Getting Around Ajax: An Overview
Ajax is a town in Ontario's Durham Region, on the eastern edge of the Greater Toronto Area. It sits along Lake Ontario, with Pickering to the west and Whitby to the east. For a visitor, the practical picture is straightforward: this is a car-oriented suburban town with a solid commuter rail connection, a local bus network, and a waterfront trail system. There is no metro or tram system here — the rail service is commuter rail, and the rest of the network is buses.
Arriving by Car
If you are driving, the main artery is Ontario Highway 401, the primary freeway of the Windsor–Quebec corridor. To reach Ajax, exit at Westney Road or Harwood Avenue. Having a car makes it easiest to reach destinations scattered across town, since the local street network is spread out.
Rail: GO Transit and VIA
Ajax GO Station, at 100 Westney Rd. S., is the town's rail hub. It is served by GO Transit commuter trains running between Toronto and Oshawa on the Lakeshore East and Lakeshore West lines, which together connect Hamilton and Oshawa. If you are heading further afield, you can transfer at Union GO Station in Toronto to the Kitchener, Milton, Barrie and Stouffville lines.
For longer-distance travel, VIA Rail serves Ontario and Canada, with stops in nearby Oshawa and in Toronto; from those stations you can connect to GO commuter trains. Note that VIA does not stop in Ajax itself.
Buses and Local Public Transport
Local bus service is provided by Durham Region Transit (DRT), which connects Ajax with the surrounding municipalities of Brock, Clarington, Oshawa, Pickering, Scugog, Uxbridge and Whitby. DRT publishes its fares, schedules and routes on its website, and offers accessibility guidance under a "How to Ride with Us" section. For people whose disabilities prevent them from using scheduled service, DRT Specialized Transit (On Demand) is available.
GO Transit also runs buses that stop in Ajax, complementing the trains. Two GO bus routes serve the town: route 92 (Oshawa–Yorkdale) and route 96 (Oshawa–Finch Express).
Bus stops are concentrated along the main streets, including Bayly Street, Kingston Road West, and Harwood Avenue North and South, so these corridors are where you will find the most frequent service.
Tickets and Passes
PRESTO is the fare card system used across the region. PRESTO passes are sold at Ajax GO Station and at Shoppers Drug Mart locations. Cost-saving fares are available for youth, post-secondary students and seniors. If you are arriving from out of town, buying a PRESTO card early will make transfers between GO trains, GO buses and DRT buses simpler.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxi service in the area is provided by Durham Rapid Taxi (serving Ajax and Whitby) and Blue Line Taxi (serving Ajax–Pickering). These are useful for short trips that the bus network does not cover conveniently, or for late-night travel.
Walking and Cycling
Ajax is a suburban town, so walking is practical mainly within individual neighbourhoods and along the waterfront rather than as a way to cross the whole town. Cycling, however, is a genuinely viable option: most places in Ajax are reachable by bike in under half an hour, and the town publishes both on-road and off-road route maps along with safety tips through its "Explore Ajax Outdoors" program.
Two long-distance trails pass through Ajax. The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail runs east–west along the entire Ajax waterfront on Lake Ontario, from Pickering in the west to Whitby in the east. The Great Trail (also called the Trans-Canada Trail) arrives from Pickering in the southwest, running co-terminous with the Waterfront Trail along the lake, then heads north through the town before exiting north into Pickering.
E-scooters and pedal-assist e-bikes are also an option and can reach most places in under half an hour; riders must be at least 16 years old. Rental and riding information is available through the town's e-Mobility page.
Getting from the Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is the only major airport serving the region. It sits on the far side of Toronto in Mississauga, so reaching Ajax from the airport means crossing the city. The practical route is to make your way into Toronto and connect to GO Transit's Lakeshore East line toward Oshawa, getting off at Ajax GO Station. Small private chartered aircraft may be able to fly into Oshawa Executive Airport, which is closer to Ajax.
If you are coming from further afield by intercity bus, Megabus (Coach Canada) stops at Whitby's GO station on its route into Toronto from Kingston and Montréal; from Whitby, GO and Durham Region Transit provide connections within Durham region, including to Ajax.
Other Options
For those who prefer to share rides, the Smart Commute Tool matches passengers with carpool drivers. Seniors have an additional option: the Ajax Seniors Club offers free member transportation on Wednesdays at the St. Andrews location, bookable at 905-686-1573 with reservations required before 9 a.m. on the day of travel.