Commuting

Very roughly, half of U of T students commute to the university. Usually, that is by public transport though sometimes that may be by a taxi/uber or active transport such as cycling (if you walk to campus from Chestnut you're not a commuter!). Commutes vary in length and whether you'll be able to handle it depends on you. I commute for three hours to visit the University of Waterloo regularly. Most of you would think that's a crazy length for a commute (it is). You may have poor access to transport options leaving you with no choice but to live in residence (you should make sure this is not you before commuting).

Exactly what methods and public transport systems are good for you will vary by person. You may have easy access to a Bike Share station or live near the subway. A GO Train station may cross your path but it might not. It is important to figure this out before you start going to class. It may also change depending on time of day (e.g. the Milton line does not run off-peak). Cyclists normally do not have to worry about transit or traffic delays, but finding good bike infrastructure can be difficult. The rest of this page will mainly be focused on public transport since it can be much more complex.

When dealing with different transit systems, each has their own set of benefits and flaws. The GO Train is fast and relatively reliable but does not run that often outside of the lakeshore lines. The TTC's routes run very often but are much less reliable. Bicycle infrastructure is often not great but varies from place to place. Suburban agencies tend to be more reliable than the TTC, but no faster than suburban TTC buses and running far less often (especially off-peak). The TTC streetcars may be no faster than walking sometimes even if they come every six or ten minutes. Different services have different start and end times for their service (compare TTC to each GO Train line).

Queens Park station is the closest subway station to the Engineering side of campus. If you are coming from the Vaughan side or line 2, you may prefer to get off the subway at St. George station, which is closer to OISE and Robarts Library. If you are on the Yonge side, you can transfer to Line 2 and get off at St. George station, take the 'U' around to Queens Park, or get off at a Yonge side station (likely Wellesley or College) and walk (or possibly run) to campus. If you take the GO Train, you can take the Vaughan side of Line 1 frm Union to Queens Park.

Timing

The advantages and disadvantages above may make your commute much worse on weekends or when you stay on campus late. Ensure you know roughly when your line stops operating and what to do if you stay too late. Also pay attention to any potential closures on any rail lines (these happen a lot in the late evening and on weekends). You will stay until the evening for a design team, club, or just plain studying at least once by the end of first year. I've been to U of T as early as 1:45 a.m. and as late as 11:15 p.m.. For most people, I would ensure you can stay until 9:30 p.m. and get to U of T as early as 8:30 a.m. if needed. Saturdays are also a time you will need to come due to exams or design teams (see if you can be here from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.). The University reserves the right to hold an exam on Sunday, though in practice this has never been done while I have attended.

The TTC is prone to being delayed. I have had Line 1 shut down when I had a morning final exam in my 2F term. There was a GO Train derailment at Union Station during the semester in 2026. There is occasionally the threat of a strike. You should be aware of how much time you might need to save for yourself in case something goes wrong and what to do if your line shuts down. You should also be aware of how much time you might need to wait to catch a bus (if applicable) and how long the subway actually takes (Google Maps assumes there are no slow zones).

According to Skule Commuters (when I was active there), the Faculty expects you to arrive to exams early enough to prevent any reasonably expected delays. An example of a "reasonably expected" delay is my bus being 10 minutes late, then my subway train being delayed 15 minutes. This happened to me on the day I volunteered for Fall Campus Day but I still (barely) made it on time. I recommend arriving more than 30 minutes before an exam (If you're going to arrive 29 minutes early, do something earlier). You will be able to access U of T 24/7 with your TCard (even on holidays) so if you need to sleep in your common room the night before that's okay too (hopefully your discipline club is chill with it like Civ Club is). If there is something you really do not want to miss, the same rule above should apply.

To find more information about your system, you can go to their website. Most commuters will ride the TTC and/or GO Transit.

Fares

U of T students do not get transit fares included in their tuition. A $70/month TTC pass was voted down several years ago, and I do not know of any other proposed arrangements with other agencies.

The Greater Toronto & Hamilton Area (GTHA) predominantly uses the PRESTO card as its payment method and most transit agencies will give you a small (significant if you're under 20) discount if you use one. To get one, visit any Shoppers Drug Mart location. If you are under the age of 20, ask for the youth rate and show them your ID to ensure your youth fare lasts until your 20th birthday. After you turn 20, you can also get post-secondary fares from other agencies. For the TTC, this requires you to carry a TTC student ID to be renewed every year, purchasable at Bathurst Station. For GO Transit, you can fill out this form. If you need both, get the TTC post-secondary fare first as its designation ("PS1") applies to GO Transit but GO Transit's ("PS2") does not.

The TTC is presently looking to begin fare capping in its system effective September 2026. This means most advice regarding TTC monthly passes is likely able to be ignored for the upcoming academic year. Fare capping means that after paying for the TTC a certain number of times, you get the rest of your TTC trips for free. If you start your trip on another system, you will need to pay their fare (except GO Transit, which usurps all other fares). This quirk of the One Fare Program (which has enabled free transfers between systems) mean monthly passes (the ones which have not been replaced by fare capping) are likely not worth it for you.

Productivity

If you use active transportation or drive, do not expect to be productive on your commute. If you take transit, do not always assume you will get a seat. The subway is often too busy for that. The GO Train usually is during rush hours. Only start thinking that if it happens almost every time, at the time of day you are commuting (e.g. in the late evening). Local buses will vary wildly and you may always be able to get a seat. This is important because some tasks will require you to sit down. Most notebooks are hard to hold in your hand. Using your laptop while standing on a vehicle is difficult at best.

There are other tasks that you can stand up doing. Smaller notebooks can be held in your hand (though I am talking as small as your phone). You can use your phone to review notes and perhaps think about practice problems, though writing things down with it will be difficult. I sometimes download notes onto my phone before I leave campus so I can read them offline (the subway's cellular service is still not fully completed). This ensures I will be able to do something productive even if I can not sit down. If you want to be productive on your commute, ensure you know how to be productive in all realistic scenarios.

You can also take a break. You already should be taking breaks while studying (or working), though if you are taking a break I would avoid taking a particularly long break if you are to begin studying upon getting home. Resting your mind is important, though you can also have shorter breaks during your commute such as when you need to transfer between different routes on your way to or from school. While you can be productive during your commute, you may prefer to take a break.

Extracurriculars and Friendships

Extracurricular activites generally happen outside of your normal class hours, usually in the evening or on the weekends. If you want to go out with the friends you have made in university, it will also likely be in the evening or on the weekend. If you are a commuter, you will need to adapt to this. This may mean getting home later than you ever have before, and that's okay (unless your parents are unreasonable). Ensure you know when you need to leave but also ensure you can adapt if you need to get home very late. If you do not think you can commute, see if you can sleep in the common room or have a sleepover with someone else (You may want to ensure this is okay before you stay on campus so late).

Further Questions?

If there is anything this page did not answer, you can contact me and I may add it to this page.

Last updated: 05/16/2026