How do you get to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport?
You get to the foot of Bathurst Street, then you cross to the island either through the pedestrian tunnel or on the ferry. The tunnel is open all the time and takes a few minutes on moving walkways. The ferry runs every 15 minutes from 5:15 in the morning until midnight and the crossing itself is very short. Both are free for passengers and both land you at the terminal.
The airport is on Toronto Island, right off the downtown waterfront. That is its great advantage: from the financial district you are at the terminal in minutes rather than the better part of an hour. Porter and Air Canada Express fly from here, so if your ticket says YTZ this is your airport.
The part people get wrong is the last stretch on the mainland. Getting to Bathurst Street with luggage in downtown traffic is the slow bit, not the water crossing.
The tunnel, the ferry and how you reach them
Two ways across the water and several ways to reach the mainland side. Pick by where you are starting and how much luggage you are carrying.
A 240 metre walkway runs under the shipping channel, with moving sidewalks, lifts on the mainland side and an escalator on the island side. It opened in 2015 and it is the option most travellers now use, because it does not wait for anything. You walk on and keep walking.
The ferry runs from 5:15 in the morning until midnight, every 15 minutes, and the crossing is one of the shortest scheduled ferry rides anywhere. It is free and it is pleasant in good weather. The only reason to prefer the tunnel is that the tunnel never has a departure time to miss.
A complimentary shuttle runs between the corner of York Street and Front Street, beside Union Station, and the airport. If you are arriving in Toronto by train or staying near Union, this removes the awkward mainland leg entirely.
Cars cannot drive to the terminal, so a taxi or rideshare drops you at the mainland entrance at the foot of Bathurst Street and you cross from there. That is worth knowing before you book: the ride ends on the mainland, not at the door.
If you are coming from Mississauga, Oakville, Markham or further out, a pre booked car at a set price is usually the calm choice. You are driven to the Bathurst Street entrance, and on the way home the driver meets you after you cross back. The fare is agreed before you travel, so a slow Gardiner Expressway does not change what you pay.
How early should I get to Billy Bishop?
Billy Bishop is a small airport and it moves faster than Pearson, but you still need to allow for the crossing. Most travellers aim to be at the mainland entrance about 90 minutes before a flight inside Canada, and longer for a flight to the United States, where you clear border checks before you board.
Add the crossing to that. The tunnel takes a few minutes. The ferry runs every 15 minutes, so in the worst case you wait a quarter of an hour before you even start.
The real risk is the road to Bathurst Street. Downtown Toronto traffic, a Blue Jays game or an event at the waterfront can add a long time to a short distance. Leave earlier than the map suggests.
Billy Bishop airport questions
What people ask most about reaching the island airport.
Book a flat rate ride to Billy Bishop
A set price to the Bathurst Street entrance, agreed when you book. Licensed drivers, flight tracking on the way home, 24 hours a day.
Happy with your ride?
Honest reviews help other travellers make the right call. Takes 60 seconds.
Leave a Google Review