The cheapest ride from Toronto Pearson to the city is the TTC 900 Airport Express bus, a single fare of about CAD $3.30, though it takes roughly an hour. Most travellers do better on the UP Express train: $12.35, or $9.25 if you tap a PRESTO or contactless card, and 25 minutes to Union Station. A taxi or rideshare (about $45 to $65) only earns that price with heavy bags, a group, or a very late landing.
That is the short version. Each option below carries real 2026 fares, travel times, and the trip it actually suits, so you can choose before you reach the curb.
How much does each option cost?
Four routes cover almost every arrival, trading cost against speed and effort. The table sums them up; the notes after it settle the close calls.
| Option | Cost (2026) | Time to downtown | Frequency | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TTC 900 bus + subway | about $3.30 | about 60 min | every 10 to 15 min | tight budget, light bags |
| UP Express train | $12.35 ($9.25 PRESTO) | 25 min | every 15 min | most travellers |
| Uber / Lyft | $45 to $65 | 25 to 45 min | on demand | door-to-door, groups |
| Taxi (flat rate) | $50 to $60 | 25 to 45 min | on demand | bags, late night, no app |
Is the UP Express worth it?
For a downtown trip, usually yes. The Union Pearson Express, run by Metrolinx, leaves Terminal 1 every 15 minutes and reaches Union Station in 25 minutes flat, with trains from about 05:27 to 01:27 daily. The walk-up adult fare is $12.35, and tapping a PRESTO or contactless card drops it to $9.25.
That beats a taxi on time and money for one or two people heading to the core. The limit is reach: the train serves Union Station, so if your hotel sits far from a subway or streetcar line, count the last leg. Our UP Express guide covers ticketing and stops, the route to Union Station maps the connection, and live schedules sit on the official site.
Which option is the cheapest?
Public transit, if you can spare the time. The TTC 900 Airport Express runs to Kipling Station on Line 2, then the subway carries you into the core, all for one fare of about $3.30 with a PRESTO tap. Budget close to an hour end to end.
It suits a solo traveller with a backpack and no deadline. Add two suitcases and a transfer, and the saving stops feeling worth it; the train wins the time back.
When do a taxi or rideshare make sense?
When luggage, group size, or the clock outweighs the fare. Licensed taxis charge a flat rate of about $50 to $60 to downtown, set by zone rather than meter, so traffic never runs up the bill. Uber and Lyft usually land a little lower at $45 to $65, picking up from the marked rideshare zone.
Split three or four ways, one car matches the train per person and drops you at the door. It also covers the late-night gap when transit thins out. Pickup points sit in our airport taxi guide.
Heading to a World Cup match at BMO Field?
BMO Field hosts FIFA World Cup 2026 matches through July 2, with fixtures on June 23 and 26, so demand is heavy right now. The clean route from the airport is the train to Union Station, then one GO Transit stop to Exhibition or the 509 Harbourfront streetcar to the ground.
Skip the car: parking around Exhibition Place is scarce on match days, and the city steers crowds to rail. Still booking a bed? Our guide to where to stay for the World Cup weighs airport versus downtown, and the Pearson to BMO Field walkthrough maps the exact connections.
What works for a late-night landing?
The train covers most flights, running until about 01:27. Land later and your choices narrow to a taxi or rideshare, both available around the clock from the terminals, or a TTC 300-series overnight bus on the tightest budget. After a red-eye, the flat taxi rate also removes the surge that a rideshare app can add at peak hours.
