Dogs ride Toronto transit free, but not during rush hour. Here are the exact blackout windows for TTC, GO, UP Express, the Island ferry, VIA and water taxis.
Onslow's Team
Published August 1, 2026 · Updated August 3, 2026 · 4 min read
In this article
Service animals travel at any time on all of them. That’s law, not policy.
Leashed dogs, or dogs in an enclosed carrier, ride free on subways, streetcars and buses during weekends and weekday off-peak periods only.
| Time | Dogs allowed? |
|---|---|
| Weekdays before 6:30am | Yes |
| Weekdays 6:30 – 10am | Rush hour · No |
| Weekdays 10am – 3:30pm | Yes |
| Weekdays 3:30 – 7pm | Rush hour · No |
| Weekdays after 7pm | Yes |
| Weekends and holidays | Yes, all day |
No size restriction. A Great Dane has the same rights as a Chihuahua here, which is unusual for North American transit. The rules: leash or carrier at all times, dog on the floor (not on a seat), and operators can refuse if the vehicle is packed or there are already several dogs aboard.
for riding with a dog during peak hours. Full rules live in TTC By-law No. 1, Section 3.
Wheel-Trans: pets are permitted, but you must declare the animal when you book. Pets travel on the floor or your lap, leashed or in a carrier. If another rider has an allergy conflict, dispatch arranges a second vehicle.
Max two leashed dogs per person on GO trains and buses. Free. Lower levels only. Avoid the accessibility coach, which is where service animals tend to travel. During rush hours dogs aren’t banned outright — they just have to be in a carrier.
| Time | Leashed | Carrier |
|---|---|---|
| Weekdays before 9:30am | No | Yes |
| Weekdays 9:30am – 3:30pm | Yes | Yes |
| Weekdays 3:30 – 6:30pm | No | Yes |
| Weekdays after 6:30pm | Yes | Yes |
| Weekends and holidays | Yes | Yes |
GO trips run longer than TTC trips. A ride to Hamilton or Oshawa is 60 to 90 minutes. Plan a relief stop if you’re connecting.
Same rules as GO: leashed off-peak, carrier during rush.
Once you’re inside Pearson, TTC and Metrolinx rules stop applying — non-service dogs need an airline-approved kennel from that point on. UP Express gets you to the airport. It doesn’t get you through it.
Dogs are permitted on the Island ferries, leashed, any time. Once you’re across, the rules change by beach — every Toronto supervised swimming beach, Island beaches included, bans dogs from April 1 to October 31. (Full beach rules.) Practical notes: the boarding ramp at Jack Layton Ferry Terminal is steel and gets hot in July. Summer weekend queues run long enough that a dog will be standing in direct sun for a while. Go early, or go in September.
Several licensed operators in the harbour take dogs, usually at no extra charge. They’re faster than the ferry and skip the queue, which in August is worth the money. Policies vary by operator — call ahead.
Small dogs and cats only, on the Quebec City to Windsor corridor.
22 lb
Max carrier + animal
$50 + HST
Per trip
12 weeks
Minimum age
2 days
Reservation lead time
A medium or large dog cannot travel with you on VIA. That’s the practical ceiling on car-free travel out of Toronto.
Use Uber Pet. It lets you flag a pet at booking so you’re matched with a driver who’s opted in. Regular Uber and Lyft are driver’s discretion, and you’ll get cancellations. If you book a regular ride, message the driver right after the request goes through and ask. Better to lose a minute rebooking than to stand on a curb with a confused dog. Service animals are a legal exception — drivers cannot refuse them on any ride type.
The subway is the hard part. Echoing announcements, rushing air at platform edges, doors that close fast. If your dog is new to transit, start with a bus.
Skip the escalator. Paws and long fur catch in the comb plate at the top. Carry a small dog; take the elevator or stairs with a large one.
Mind the streetcar gap. The steps are steep, and the low-floor cars have a doorway gap that catches paws.
Bathroom break before you board. There is nowhere for them to go once you’re on a subway platform.
Bring a mat or towel. Giving a dog a defined spot on the floor makes a long trip easier.
Yes — leashed or in a carrier, free of charge, during weekday off-peak hours and all day on weekends and holidays. Not during weekday peak periods (6:30–10am and 3:30–7pm). Service animals may travel at any time.
No. Dogs travel free on the TTC, GO and UP Express.
Yes. The TTC doesn’t restrict by size. Operators can refuse if the vehicle is too crowded or there are already several dogs aboard.
Yes, leashed, any time. Note that all supervised Island beaches are closed to dogs April 1 through October 31.
No. VIA limits pets to a combined carrier-plus-animal weight of 22 lb, which rules out most medium and large dogs.
| Operator | Dogs? | Restrictions | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| TTC | Off-peak + weekends | Leash or carrier, no seats | Free |
| GO Transit | Off-peak leashed | Max 2, lower level, carrier at rush | Free |
| UP Express | Any time | Carrier during rush | Free |
| Wheel-Trans | Yes | Declare at booking | Regular fare |
| Island ferry | Any time | Leashed | Standard |
| Water taxis | Usually | Call ahead | Varies |
| VIA Rail | Small only | Max 22 lb with carrier, book 2 days ahead | $50 + HST |
| Uber Pet | Yes | Book Uber Pet specifically | Varies |
Service animals are permitted on all of the above at all times under the AODA and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
This page was verified August 2026 — check the operator’s site before a trip that depends on it. Sources: TTC By-law No. 1; TTC Wheel-Trans policies; Metrolinx (GO Transit, UP Express); City of Toronto; VIA Rail.
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