Content reviewed: 2026-09-13
For a first Toronto visit, compare the complete journey from Pearson Airport to your accommodation before choosing UP Express or another service. Staying near Union Station differs from needing another connection across the city. Include that last leg in your time and cost comparison. All amounts below are in Canadian dollars and refer to the adult fares checked for this update.
Pearson’s transport guide places the UP Express station at Terminal 1. From Terminal 3, take the free Terminal Link train to Terminal 1 and follow Train to City signs. For a late arrival, check the last service on your actual travel date and allow for immigration, baggage collection and the walk to the station. Landing is not the same as being ready to board.
Between Pearson and Union, the standard UP Express adult single ticket costs $12.35; the adult tap fare with PRESTO or an eligible credit or debit card is $9.25. Intermediate stations have different fares. Tap on before boarding and off after arrival with the same card or device. Do not switch between a physical bank card and its mobile-wallet version, even when both use the same account.
The current TTC fare table lists adult PRESTO or credit/debit tap fares at $3.30, cash at $3.35 and a PRESTO day-pass ticket at $13.50. Children aged 12 and under ride TTC free. A day-pass ticket is different from a reloadable PRESTO card and does not cover UP Express. Estimate the fares you will actually pay before buying a day pass; several boardings do not necessarily mean several charges.
TTC’s contactless-payment guide explains the two-hour transfer window from your first tap, using the same card or device. Eligible PRESTO payments also receive two-hour transfers. A cash rider’s paper transfer instead supports a continuous one-way journey, not two hours of unrestricted stopovers. For youth or senior discounts, check the required PRESTO fare type and identification; a bank card does not automatically recognize your age.
Although both accept PRESTO, GO Transit and UP Express do not have identical transfer arrangements. TTC’s One Fare page explicitly excludes UP Express. Budget separately for the airport train and a subsequent TTC trip. The service and payment method determine the charge, rather than the card name alone.
PRESTO confirms that a physical card costs a non-refundable $4; a new digital card in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet is free. Obtaining the card does not pay your fare: you still need sufficient funds. Metro Vancouver’s Compass Card has a separate $6 deposit with refund conditions, including deductions for negative balances and exclusions for certain no-deposit cards. Do not combine the two systems’ purchase prices and deposits into one fare comparison.
For longer stays, TTC introduced monthly fare capping on September 1, 2026: after 47 eligible paid trips in one calendar month using the same payment method, subsequent eligible trips that month are free. Cash and PRESTO Tickets are excluded. Short-term visitors do not need to prepay 47 trips, and a free transfer is not another paid trip. Plan daily journeys around the fares and transfers you will actually use.
Use the Toronto accommodation guide to compare the final walk, luggage, return times and connections before booking. Check service notices, station elevators and construction impacts before travelling, and save your accommodation address and planned services. An easier complete journey can matter more than the price of one leg.