To get to Billy Bishop airport, travel to the mainland terminal at 2 Eireann Quay, at the foot of Bathurst Street, then cross to the island by the pedestrian tunnel (about 260 m, with moving walkways) or the free 90-second passenger ferry. From Union Station, take the airport's free shuttle from 44 York Street, the 509 streetcar, a taxi, or a booked car.
How to get to Billy Bishop airport: the two-step trip
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) is on the Toronto Island, and that shapes every answer to how to get to Billy Bishop airport. Whatever brings you there, the journey has two parts. First you reach the mainland terminal at Eireann Quay, a short street at the south end of Bathurst Street beside the western channel of the harbour. Then you cross the channel on foot through the pedestrian tunnel, or on the passenger ferry. The terminal, check-in counters and gates are all on the island side.
That is why people also search how to get to Toronto Island airport as if it were a separate place: it is the same airport, and the mainland pavilion is its front door. Once you think of Eireann Quay as the address, the options are simple: a car, the free shuttle from Union Station, a streetcar, a bike or your own feet.
Can you drive to Billy Bishop airport?
Yes and no. You can drive to the mainland side, and that is what nearly everyone does: private cars, taxis, rideshare and chauffeured cars drop off and pick up at the curb outside the mainland pavilion and ferry terminal. The airport treats that curb as active loading only, with a small turning circle where a stop is limited to about five minutes; the rest of the frontage is no parking. Full rules are on the airport's pick-up and drop-off page.
You can technically take a vehicle across, because the ferry carries cars as well as people, but it is not how passengers normally travel. The airport lists a vehicle fare of $15 for a return trip, plus island parking fees, and most travellers who drive themselves use nearby parking instead. For a chauffeured trip, the car stops on the mainland and you walk the last stretch.
From Union Station to Billy Bishop
This is the most common question we get from rail travellers, and there are four good answers.
- The free airport shuttle. Billy Bishop runs a complimentary shuttle bus from 44 York Street, on the west side of the Fairmont Royal York across from Union Station, to the mainland terminal. The airport says it leaves about every 15 minutes on a bump-and-go basis, stretching to about 25 minutes early and late, and the ride takes roughly 15 minutes in normal traffic. Details are on the shuttle page.
- The 509 Harbourfront streetcar. It runs west along Queens Quay from Union to the Bathurst and Queens Quay West stop, a short walk from Eireann Quay. The airport lists the 509 and the 511 Bathurst streetcar as its transit links; see the airport's transit page and the TTC for fares and service.
- Walking. With a carry-on and decent weather, Union Station to Eireann Quay is a walk along the waterfront of roughly half an hour.
- A taxi or booked car. Five to 15 minutes outside rush hour, longer on game and festival days.
For Union Station to Billy Bishop airport with luggage or on a schedule, the shuttle or a car wins.
The ferry to Billy Bishop airport
The ferry to Billy Bishop airport crosses the Western Gap in about 90 seconds, which makes it one of the shortest scheduled ferry rides anywhere. The airport says it runs every 15 minutes from about 5:15 a.m. to just after midnight, and it is free for foot passengers. The vessel was converted to fully electric power, it is accessible, and it also carries service vehicles and supplies for the island. Check hours and notices on the ferry page before an early flight.
The ferry is a good choice with heavy bags, a stroller or small children who would rather not walk a long corridor, and it is part of the fun for first-time visitors. The only catch is timing: if you just missed a departure, you wait for the next one.
The pedestrian tunnel
The tunnel runs under the channel for about 260 metres. According to the airport it has six elevators to get down to tunnel level and four moving walkways, and most people cross in under six minutes. There is no schedule to wait for, so when the ferry has just left, the tunnel is faster. It is climate-controlled, which matters in January when the wind off Lake Ontario makes the open ferry deck bracing. Wheeled bags roll easily on the walkways; use the elevators at both ends rather than the stairs.
Ferry or tunnel: which to use
| Situation | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ferry has just departed | Tunnel | No wait; under six minutes |
| Lots of luggage or a stroller | Ferry | Roll on, roll off, no long corridor |
| Winter wind or rain | Tunnel | Indoors all the way |
| First visit, fine weather | Ferry | 90 seconds of harbour views |
| Very early flight | Either; check ferry hours | Tunnel open during airport operating hours |
| Mobility concerns | Either, both accessible | Ask airport staff for assistance |
A chauffeured drop-off at Eireann Quay
When you book a Billy Bishop airport transfer with TorontoAirportTransfer.services, the chauffeur drives you to the mainland curb, unloads quickly within the five-minute rule, and you walk into the pavilion. From downtown hotels the drive is usually short; from North York, Etobicoke or Mississauga plan on the Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard, exiting toward Bathurst Street. The fare is fixed and all-in, including gratuity, with HST added, and it does not change if Bathurst is jammed on a Jays game night.
For pickups, the chauffeur tracks your flight and waits nearby rather than on the curb, because the airport does not allow long curb waits. When you message that you are walking through the tunnel or on the ferry, the car pulls up. Meet and greet at the mainland pavilion is an optional add-on (planning figure $25–35) if a guest has never been there.
Pearson to Billy Bishop, and connections
Many trips link the two airports: a long-haul arrival at Pearson, then a Porter or Air Canada flight from the island, or the reverse. There is no rail link between them. Our Pearson to Billy Bishop route is $145–175 in a business sedan as a planning figure, all-in plus HST, typically 30–40 minutes off-peak via Highway 427 and the Gardiner. Build a generous buffer: customs at Pearson, bags, the drive, the tunnel or ferry and security at YTZ all take time.
| From | To Eireann Quay | Typical time off-peak | Fixed-fare planning figure (sedan) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pearson (YYZ) | By car | 30–40 min | $145–175 |
| Union Station | Shuttle, streetcar or car | 10–15 min | Downtown short run; see the reservation engine |
| North York | By car | 25–40 min | Quoted in the engine |
| Mississauga | By car | 25–40 min | Quoted in the engine |
Timing your arrival at Billy Bishop
Billy Bishop is compact, which is part of its appeal, but do not arrive at the curb with minutes to spare. Leave time for the tunnel or ferry, check-in or bag drop and security, and more for US flights, which clear US customs and immigration before departure. Downtown rush hour runs roughly 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 4 to 6:30 p.m.; Queens Quay has streetcar tracks and busy cycle lanes, and Bathurst backs up on event nights at the Rogers Centre, BMO Field and the Exhibition grounds. Your airline's guidance on arrival times takes priority over any general rule.
Arriving at Billy Bishop
Coming off a flight, you cross back to the mainland by tunnel or ferry and exit at the pavilion. Taxis load at the taxi corral to the right of the pavilion. Rideshare pickups are in a designated area along the curb next to Little Norway Park, and drivers without a passenger cannot wait on airport property. A booked car is timed to your flight and called up when you are on the way out. If you are heading to Pearson for a connection, tell dispatch your onward flight so the chauffeur can advise on timing.
Luggage, families and accessibility
Most Porter passengers travel with modest bags, and a business sedan for three people and three bags covers most trips. Families, golfers and skiers are better in an executive SUV. Child seats are fitted on request when you add them at booking; see child car seat transfers. Both the ferry and the tunnel are accessible, and the airport offers assistance; for wheelchair users, book wheelchair accessible transfers ahead so the right vehicle is sent.
Weather and the island
Fog and strong wind off the lake affect turboprop schedules more than Pearson's long-haul flights, and winter storms slow the approach roads. Check your flight status before leaving the hotel. Our chauffeurs track the flight, so a delayed arrival does not cost you waiting time within the included window, and a cancellation by the airline can be rebooked through dispatch. If your flight moves to Pearson because of weather, call dispatch and we will re-route the car.
Private flights and the Toronto Islands park
Not everyone crossing to the island is catching an airline flight. Business aviation uses Billy Bishop too, and private passengers are usually handled through the fixed-base operator rather than the main passenger terminal, with different access arrangements; tell dispatch the operator and tail number and see our Billy Bishop FBO page. Visitors heading for the beaches and parks of the Toronto Islands should note that the airport ferry and tunnel are for airport users; the public island ferries leave from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at the foot of Bay Street, a different place entirely. Mixing the two up is one of the most common wrong turns we see on summer weekends.
Which option should you choose?
- Solo, carry-on, staying near Union: the free shuttle from York Street.
- Staying along Queens Quay or at Harbourfront: walk, or the 509 streetcar.
- Business traveller on a tight schedule: a booked car to Eireann Quay with a fixed fare.
- Family or group with bags: a booked SUV, then the ferry across.
- Connecting from Pearson: a fixed-fare car; there is no train between the airports.
- Arriving late at night: a taxi from the corral or a booked car timed to your flight.
More detail on the airport itself is on our Billy Bishop airport page and on the official Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport site.
