Union Station Toronto Car Service: Pickup for VIA Rail, GO, UP Express and Amtrak Arrivals

Union Station Toronto car service: how pickup works

Union Station is a single building with several railways under one roof. VIA Rail intercity trains, GO Transit commuter trains and buses, the UP Express airport train and the Amtrak service to the United States all arrive here, and the TTC subway sits underneath. It is one of Canada's busiest rail hubs, and it is also one of the easier arrivals to organise once you know where the car should wait.

The station is at 65 Front Street West, between Bay and York streets, directly opposite the Fairmont Royal York. Most of the city's downtown core is within a 10-minute drive. The trip people most often add a car to is the one that follows the train: a hotel with luggage, a transfer to Pearson for a flight, or a day out at Niagara Falls.

This page explains the station from the car's point of view. It covers where drivers stop, what the options are, and when you should simply walk to a hotel with a bag and skip us altogether.

Book this transfer

What arrives at Union Station

Understanding the arrival pattern tells you how long to allow before the car.

• VIA Rail. Intercity passenger trains on the Corridor and beyond. VIA's own station page is the best source for its services, hours and baggage rules, and we cover its key points below.
• GO Transit. Commuter trains from across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, plus the GO bus terminal at 141 Bay Street. Weekday peaks are 6 to 9 a.m. into the city and 3:30 to 7 p.m. out.
• UP Express. The airport train, with trains every 15 minutes between Pearson and Union. See the Pearson to Union Station transfer for how it compares with a car.
• Amtrak. The Maple Leaf from New York, which stops at the border in Niagara Falls, Ontario, before reaching Toronto.
• TTC. Subway Line 1 serves the station directly, and streetcars and buses run on the surrounding streets.

The City of Toronto's station page lists the services and connections in one place.

Where your car meets you

Union Station is a congested kerb, and the rules change with street works. The pattern is as follows.

• Main entrance, Front Street. VIA Rail describes a curbside pick-up and drop-off zone at the main entrance on Front Street. Pre-arranged cars use the same stretch of kerb for short stops.
• Taxi and rideshare zone. The City places taxi and rideshare pickup on Front Street toward York Street, and says arrangements may move once Front Street works are complete.
• GO and bus terminal. Passengers arriving on GO buses use the terminal at Bay Street, and the car can wait on a nearby street.
• Name-board meet. If you prefer to be met inside the station and walked to the vehicle, request that at booking.

Your confirmation names the exact meeting point on the day, because the Front Street layout changes with construction. Your chauffeur's mobile contact comes through before you arrive. Train arrivals are tracked, so a late service does not mean a missed car.

Union Station options compared

The question for most people is whether a car is worth it from Union. This table compares the common choices for the usual next leg, from the station to a downtown hotel or office within a few kilometres.

The honest summary: if your hotel is a five-minute walk and you have one bag, walk. If it is further, or you have more than one case, a car at the kerb is less effort than a taxi queue. For a family arriving off a long train journey, it usually saves more patience than minutes.

VIA Rail arrivals: what to know

VIA's station page gives the practical details. The station is open daily from 05:30 to 00:45, and the ticket counter from 06:00 to 20:00. A Business Lounge is open 06:00 to 20:00 with Wi-Fi. Amtrak tickets are sold only from 07:20 to 13:00. Same-day baggage storage is open 07:30 to 19:45; it is free for Business, Sleeper and Prestige tickets and $6 per bag for Economy as of 2026.

For accessibility, the entrance and platforms are wheelchair accessible, a courtesy wheelchair and lift are available, and VIA asks passengers who need curbside assistance to call at least 48 hours ahead. If a traveller needs help, tell us that at booking, and we plan for extra time and a vehicle with step-free boarding where available.

If you are arriving on a corridor train, the planning rule is to allow about 20 minutes from platform to kerb. Concourse crowding at peak times and a long walk from some platforms add to that. We recommend a name-board meet if you are travelling with young children or several bags, because the chauffeur takes the strain of finding you.

UP Express arrivals and departures

The UP Express is the airport link, and it ends its run at Union Station. Trains run every 15 minutes, with a ride of about 25 to 28 minutes from Pearson. An adult single ticket is $12.35 as of 2026, and children 12 and under ride free. Train hours differ by direction and day, with the first train from Union to Pearson at 4:55 a.m. and the last at 1:00 a.m.

This is where a car beats the train in particular cases. A flight that lands after the last train. A 6 a.m. departure that needs you at Pearson before the first train gets you there. A family of four whose individual tickets begin to add up. For those, see our airport page for Toronto Pearson.

Onward from Union Station: the usual routes

Four trips account for most Union Station bookings.

1. Union Station to a downtown hotel. A short run, usually 10 to 20 minutes. Our downtown hotel transfers page covers entrances and arrivals for the major properties.
2. Union Station to Pearson Airport. About 27 km. A car takes 30 to 45 minutes off-peak and an hour or more at rush hour. The Pearson to Union Station page covers the options in both directions.
3. Union Station to Niagara Falls. About 130 km and 1 hour 30 minutes. See the Union Station to Niagara Falls transfer for how it compares with GO.
4. Union Station to the suburbs. Mississauga, Vaughan, Markham and Oakville are the common requests. The airport limo hub for the GTA maps each of them.

Hourly cars are also available for meetings across the city, and multi-leg itineraries can go on one booking.

Events and busy days around Union

The area around Union Station is also the entertainment district. When there is a concert or a game at the arena or the stadium next door, Front Street, Bay Street and York Street slow down, and pickups take longer. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is a few minutes' walk, and convention weeks bring queues for taxis in the evening. See our Toronto Convention Centre page for event timing, and the TIFF page for September.

On those days we suggest meeting a block away or at a different door, and we tell you in advance. Allow an extra 15 to 20 minutes for the kerb. Your chauffeur adjusts to the street conditions, and the fare does not change.

Groups, delegations and corporate arrivals

Union Station suits group travel because trains are punctual in their own way: a coach party from Ottawa or a delegation off the Corridor arrives all at once, on one platform, with a lot of luggage. Splitting such a group across taxis is slow and loses people.

For eight to twelve guests, an Executive Sprinter keeps everyone together. Larger parties can use a mini-coach or coach of 20 to 56 seats on request, with availability confirmed at booking. Corporate accounts with monthly invoicing and one booking for several legs, such as the station, a hotel, the meeting venue and the evening return, are common. What happens in the car stays there: no client photos, no social posts, and an NDA if you want one.

Vehicles, booking and cancellation

Vehicle classes are the Executive Sedan and First Class Sedan for up to three passengers each, the Luxury SUV for up to six with five or six large bags, and the Executive Sprinter for up to 12 passengers and 12 bags. All are "or similar", with the exact model confirmed at booking, and Seats for babies, toddlers and older children are provided when requested at booking. See the fleet.

The booker shows the fixed all-in fare before you pay. More than 72 hours' notice cancels free; 72 hours or less is 10%; 48 hours or less is 50%; 24 hours or less or a no-show is 100%, counted from the scheduled pickup.

Reserve your car

Related reading: the rail transfers hub for other stations, the Toronto and GTA hub, and the Toronto limousine page.