YYZ Toronto · rules of Canada
Can I leave Toronto Pearson International Airport on my layover?
Choose your passport and enter your layover. You get the official entry rule for Canada and a time budget that counts the queue, the trip into Toronto and the way back.
Choose your passport to see whether you can leave Toronto Pearson International Airport.
United States passport
Yes, no visa needed
- Leave the airport
- US citizens are exempt from eTA; carry proper ID (passport).
- Stay airside
- No document needed to stay airside US citizens need neither visa nor eTA to transit Canada by air.
Official sources (3), checked 2026-11-01
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Find out about electronic travel authorization (eTA) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
An eTA costs CAD $7. ... It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
Canada passport
Yes, you are at home here
- Leave the airport
- With a Canada passport you can enter Canada freely.
Official sources (1), checked 2026-11-01
-
Find out about electronic travel authorization (eTA) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
An eTA costs CAD $7. ... It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
United Kingdom passport
Yes, with an online travel authorisation
- Leave the airport
- British citizens: eTA (valid up to 5 years or passport expiry).
- Stay airside
- Online travel authorisation needed even to connect eTA required to transit through a Canadian airport.
Official sources (4), checked 2026-11-01
-
Find out about electronic travel authorization (eTA) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
An eTA costs CAD $7. ... It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
I will transit by air through Canada. Do I need an eTA? (IRCC Help Centre):
Passengers transiting Canada will need an eTA or a visa, regardless of the length of time in Canada.
Australia passport
Yes, with an online travel authorisation
- Leave the airport
- eTA.
- Stay airside
- Online travel authorisation needed even to connect eTA required even in transit.
Official sources (4), checked 2026-11-01
-
Find out about electronic travel authorization (eTA) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
An eTA costs CAD $7. ... It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
I will transit by air through Canada. Do I need an eTA? (IRCC Help Centre):
Passengers transiting Canada will need an eTA or a visa, regardless of the length of time in Canada.
New Zealand passport
Yes, with an online travel authorisation
- Leave the airport
- eTA.
- Stay airside
- Online travel authorisation needed even to connect eTA required even in transit.
Official sources (4), checked 2026-11-01
-
Find out about electronic travel authorization (eTA) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
An eTA costs CAD $7. ... It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
I will transit by air through Canada. Do I need an eTA? (IRCC Help Centre):
Passengers transiting Canada will need an eTA or a visa, regardless of the length of time in Canada.
EU / EEA / Switzerland passport
Yes, with an online travel authorisation
- Leave the airport
- eTA (Romania: e-passport only, otherwise visitor visa).
- Stay airside
- Online travel authorisation needed even to connect eTA required even in transit for all EU/EEA and Swiss citizens. Exception: Romanian citizens need an eTA only with an electronic (biometric) passport; other Romanian passports need a visa (transit visa for <=48h).
Official sources (4), checked 2026-11-01
-
Find out about electronic travel authorization (eTA) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
An eTA costs CAD $7. ... It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
I will transit by air through Canada. Do I need an eTA? (IRCC Help Centre):
Passengers transiting Canada will need an eTA or a visa, regardless of the length of time in Canada.
India passport
Not without a visa
- Leave the airport
- Visitor visa needed to leave the airport (even for less than 48 hours).
- Stay airside
- Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Visa-required country: free transit visa for a transit of 48 hours or less; not eligible for TWOV or China Transit Program.
Official sources (4), checked 2026-11-01
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee list (IRCC):
Visitor visa - per person: $100.00 ... Biometrics – per individual: $85.00
-
Transit visa (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Fee: Free. It shows that you meet the requirements to transit for up to 48 hours through a Canadian airport.
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
China (mainland) passport
Not without a visa
- Leave the airport
- Visitor visa needed to leave the airport.
- Stay airside
- Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Free transit visa (<=48h), OR visa-free under the China Transit Program if flying to/from the US with a valid US visa, PRC passport (not HK/Macao), participating airline, Pearson Terminal 1 only, departure within 24h, staying in the international transit area.
Official sources (6), checked 2026-11-01
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee list (IRCC):
Visitor visa - per person: $100.00 ... Biometrics – per individual: $85.00
-
Transit visa (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Fee: Free. It shows that you meet the requirements to transit for up to 48 hours through a Canadian airport.
-
Transit Without Visa Program: Find out if you're eligible (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
a confirmed airline ticket for a flight to the US that leaves Canada within 24 hours of your arrival
-
China Transit Program: Find out if you're eligible (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
not leave the Canadian airport during your stopover, except to board your connecting flight
Brazil passport
Not without a visa
- Leave the airport
- Visitor visa, unless eligible for the conditional eTA (air only; Canadian visa in past 10 years or valid US NIV).
- Stay airside
- Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Visa-required, but Brazilians who held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years or now hold a valid US nonimmigrant visa can transit by air on an eTA (CAD 7) instead; otherwise free transit visa (<=48h).
Official sources (5), checked 2026-11-01
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Electronic travel authorization (eTA): Citizens from some visa-required countries (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
held a Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa) in the past 10 years, or currently hold a valid United States (US) nonimmigrant visa (NIV)
-
Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee list (IRCC):
Visitor visa - per person: $100.00 ... Biometrics – per individual: $85.00
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
Transit visa (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Fee: Free. It shows that you meet the requirements to transit for up to 48 hours through a Canadian airport.
Mexico passport
Not without a visa
- Leave the airport
- Visitor visa, unless eligible for the conditional eTA (air only).
- Stay airside
- Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Visa-required, but Mexicans who held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years or now hold a valid US nonimmigrant visa can fly/transit on an eTA (CAD 7); otherwise free transit visa (<=48h).
Official sources (5), checked 2026-11-01
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Electronic travel authorization (eTA): Citizens from some visa-required countries (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
held a Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa) in the past 10 years, or currently hold a valid United States (US) nonimmigrant visa (NIV)
-
Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee list (IRCC):
Visitor visa - per person: $100.00 ... Biometrics – per individual: $85.00
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
Transit visa (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Fee: Free. It shows that you meet the requirements to transit for up to 48 hours through a Canadian airport.
South Africa passport
Not without a visa
- Leave the airport
- Visitor visa.
- Stay airside
- Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Visa-required: free transit visa for <=48h. Not eligible for TWOV.
Official sources (4), checked 2026-11-01
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee list (IRCC):
Visitor visa - per person: $100.00 ... Biometrics – per individual: $85.00
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Transit visa (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Fee: Free. It shows that you meet the requirements to transit for up to 48 hours through a Canadian airport.
Philippines passport
Not without a visa
- Leave the airport
- Visitor visa unless eligible for the conditional eTA (air only).
- Stay airside
- Airport transit visa needed, unless an exemption applies Three routes: (1) Transit Without Visa program if flying to/from the US with a valid US visa, participating airline, Pearson Terminal 1, <24h, staying airside; (2) eTA (CAD 7) if held a Canadian visa in past 10 years or hold a valid US NIV; (3) otherwise free transit visa (<=48h).
Official sources (6), checked 2026-11-01
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Electronic travel authorization (eTA): Citizens from some visa-required countries (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
held a Canadian visitor visa (temporary resident visa) in the past 10 years, or currently hold a valid United States (US) nonimmigrant visa (NIV)
-
Citizenship and immigration application fees: Fee list (IRCC):
Visitor visa - per person: $100.00 ... Biometrics – per individual: $85.00
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
Transit visa (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Fee: Free. It shows that you meet the requirements to transit for up to 48 hours through a Canadian airport.
-
Transit Without Visa Program: Find out if you're eligible (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
a confirmed airline ticket for a flight to the US that leaves Canada within 24 hours of your arrival
Japan passport
Yes, with an online travel authorisation
- Leave the airport
- eTA.
- Stay airside
- Online travel authorisation needed even to connect eTA required even in transit.
Official sources (4), checked 2026-11-01
-
Find out about electronic travel authorization (eTA) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
An eTA costs CAD $7. ... It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
I will transit by air through Canada. Do I need an eTA? (IRCC Help Centre):
Passengers transiting Canada will need an eTA or a visa, regardless of the length of time in Canada.
South Korea passport
Yes, with an online travel authorisation
- Leave the airport
- eTA (Republic of Korea).
- Stay airside
- Online travel authorisation needed even to connect eTA required even in transit.
Official sources (4), checked 2026-11-01
-
Find out about electronic travel authorization (eTA) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
An eTA costs CAD $7. ... It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.
-
What you need to enter Canada (entry requirements by country) (IRCC (Canada.ca)):
Some citizens of Mexico may be eligible for an eTA if they meet certain requirements [same wording for Brazil and the Philippines; India, China, South Africa listed as visa-required]
-
Transit through Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)):
You need an eTA to transit through Canada by air if you're from an eTA-required country.
-
I will transit by air through Canada. Do I need an eTA? (IRCC Help Centre):
Passengers transiting Canada will need an eTA or a visa, regardless of the length of time in Canada.
YYZ Your layover
Before you go
Going into Toronto
-
Leave your bags in Toronto
Radical Storage
Book a luggage locker near the station or your sight, so you can walk the city light.
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Short tours in Toronto
Klook
Skip-the-line tickets and short guided tours that fit a few hours.
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Fixed-price transfer from YYZ
Kiwitaxi
A driver waiting at arrivals, useful when trains are not running or you travel in a group.
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Mobile data for the layover
Saily
An eSIM you install before you fly, for maps and your airline app in town.
Staying at YYZ
-
Lounge passes at YYZ
Klook
Pay-per-visit lounge access where your card or ticket does not get you in.
-
Missed your connection?
AirHelp
Check whether a delay or a missed connection entitles you to compensation.
These are affiliate links: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. They never change what the planner tells you.
Who can leave YYZ without a visa?
Canada requires every air transit passenger to hold an eTA (visa-exempt nationals) or a visa (visa-required nationals), regardless of how short the connection is; US citizens and US permanent residents are exempt. Visa-required nationals who stay 48 hours or less can use a free transit visa; leaving the airport to visit needs a visitor visa (CAD 100 + biometrics). Two airside-only schemes waive the visa for flights to/from the US: Transit Without Visa (Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan) and the China Transit Program; at Toronto Pearson they work only in Terminal 1, within 24 hours, without leaving the international transit area. An eTA holder can leave the airport during the layover if admitted by the border officer.
| Passport | Leave the airport |
|---|---|
| United States | Yes, no visa needed · 6 months (normally) |
| Canada | Yes, you are at home here |
| United Kingdom | Yes, with an online travel authorisation · 6 months (normally) |
| Australia | Yes, with an online travel authorisation · 6 months (normally) |
| New Zealand | Yes, with an online travel authorisation · 6 months (normally) |
| EU / EEA / Switzerland | Yes, with an online travel authorisation · 6 months (normally) |
| India | Not without a visa · 6 months (normally) |
| China (mainland) | Not without a visa · 6 months (normally) |
| Brazil | Not without a visa · 6 months (normally) |
| Mexico | Not without a visa · 6 months (normally) |
| South Africa | Not without a visa · 6 months (normally) |
| Philippines | Not without a visa · 6 months (normally) |
| Japan | Yes, with an online travel authorisation · 6 months (normally) |
| South Korea | Yes, with an online travel authorisation · 6 months (normally) |
7 of the 14 passports we cover can leave the airport without applying for a visa first (some need an online authorisation). Other passports: check the official sources linked in the planner.
Transit rules in Canada
Transit Without Visa (TWOV) Program
Who: Citizens of Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Taiwan (passport without personal identification number)
- Flying through Canada to the US with a valid US visa, OR from the US (entered on a valid visa, no overstay) to an international destination on a direct non-stop flight to Canada
- Confirmed onward ticket leaving Canada within 24 hours of arrival
- Participating airline (Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Air China, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan, Jazz, Philippine Airlines, WestJet, Xiamen Airlines)
- Airports: Toronto Pearson (Terminal 1 only), Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg
- Must stay in the international transit area and not leave the airport; area must stay open until the connecting flight
Source: IRCC (Canada.ca)
China Transit Program (CTP)
Who: Citizens of the People's Republic of China (not Hong Kong or Macao passports)
- Valid US visa and confirmed flight to the US leaving Canada within 24 hours (or arriving from the US after a lawful stay there)
- Participating airline; to-US route must start in a listed Asian city (Beijing, Chengdu, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Harbin, Hong Kong, Manila, Nagoya, Osaka, Seoul, Shanghai, Shenyang, Taipei, Tokyo, Xiamen)
- Toronto Pearson Terminal 1 only (Montréal: Air Canada only)
- Stay in the international transit area; no leaving the airport
Source: IRCC (Canada.ca)
Transit visa
Who: Nationals of visa-required countries transiting by air
- Transit through Canada of 48 hours or less
- Free of charge
- Longer stays or leaving to visit Canada require a visitor visa
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca), IRCC (Canada.ca)
Getting from YYZ into Toronto
We measure to Union Station, downtown Toronto. Times are the operators' own figures; ≈ marks a timetable-based estimate where no official door-to-door time is published.
| Option | Time | Fare | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| UP Express, Pearson Station (Terminal 1) to Union Station source | 28 min | CAD 12.35 (adult one-way standard fare; lower PRESTO rate) | every 15 min, 05:27-00:54 |
| Licensed airport taxi (flat rate by destination, taxes included) from Arrivals level curb source | – | – | 24h |
Good to know: UP Express station is at Terminal 1; from Terminal 3 take the free 24h Terminal Link train (2-8 min between stations). Cheaper alternative: TTC 900 Airport Express bus to Kipling subway station (every 10 min or better, about 20-25 min), then Line 2 subway; no official end-to-end time. Leaving the airport requires Canadian entry (eTA or visa). Transit Without Visa / China Transit Program exist only for eligible nationalities connecting to/from the US, at Terminal 1 only, staying airside.
If you stay in the airport
- Transit hotel
- Sheraton Gateway Hotel (landside, connected to Terminal 3); ALT Hotel at Viscount station (Terminal Link) source
- Left luggage
- Excess Baggage: T1 Domestic Arrivals before security near Tim Hortons, 05:00-23:00; T3 before security near check-in counter 5, 05:00-22:00 source
- Free layover tour
- None that we know of.
Questions
Do I need a visa for a layover in Toronto?
If you stay airside, it depends on your passport: Canada requires every air transit passenger to hold an eTA (visa-exempt nationals) or a visa (visa-required nationals), regardless of how short the connection is; US citizens and US permanent residents are exempt. Visa-required nationals who stay 48 hours or less can use a free transit visa; leaving the airport to visit needs a visitor visa (CAD 100 + biometrics). Two airside-only schemes waive the visa for flights to/from the US: Transit Without Visa (Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan) and the China Transit Program; at Toronto Pearson they work only in Terminal 1, within 24 hours, without leaving the international transit area. An eTA holder can leave the airport during the layover if admitted by the border officer. Choose your passport above for the exact rule and its official source.
How long does it take to get from YYZ to Toronto?
The fastest public option, UP Express, Pearson Station (Terminal 1) to Union Station, takes about 28 minutes to Union Station, downtown Toronto (official figure). The planner adds 20% for waiting and delays.
How long a layover do I need to leave Toronto Pearson International Airport?
With our cautious defaults (45 minutes to get out, 120 minutes back before departure, the transfer both ways plus 20%), you need about 6 hours for 90 minutes in the city. Below that, stay in the airport.
Rules checked against official sources on 2026-11-01; airport facts from Toronto Pearson International Airport. Found something out of date? Tell us.