YYZ Toronto Pearson International Airport
Layover in Toronto: what fits in your hours
The UP Express runs from Pearson to Union Station in downtown Toronto in under half an hour, so a Toronto layover can work from about five and a half hours. The catch is paperwork, not distance: Canada asks for an eTA or a visa even to change planes, and leaving the airport means passing Canadian immigration. If your next flight goes to the United States, you also clear US border preclearance at Pearson before boarding.
How much time you really get
We count 28 minutes each way on the UP Express, Pearson Station (Terminal 1) to Union Station, plus 20% for waiting, 45 minutes from landing to the exit, and 120 minutes back at the airport before departure. Bags checked through.
YYZ Time in Toronto
| Layover | In the city | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 h | 1 h 5 min | Stay airside |
| 6 h | 2 h 5 min | Tight |
| 8 h | 4 h 5 min | Go |
| 10 h | 6 h 5 min | Go |
| 12 h | 8 h 5 min | Go |
| 16 h | 12 h 5 min | Go |
| 24 h | 20 h 5 min | Go |
Plan with your own flight times and passport
Can you leave the airport?
Leaving the airport means entering Canada. Of the 13 passports we cover, India, China (mainland), Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and Philippines need a visa; the others can go without one, some with an online authorisation. Rules for every passport, with official sources →
Two hours: the CN Tower and the waterfront
Layover of 6 h or more
All on foot from Union Station: the SkyWalk leads to the tower, the lake is ten minutes south.
- CN Tower. The city’s landmark, a short indoor walk from Union Station along the SkyWalk. Book a time slot online to skip the ticket queue.
- Ripley’s Aquarium. At the foot of the tower, if you would rather stay indoors.
- Harbourfront. Walk down to Queens Quay along Lake Ontario, with the ferries to the Toronto Islands leaving nearby.
Four hours: Old Town and the Distillery District
Layover of 8 h or more
Walk east from Union Station along Front Street; take the streetcar back along King Street.
- St Lawrence Market. Toronto’s historic food hall, 15 minutes on foot from Union.
- Old Town. The Flatiron (Gooderham) Building and the streets around St James Cathedral, the oldest part of the city.
- Distillery District. Victorian whisky distillery buildings turned into a pedestrian quarter of galleries, cafés and shops.
Seven hours: museums and neighbourhoods
Layover of 11 h or more
Subway Line 1 from Union to Museum station, then on foot west to Spadina Avenue; streetcar back to Union.
- Royal Ontario Museum. Canada’s largest museum of world culture and natural history, in a crystal-shaped extension right by Museum station.
- Queen’s Park and the University of Toronto. The Ontario parliament and the old college buildings, a pleasant walk south-west of the museum.
- Kensington Market and Chinatown. Toronto’s most eclectic neighbourhood, with food from everywhere, next to Chinatown on Spadina Avenue.
Good to know
- The UP Express leaves from Terminal 1; from Terminal 3 take the free Terminal Link train first.
- Canada has no exit passport control, but flights to the US clear US preclearance at Pearson: leave extra time on the way back.
- In winter, the PATH underground walkway connects Union Station with much of downtown.
Opening hours and ticket prices change: check them on Destination Toronto (official tourism site) before you go.
Before you go
Going into Toronto
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Leave your bags in Toronto
Radical Storage
Book a luggage locker near the station or your sight, so you can walk the city light.
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Short tours in Toronto
Klook
Skip-the-line tickets and short guided tours that fit a few hours.
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Fixed-price transfer from YYZ
Kiwitaxi
A driver waiting at arrivals, useful when trains are not running or you travel in a group.
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Mobile data for the layover
Saily
An eSIM you install before you fly, for maps and your airline app in town.
Staying at YYZ
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Lounge passes at YYZ
Klook
Pay-per-visit lounge access where your card or ticket does not get you in.
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Missed your connection?
AirHelp
Check whether a delay or a missed connection entitles you to compensation.
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Questions
How long a layover do I need to leave Toronto Pearson International Airport?
About 5 h 25 min or more for 90 minutes in Toronto. That counts 28 minutes each way on the UP Express, Pearson Station (Terminal 1) to Union Station plus a margin, 45 minutes to get through arrival, and 120 minutes back at the airport before departure.
What can I do on an 8-hour layover in Toronto?
About 4 h 5 min in the city: enough for “Four hours: Old Town and the Distillery District”.
Do I need a visa to leave the airport in Toronto?
Leaving the airport means entering Canada. Of the 13 passports we cover, India, China (mainland), Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and Philippines need a visa; the others can go without one, some with an online authorisation. Check your own passport in the planner.