Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City: UP Express from the airport, Niagara Falls by GO Transit and VIA Rail between cities

Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City can all be done by rail. Take UP Express from Pearson Airport to Union station in 28 minutes, visit Niagara Falls as a day trip on GO Transit, then ride VIA Rail to Montreal in about 5 h 13 min and on to Quebec City in about 3 h 26 min. Plan about 7 to 10 days.

How do you get from Toronto Pearson (YYZ) to downtown?

Take UP Express, which says it runs from Pearson Airport to downtown Toronto in 28 minutes, stopping at Pearson, Mount Dennis, Weston, Bloor and Union.

1. 1Go to Pearson Station at Terminal 1The UP Express station is at Terminal 1; from Terminal 3, ride the Terminal Link train first.
2. 2Choose how to payUse PRESTO (including in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet), a contactless credit or debit card, a mobile wallet, or a ticket.
3. 3Get off at UnionFrom Union, continue on the TTC to your hotel, and check GO Transit and VIA Rail for the departure station of your onward trips.

How do you pay for transit in Toronto?

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) accepts PRESTO, contactless credit or debit cards, mobile wallets or exact cash. Tapping the same card includes a 2-hour transfer, so most visitors tap one card or phone for the whole trip. Check current fares on the TTC website.

How do you get from Toronto to Niagara Falls?

Take GO Transit, which says it serves Niagara Falls seven days a week. Niagara Falls GO station is at the north end of the city, so you connect onward to the falls; GO Transit sells GO+WEGO combo tickets that add the local WEGO bus. The official page does not state the travel time, so check the GO Transit schedule before planning.

If you plan to cross to the US side at Niagara, you need a US visa; see “New York to Boston, Washington DC and Niagara Falls Trips” for the American side.

How long is the train from Toronto to Montreal and Quebec City?

VIA Rail says Toronto to Montreal averages about 5 h 13 min and Montreal to Quebec City about 3 h 26 min. Both routes run many times a week, so you do not need a car.

Do you need French in Montreal and Quebec City?

You do not need to speak it, but expect to read French signs. The Gouvernement du Québec states that French is the official and common language of Quebec and its public institutions under the Charter of the French Language, so most signs are in French. Download French for offline use in a translation app and use camera translation for menus and signs.

How do you pay for transit in Montreal?

ARTM, which runs fares in the Montreal area, describes the OPUS card and occasional cards. Check with the STM whether you can tap a bank card on the métro, and check the STM website for current details of the 747 airport bus from YUL.

What does a sample 8-day east Canada route look like?

1. Days 1–2: land at YYZ, take UP Express to Union and explore Toronto on the TTC.
2. Day 3: day trip to Niagara Falls on GO Transit.
3. Day 4: VIA Rail to Montreal, about 5 h 13 min.
4. Days 5–6: Montreal.
5. Days 7–8: VIA Rail to Quebec City, about 3 h 26 min, and the old town; for the flight home, compare flights from YQB or return to YUL or YYZ.

Why does mobile data matter on an east Canada trip?

Your phone is your train ticket, transit card and translator. From landing, you tap a mobile wallet for UP Express and the TTC, show VIA Rail tickets on screen, check live GO Transit times and translate French in Montreal and Quebec City. The ArriveCAN Advance Declaration works at YYZ (T1 and T3), YUL and YQB and can be completed up to 72 hours before your flight. Use a VoLTE phone, since Bell shuts down 3G nationally on March 1, 2027.

See Canada eSIM options for Toronto to Quebec City