The Greater Toronto Area has a reputation of being a difficult drive. The fact of the matter is that becoming familiar with your navigations options makes commuting to and from your desired destinations simple and easy. If you are visiting Toronto on business or pleasure, you will find that renting a car is crucial in order to maneuver around this great city. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the major highways, expressways, and Toll Roads to make this endeavor easier to accomplish.
Major Highways: The highways in the Toronto area are identified by number. The 400-highways are called freeways and are the equivalent to the U.S. interstate. The main freeway of Toronto is Highway 401 which carries the most traffic in the world. This contains quadruple lanes that often become quite congested. It is recommended to drive on this highway during non-peak hours.
Expressways: Aside from the highways, there are a serious of municipal expressways that are easily accessible and great in helping you navigate to your destinations. These are a great alternative to Highway 401 during the rush hour. These expressways include F.G. Gardiner that takes you downtown, Don Valley Parkway taking you north, and Lakeshore Boulevard that runs along Lake Ontario. In addition, there are suburban expressways that extend further out in the city and takes you toward the outskirts. These expressways include Queen Elizabeth Way and Don Valley Parkway.
Toll Road: There is only one toll road in Ontario and that is The 407 Express Toll Route. For a small fee, this road will get you to where you are going fast, without congestion. There are no toll booths on this road. Instead, the road uses the technology of cameras to record your license plate number and send the fees directly to you. When driving a rental car, your bill will be sent to the rental company who will forward it on to you.