By bus
By bus
Most regional bus services depart from the Hamilton GO Centre, a handsome art deco structure, in the heart of downtown at Hunter and Hughson South between James and John Streets.
GO Transit
GO Transit operates a frequent bus service, connecting Hamilton with its expansive network in and around the Greater Toronto Area GTA. The QEW express runs every 30 minutes, 15 minutes at rush-hour, to Toronto Union Station from the Hunter Street Station, picking up passengers at marked stops along King Street. GO buses also service Hamilton to the Aldershot station, when no trains depart from Hamilton. Fares can be paid on-board buses cash only or at the station prior to departure credit, debit and cash accepted.
Hamilton Street Railway
The HSR has recently introduced the "A-Line Express," a bee-line bus providing rapid service between Hamilton Airport and the downtown core. Total trip time varies between 20-35 minutes depending on traffic and costs a single fare of $2.55.
Greyhound
Greyhound services Hamilton GO Centre, connecting passengers to its expansive network encompassing Canada, USA and Mexico. Direct routes include buses to Toronto, Brantford and London.
By train
GO Transit
GO Transit trains service Hamilton Monday-Friday, geared towards Toronto-bound commuters, with four trains departing Hamilton in the mornings 6:14, 6:34, 7:04, 7:17 and four from Toronto Union 16:30, 17:02, 17:34, 18:35. The trip takes approxomately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
By train
Hamilton itself is not serviced by VIA Rail, but VIA Rail does stop in nearby Aldershot in Burlington, which is along the Windsor-Quebec City corridor.
By ship
When approaching Hamilton Harbour from the east- Lake Ontario- remember that the lift bridge opens every half hour on the hour.
John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (CYHM)
(http://www.hamiltonairport.com) accommodates major air carriers and tour operators, offering frequent flights to Canadian, American, Caribbean and European destinations. Hamilton Airport is fast and efficient due to its relatively small size. The single terminal building can be navigated in two minutes and there is very little chance of confusion for passengers boarding or disembarking. A tactic employed by many Hamiltonians, Torontonians and other nearby Ontario residents is to use Hamilton Airport instead of Pearson in Toronto. Doing so can potentially save a busy traveller valuable time while parking, and promises far less of a headache during boarding procedures. A single baggage turnstile makes retrieving luggage painless.
By car
Main thoroughfares into Hamilton include the Queen Elizabeth Way/Highway 403, and Highway 6. Hamilton is ideally situated for tourists, being roughly 1 hour from both Toronto and Niagara Falls.
Hitchhiking
According to Section 1771 of the Highway Traffic Act, it is illegal for a pedestrian to enter any 400 series highway or the QEW. Not only is it illegal, but very unsafe due to the high velocity and dense volume of traffic. If you should choose to do so anyway you can expect a police officer to pick you up and remove you within a short time.
A safe and legal alternative is to hitchhike on the on-ramp, providing there is sufficient space for a vehicle to pull over without endangering the driver or passing traffic.
Hitchhiking on other roads in Hamilton and Ontario is legal so long as you do not stand in the roadway itself.