Cars & transport in Toronto

How transport in Toronto works: metro, buses, and a personal car

Transport is one of the first things a newcomer has to figure out in Toronto. The city is large, its neighborhoods vary enormously, and the right choice between public transit and a private car has a direct impact on your budget and quality of life. Those living in Downtown or Midtown often go years without a car. Those who have settled in Scarborough, Etobicoke, or Mississauga are practically cut off from a normal daily rhythm without one.

Toronto public transport: TTC, Presto, and GO Transit

The core system is the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission), comprising four Toronto subway lines, streetcars, and an extensive bus network. The 2026 fare is $3.30 per trip when paying cash or via the app. With a Presto Card the charge is slightly lower — around $3.20 — and free transfers within the TTC system are valid for 2 hours.

Presto Card — the essential tool. Top it up online, via the app, at subway machines, or at Shoppers Drug Mart locations. The card costs $6 (one-time fee). Discounted fares apply for students and children under 12; seniors pay around $2.30.

For travel beyond Toronto (Mississauga, Brampton, Markham) — GO Transit: commuter trains and buses. Presto works here too. Fares depend on the zone: a Toronto–Mississauga trip costs around $5–8.

Insider: Toronto’s subway runs until 01:30 on weekdays and 02:30 on weekends. Night Bus routes, however, run infrequently and slowly. If you work night shifts, Uber will ultimately be cheaper and faster.

Buying a car in Toronto: market, prices, and what to consider

Toronto’s used-car market is active. Main platforms — AutoTrader.ca, Kijiji Autos, dealer networks. A reliable used sedan (2015–2018, around 100,000 km) costs $12,000–18,000 CAD. New cars start from $28,000–35,000 CAD for base trims of mainstream brands.

When buying a used car, always order a CARFAX Canada report (accident history and mileage) — around $50 CAD — and have it inspected by an independent mechanic ($100–150 CAD). Ontario requires provincial sales tax (HST or RST) to be paid upon vehicle registration. When buying from a private seller — RST at 13% of the sale price. Through a dealer — HST is already included in the price.

Auto insurance in Ontario is the most expensive in Canada. A new driver with no Canadian insurance history pays $2,500–5,000+ CAD per year for a standard policy. This is not a mistake — it is the reality of the market. Insurance history from Russia or Ukraine is largely disregarded by most insurers.

Driving licence in Toronto: exchange and obtaining for Russian speakers

Toronto driving licence refers to an Ontario provincial licence, issued by DriveTest (the provincial authority). Foreign licences are recognised temporarily — you may drive for up to 60 days from the date you become a resident.

Licence holders from certain countries may exchange them without taking a test. Ontario has reciprocal exchange agreements with US states, Australia, Austria, Belgium, the UK, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Italy (under specific conditions), Kosovo, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Taiwan, France, Croatia, Switzerland, South Korea, Japan — and Ukraine.

This is the key fork in the road for Russian speakers: Ukrainian licenses can be exchanged without exams, while Russia is not on the list — holders of Russian licenses will need to pass the test. The process has two stages:

• G1 — written test (Ontario Highway Traffic Act knowledge). Cost — approximately $158 CAD (covers both G1 + G2 stages). The test is taken at a DriveTest Centre; study materials are available in the official MTO Driver's Handbook (available online for free).
• G2 Road Test — practical driving test. Book through the DriveTest website; wait times range from 2 to 5 months depending on location.
• Full G — the final stage, 12 months after G2.

Most Russian-speaking residents take a few lessons with an instructor before the G2 — not because they can’t drive, but because Canadian test requirements are specific (full stops, mirror checks, four-way stop behaviour).

Comparing transportation options in Toronto

Common mistakes

1. Buying a car in the first few weeks without understanding how insurance works. Annual premiums can be a nasty surprise — factor them into your budget before the deal, not after.
2. Expect your foreign driving history to count toward insurance. Almost all major insurers in Ontario start your record from zero. Some smaller companies make exceptions — it’s worth comparing options through a broker.
3. Skipping vehicle history checks when buying privately. Odometer fraud is less common in Canada than in the CIS, but accidents and liens do occur — CARFAX is a must.
4. Assuming you can get a Toronto licence quickly. Booking a G2 Road Test in Toronto takes months. Some people travel to smaller towns in the province (Orangeville, Barrie) — the wait there is significantly shorter.
5. Overlooking GO Transit as an option. For those living in Mississauga or North York, a combination of GO + TTC is often faster and cheaper than a personal car once you factor in downtown parking ($25–40 CAD per day).
6. Topping up your Presto card with cash at a metro machine every time. The app does it instantly, with no queue and a full transaction history.

Bottom line: what to choose

If you are moving to central neighbourhoods — The Annex, Leslieville, King West, North York along the subway line — you can comfortably live without a car for the first year or two and save $800–1,200 CAD per month in running costs. If your address is in the suburbs or an area with limited TTC coverage, a car becomes a necessity rather than a luxury. In that case, the priority is to pass your G1 as early as possible and start shopping for insurance before you settle on a vehicle.