Billy Bishop (YTZ): meeting the charter bus on the mainland
Billy Bishop sits on Toronto Island. A group flying in here meets its charter bus on the mainland, at the curb outside the pavilion at the foot of Eireann Quay, after crossing by tunnel or ferry.
Getting everyone across the channel
There are two ways over the Western Channel. The pedestrian tunnel has elevators and moving walkways, and the airport puts it at under six minutes from curb to check-in. The ferry crossing is about 121 m, lasts 90 seconds and runs every 15 minutes. With the tunnel, nobody is left waiting for the next sailing.
Count heads on the mainland side, not in the terminal. When the last person is through, the leader tells the driver the group is ready.
A tight curb with a five-minute limit
The airport publishes no coach pick-up area and no coach parking. The mainland curb is a no-parking zone for active loading and unloading. Spaces inside the turning circle allow a wait of up to 5 minutes, and drivers who turn up early are sent to the airport's parking.
For a bus, that means the group stands at the curb, bags in hand, when it pulls in. One person helps the driver with the luggage bays while the rest board.
Where the driver meets you
- Passengers cross from the island terminal to the mainland by the pedestrian tunnel or the ferry, and vehicles collect them at the curb outside the mainland pavilion and ferry terminal at the foot of Eireann Quay (foot of Bathurst Street).
Where coaches and buses wait
- The airport publishes no coach pick-up area or coach parking. The mainland curb is a no-parking zone for active loading and unloading only; spaces inside the turning circle allow a wait of up to 5 minutes, and early drivers are directed to the airport's parking.
Drive to downtown
- about 3 km, about 15 min to Union Station by the airport shuttle, depending on traffic
The free shuttle bus, or a charter?
Downtown is about 3 km away. A free airport shuttle runs about every 15 minutes to 44 York Street, beside the Fairmont Royal York across from Union Station, taking about 15 minutes depending on traffic. For a dozen people with light bags and a hotel near Union, that may be all you need.
A charter earns its place when the group is large, carries sports kit or instruments, or is going on to a venue at Exhibition Place, a Queens Quay hotel or out of the city. For a mid-sized group, a minibus or midi-coach suits the short curb better than a full-size coach.
Vehicles and the ferry
The ferry also carries vehicles to the island terminal for a fee, but the airport does not publish size limits for the crossing. Do not plan on taking a bus across. Plan the meet at Eireann Quay.
Around the pavilion
Taxis load at the corral to the right of the mainland pavilion. Rideshare cars collect beside Little Norway Park in the Finger lanes. Tell the group what their bus looks like before they come out, so nobody joins the taxi line.
Questions
Can the bus pick us up at the island terminal?
Plan on the mainland. The airport publishes no coach pick-up area and no vehicle-size limits for the ferry, so charter groups board at the Eireann Quay curb.
How long can the bus wait at the curb?
Spaces inside the turning circle allow up to 5 minutes. The rest of the curb is for active loading only, so the bus comes forward once the group is across.
Is the tunnel manageable with luggage?
It has elevators and moving walkways. If anyone uses a wheelchair, say so on the request so the operator sends a vehicle that can load it.
Is there a shuttle bus from Billy Bishop to downtown?
Yes, a free airport shuttle to 44 York Street, about every 15 minutes. A charter suits a larger group, sports kit or an onward trip.
Cities
Airports
Vehicles
- Full-size coach — 49-81 seats
- Midi coach — 29-35 seats
- Minibus — 16-19 seats
- Executive Sprinter van — 17-19 seats
- Executive car (sedan or SUV) — 1-3 seats
- Wheelchair-accessible minibus — Varies by layout; wheelchair positions replace seats
Arriving at Toronto City Airport?
Tell us the flight, the headcount, the luggage and where the group is going next. Licensed partner operators quote; the choice is yours.
Request a quote or call +1 438 809 0370