetcar: one stop underground
The 509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina streetcars leave from the underground loop at Union Station and run south in a tunnel under Bay Street to Queens Quay station, which is right beside the ferry terminal. It is one stop, a couple of minutes, and useful in rain, with a stroller, or for anyone who finds the walk hard. It costs a regular TTC fare, paid by tapping a credit card or a PRESTO card. Check the TTC for service changes; the Queens Quay tunnel sometimes closes for maintenance and replacement buses run on the surface.
Which ferry should you take?
Three city ferry routes leave from the same terminal:
| Ferry to | What is there | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Centre Island | Centreville amusement park (seasonal), gardens, the main beach, bike rentals | Families, first-time visitors |
| Ward's Island | The residential community, quieter beach, boardwalk to Centre | A calm walk, the east end views |
| Hanlan's Point | Beaches (including a clothing-optional section), the airport side of the island | Beach days, sunset views |
All three connect on foot along the Islands' paths, so you can arrive at one and leave from another. The City of Toronto ferry routes page has current schedules; service is fullest in summer and reduced in winter, when not every route runs frequently.
Tickets and the queue
Buy tickets online from the City of Toronto before you walk down; the City's own advice is that online tickets save time, and they remain valid beyond the day of purchase. The queue for the boat, not the ticket booth, is the real wait on hot weekends. The City warns that the busiest periods are roughly 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. going to the Islands and 5 to 9 p.m. coming back, with waits that can exceed 30 to 60 minutes. Going early in the morning or returning before 5 p.m. makes a big difference. The City's ferry information is the official source for fares.
When is a car to the ferry terminal worth it?
For most visitors staying downtown, walking is best. A car makes sense in a few cases: a family with a cooler, beach gear and a stroller; an older relative who cannot manage a kilometre each way; arriving straight from Pearson with suitcases (the terminal has no luggage storage, so drop bags at the hotel first); or a return pickup late in the evening when you are tired and the walk back up Bay Street is the last thing you want. From Pearson, a business sedan to the terminal is a planning figure of $130–160, all-in plus HST. From Union Station itself it is a very short hop, priced by the engine.
Where exactly the car stops
Queens Quay is narrow, with streetcar tracks in the middle and a busy bike lane, so the car cannot pull up at the ferry gates. The chauffeur sets you down on Bay Street just north of Queens Quay or in a safe stopping area by the hotel, a few steps from the terminal. For the return, dispatch sets a pickup window rather than an exact minute on busy days, because the ferry queue makes arrival times unpredictable, and the chauffeur tracks your messages. Point-to-point pickups come with 15 minutes of grace, after which waiting is counted in 15-minute blocks.
Arriving at Union by train with the Islands in mind
Visitors arriving on VIA Rail or GO Transit sometimes want to head straight to the Islands. Leave luggage first: Union Station and nearby hotels are the practical places to arrange it, and ferry staff will not hold bags. For a day-trip from, say, Kitchener or Oshawa by GO, the walk to the ferry is part of the fun. If you are heading to Billy Bishop airport instead, that is a different island crossing, from the foot of Bathurst Street, covered in our post on walking from Union Station to Billy Bishop.
Accessibility and strollers
The walk from Union along Bay Street is step-free, and the Queens Quay streetcar station has elevators, though these are occasionally out of service; check before you go. The City's ferries carry wheelchairs and strollers, and the Islands' main paths are paved. For a traveller who needs a ramp-equipped vehicle to reach the terminal, see our wheelchair accessible transfers. On summer weekends, crowding in the ferry queue is the main difficulty for strollers and wheelchairs, so arrive early.
Combining the Islands with the rest of the day
The Islands pair well with nearby waterfront sights: the Harbourfront Centre along Queens Quay, the CN Tower and Ripley's Aquarium a short walk north-west, and dinner in the St. Lawrence Market area. For a full day with a car on standby, an hourly booking works: drop at the ferry, the chauffeur returns for a waterfront pickup, then on to dinner. Our post on Toronto sightseeing with a private driver has itineraries that include the ferry, and things to do near Union Station lists more within walking distance.
Water taxis: the other way across
Private water taxis run from several spots along the Harbourfront to the Islands in the warmer months. They cost more than the ferry per person but skip the ferry queue and can drop at different docks. They are independent operators; check prices, capacity and safety information with the operator directly. For groups, splitting a water taxi can come close to the ferry cost on a busy day. They do not run from Union Station; you still walk or ride to Queens Quay first.
A sample summer Saturday
- 9:15 Leave Union, walk down Bay; tickets already bought online.
- 9:40 Board an early ferry to Centre Island, well before the late-morning rush.
- 10:00–15:30 Beach, Centreville, bikes and a picnic.
- 15:45 Ferry back from Ward's, ahead of the evening peak.
- 16:15 Car pickup on Bay Street, pre-arranged, for the drive to a North York hotel.
The Islands in winter
The ferries run all year, but the Islands are a different place from November to March: quiet, windswept and beautiful, with most attractions and food stands closed. Service is reduced, and not every route runs on the summer pattern; check the City's ferry schedule before walking down from Union. The walk along Bay Street under the Gardiner is the coldest part of the trip, with wind off the lake. A car to the terminal is worth considering on a bitter day, especially with children, and the chauffeur can return for a set time so nobody waits outside. Bring water and snacks; almost nothing is open on the Islands in winter.
Getting back from the Islands to Union Station
The return is the same route in reverse, with one difference: timing. Ferries back to the city fill up in the late afternoon and early evening in summer, and the queue on the island side can be long. Aim for a ferry before 5 p.m. on busy days, or accept a later one after the rush. From the terminal, walk north on Bay Street to Union, or take the streetcar one stop. If you have a train to catch, allow at least 45 minutes between your planned ferry and the departure; a full boat that leaves you on the dock for one more crossing can cost half an hour.
Three visitors, three right answers
- A solo traveller staying at a hotel on Front Street with an afternoon free. Walk down Bay Street, 15 minutes, and catch a ferry to Ward's for the boardwalk.
- A couple arriving at Union on the train from Montreal, with two suitcases, heading to the Islands before check-in. Drop the bags at the hotel first; carrying luggage onto the ferry and around the Islands is miserable.
- A family of six with grandparents and a stroller, staying in Vaughan. Pre-booked van to the ferry terminal, drop on Bay Street, return pickup after 4 p.m. before the evening ferry peak.
Mistakes people make at the ferry
- Queuing at the ticket booth when an online ticket would let them walk to the boarding line.
- Arriving at 11 a.m. on a hot Saturday and expecting a quick crossing.
- Leaving the Islands at 6 p.m. on a summer Sunday and booking a car for 6:15 at the terminal.
- Bringing bikes on the busiest weekend ferries, which can be restricted when the boats are full.
- Forgetting sunscreen and water; shade and shops are limited away from Centre Island.
Planning from further away
If you are coming from a suburb, from Pearson or from a hotel outside downtown, the car goes directly to the ferry terminal, and the Pearson to Union Station route page covers the airport end. Book on the reservation page; cancellation is free more than 72 hours ahead, 10 % within 72 hours, 50 % within 48 hours and 100 % within 24 hours or for a no-show.
