Getting from Bala, Ontario to Pearson International Airport in Toronto?

July 28, 2010 10:07 AM

Getting from Bala, Ontario to Pearson International Airport in Toronto?

I’m planning to drive from a friend’s cottage near Bala, Ontario to catch a flight at Pearson International Airport in Toronto. Around how long should I allow? Google maps says 2 hrs 15 min or so, but I wonder if there are other possible concerns for traffic or construction or anything (or any place I could find out about such concerns closer to the date).

I’ll be driving around mid-day on Sunday, Aug 15.

Alternately: Is there a way to get from Bala [or thereabouts] to Pearson that’s better than taking a rental car?

posted by PersonAndSalt to Travel & Transportation (11 answers total)

Coming down the 400 from cottage country on a Sunday? I predict 6 hours. The 400 is a parking lot on Friday nights & Sundays during the summer. Good luck.

As for other options there's probably a shuttle/van service from Oriillia but I'm not sure if any of them go as far as Bala.
posted by GuyZero at 10:13 AM on July 28, 2010

Response by poster: Seriously six hours? Is it better earlier in the day?
posted by PersonAndSalt at 10:16 AM on July 28, 2010

Oh yeah, traffic is horrible on that route on Sundays. If you can get to Gravenhurst, there is a train to downtown Toronto, and then you can catch a shuttle to the airport.
posted by nprigoda at 10:24 AM on July 28, 2010

Response by poster: nprigoda - Looks like there's only one train a day out of Gravenhurst, and it arrives too late to catch my flight.
posted by PersonAndSalt at 10:27 AM on July 28, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks Daselin. We do have internet at the cottage, so I can get traffic info there. I'm not a super-experienced driver, so I'm a stranger to all this sort of stuff.

Sounds like if I leave early in the day (like 11 or noon) the traffic will not be *so* terrible. Is that right?
posted by PersonAndSalt at 10:41 AM on July 28, 2010

If I were trying to do this drive, I'd definitely plan for lots of extra time, as others have said. I'd prefer to have extra time at the airport, rather than sitting in traffic while my plane took off! You really are heading into some of the worst traffic I've seen in my life. So, yeah, leave a little earlier than you think is reasonable, and just bring something to read at the airport!
posted by Richat at 10:47 AM on July 28, 2010

Response by poster: Is the traffic that bad all day, or just in the afternoon/evening? Is it better in the morning? I'd rather have an easier drive and time to kill in the airport, than a more stressful/slow drive. How bad would traffic be if I left at, say, 10 or 11?
posted by PersonAndSalt at 10:51 AM on July 28, 2010

Response by poster: If I want to avoid traffic snarls - is a good GPS a substitute for the radio?
posted by PersonAndSalt at 10:53 AM on July 28, 2010

It will be better on Sunday morning vs Sunday night. Sunday night will be miserable. Sunday morning may well be empty roads but the 400 is easily clogged by a single accident. I'm not a side-road kinda person, but that's not a bad suggestion if you have a map and/or a GPS to keep from getting totally lost.
posted by GuyZero at 10:54 AM on July 28, 2010

Yes, 10am should not be too crazy. It starts getting bad abound noon or 2pm and hits the peak after 5pm, if I'm remembering correctly.
Sorry the train won't work for you. It's quite a pleasant ride.
posted by nprigoda at 12:25 PM on July 28, 2010

Response by poster: (After some looking around: I think it might be more practical and cheaper for me to take a shuttle from Oriillia, as GuyZero suggests, rather than getting a rental car...)
posted by PersonAndSalt at 6:25 AM on July 29, 2010