Where can I park for three days in Toronto?

November 17, 2004 5:42 PM

If I am going to Toronto for a weekend, with three people, what is the best and cheapest option for parking for three days? If I'm correct, i can't park there overnight, even in a residential neighborhood. is there a train station i can park in overnight and take a train in? or would just shelling out for three nights ofparking be the best idea?
posted by jare2003 to Travel & Transportation around Toronto, ON (8 answers total)

What is your destination in Toronto? Downtown lots will likely cost around $50 for three days, but outside the core it would be a lot cheaper. The TTC has big lots at various stations further to the North, East and West, but I'm not sure if you're allowed to park overnight.
posted by loquax at 5:54 PM on November 17, 2004

You can park on Bloor St. overnight. At least in the High Park area you can.
posted by Succa at 8:28 PM on November 17, 2004

Parking on the streets overnight will vary block to block, pretty much. Many residential areas you'll need a permit. Where exactly are you planning on being?
posted by dobbs at 8:42 PM on November 17, 2004

Where will you be sleeping for the three nights and why isn't there parking there? Your hosts, even if they live in a permit neighbourhood may be able to get you a temporary pass for street parking.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:04 PM on November 17, 2004

You can park overnight in residential areas if you're not going to be right in the downtown core.

The train idea is good, though: GO Transit has service from Hamilton to Oshawa to Newmarket, with fairly good parking lots at each station, but if you get there during work hours on a weekday, you might have to try two or three to find one, the closer to Toronto proper, the better (less crowding and cheaper tickets).

Enjoy the city!
posted by blacklite at 6:57 AM on November 18, 2004

blacklite... hmm. I guess that depends how you define the "downtown core". I live at Spadina and St. Clair and used to work at Yonge and Eglinton, neither of which I consider downtown (I think of them as midtown). Both areas have permit only parking mixed with non-permit parking (tough spots to get overnight). I've been cursed many times by girlfriends spending the night only to find $20 tickets on their cars.
posted by dobbs at 9:28 AM on November 18, 2004

Further to blacklite's comment: parking at GO stations is free. I commute "against the grain" and it's clear that a number of people who do the same thing have cars that they leave at the station overnight.

If you're coming into the city on the weekend, you have to keep in mind that not all stations are served (I use the Lakeshore West line, and wouldn't be able to get off at my usual stop if I had to work in-office over a weekend).

Last thing from me: try to find out ahead of time if the station's car parks are busy when you intend to start your visit. For instance, if you wanted to park at Burlington GO station during a weekday, you can pretty much forget it.
posted by lowlife at 9:39 AM on November 18, 2004

Really, it depends on where you're coming from, and where in Toronto you're going to be staying.

If you're coming from somewhere that has GO Train service into Toronto, you're better off not even bringing the car. Even a bus (GO, Greyhound, whatever) could end up being cheaper and more convenient for you (as it's easier to change a bus/train ticket if you want to leave later than to remote-move your car). All the suggestions above are great. Also, there's always the airport-- they do longer-term parking than most lots downtown, though you'll pay for it.

If you need any suggestions for good restaurants, bars, clubs (some of which I can get you guestlist for, given notice), what-have-you, I live in TO. Email's in my profile.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 12:31 PM on November 19, 2004