Port of Toronto (port)

About Port of Toronto

The Port of Toronto on Lake Ontario handles both Great Lakes cruise traffic and a year-round network of ferries to the Toronto Islands. Cruise volume has grown sharply since the early 2020s as Great Lakes itineraries from Viking, Ponant, Pearl Seas and Hapag-Lloyd added Toronto as a regular port of call. The 2024 season saw more than 60 cruise calls and roughly 35,000 cruise passengers through the city.

The Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at 9 Queens Quay West is the mainland gateway to the Toronto Islands and one of the busiest ferry terminals in Canada, carrying around 1.4 million passengers a year on the short crossing to Centre Island, Hanlan’s Point and Ward’s Island. Cruise berths for ocean-style ships sit further east on the central waterfront near Unwin Avenue.

Getting from Port of Toronto to Toronto

The port complex straddles the central waterfront, so most downtown hotels are within a 10-minute drive. The Financial District, Union Station and the CN Tower are all within 2 to 3 km. The Distillery District sits 2 km north-east, about 6 minutes by car.

Toronto Pearson (YYZ) is 28 km north-west, a 35-minute drive via the Gardiner Expressway and Highway 427 outside peak. Billy Bishop (YTZ) sits 4 km west on the Toronto Islands, around 10 minutes by car including the access road to the mainland terminal at Bathurst Quay. Niagara Falls is 130 km south, about 90 minutes by car via the QEW.

Berths and pickup points

Toronto’s cruise infrastructure is split across multiple waterfront locations:

• Cruise berths near 8 Unwin Avenue on the central waterfront, handling Great Lakes cruise ships up to roughly 200 metres in length.
• Pier 8 berths at the foot of Bay Street, used by smaller expedition vessels.
• Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at 9 Queens Quay West, the mainland terminal for Toronto Islands ferries.

Drivers meet passengers on the relevant forecourt holding a name sign. The first 60 minutes after scheduled disembarkation are free, which absorbs the typical CBSA inspection and luggage retrieval window for international Great Lakes cruise arrivals.

Common transfer routes from Port of Toronto

• Port of Toronto to Toronto Financial District: 2 km, about 8 minutes
• Port of Toronto to Toronto Union Station: 2 km, about 7 minutes
• Port of Toronto to Toronto Pearson (YYZ): 28 km, about 35 minutes
• Port of Toronto to Billy Bishop (YTZ): 4 km, about 10 minutes
• Port of Toronto to North York: 23 km, about 30 minutes
• Port of Toronto to Distillery District: 2 km, about 6 minutes
• Port of Toronto to Niagara Falls: 130 km, about 90 minutes
• Port of Toronto to Hamilton: 65 km, about 55 minutes

Booking your Port of Toronto transfer

Pre-book a private transfer with a fixed all-in fare, ship or ferry arrival tracking, meet-and-greet at the terminal forecourt and 60 minutes of free wait time. Drivers are licensed Ontario operators. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before pickup, and payment is accepted via Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Alipay, iDEAL, Wero or PayPal.