Getting Around St. Catharines

Getting Around St. Catharines

St. Catharines is a compact city in Ontario's Niagara Region, and most visitors find it easy to navigate. The city sits between the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and the Canada–U.S. border at Fort Erie, with the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) running right through it. Whether you're arriving by train, bus, or car, here's how to move around once you're here.

Public Transit: Niagara Region Transit

Local bus service in St. Catharines is operated by Niagara Region Transit (NRT), managed by the Niagara Transit Commission. NRT runs local routes within St. Catharines and Thorold, plus regional routes that connect to other Niagara municipalities and their transit systems.

• Where it goes: NRT routes serve most St. Catharines neighbourhoods, including downtown, Port Dalhousie, Merritton, Brock University, and Fourth Avenue.
• Accessibility and bikes: All NRT vehicles are fully accessible and equipped with bicycle racks. Passengers load and unload their own bicycles.
• Paying your fare: Insert exact cash into the fare box. After paying, ask the driver for a transfer so you can complete your trip on another local Niagara Transit bus.
• Downtown terminal: The St. Catharines Downtown Terminal is at 70 Carlisle St.

Intercity Buses and Connections

For travel beyond the city, the St. Catharines Bus Terminal at 62–66 Carlisle St. is the main hub. Several operators serve it:

• Megabus (Coach Canada): Services to Toronto and Niagara Falls.
• GO Transit: Route 11 connects from Aldershot VIA station and Hamilton to St. Catharines. GO fares can be paid with a Presto card.
• Niagara Region Transit (intercity): Regional bus service from Welland and Niagara Falls. The regional fare must be paid in exact cash in Canadian currency on the bus. The regional fare allows a free transfer with local routes operated by Niagara Regional Transit. You can pay the higher regional fare on any local Niagara Regional Transit bus, but ask for a transfer to connect to an intercity route. Local and intercity day passes are also available.
• FlixBus: Service from Toronto and Niagara Falls, with seasonal service from London and Hamilton.

There's also a bus stop at Fairview Mall (Fairview Mall GO) on YMCA Drive. From there, GO Transit route 12 runs east to Niagara Falls and west to Burlington GO Station, where you can connect with GO trains to Toronto. Nearby connections to St. Catharines Transit buses are available.

Rail Service

St. Catharines railway station is at 5 Great Western Street, southeast of the city centre just off St Paul West Street. Free parking is available, though public transport nearby is limited. Two operators serve the station:

• Amtrak: Operates the Maple Leaf train daily between Toronto and New York City, in partnership with VIA Rail Canada. Stops include Oakville, Burlington, Grimsby, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls (Ontario and New York), Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and onward to New York City. Border crossing processing takes place in Niagara Falls, where passengers must detrain with their baggage. Train crew are staffed by VIA Rail within Canada and by Amtrak within the United States.
• GO Transit: Provides a limited commuter service with a once-daily train between Toronto and Niagara Falls calling at St. Catharines. On weekends year-round, GO Transit offers the Niagara Weekend GO Train Service, which also stops here.

Both the Maple Leaf and the commuter trains can accommodate bikes.

Taxis and Ride-Hailing

Taxis are readily available in St. Catharines, and ride-hailing is an option as well.

• Brock-Q-Taxi: A local taxi operator.
• Central Taxi: Provides 24-hour taxi service in the Niagara Region.
• St. Catharines Taxi (STC): Another local taxi option.
• Uber: Ride-hailing is available in the city.

Walkability

St. Catharines carries the nickname "The Garden City" thanks to its parks, gardens, and trails, and the downtown core is compact enough that walking is a practical way to get around the central area. The city's origins as a settlement along Twelve Mile Creek mean the historic core is fairly concentrated, with shops, restaurants, and services within a reasonable stroll of one another. For reaching outlying areas like Brock University, Port Dalhousie, or the Fourth Avenue corridor, the local bus network is the better bet.

Getting Into the City from the Airport

St. Catharines does not have its own commercial airport. Most visitors arrive via Toronto Pearson International Airport or Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, then continue by road or rail. The most straightforward options are:

• By intercity bus: Megabus (Coach Canada) and FlixBus both serve St. Catharines from Toronto, arriving at the St. Catharines Bus Terminal on Carlisle Street.
• By GO Transit: Route 11 connects from Aldershot VIA station and Hamilton to St. Catharines. From Toronto, you can take a GO train to Burlington GO Station, then transfer to GO Transit route 12 westbound, which stops at Fairview Mall in St. Catharines. GO fares can be paid with a Presto card.
• By train: The Maple Leaf (Amtrak/VIA Rail) runs daily between Toronto and New York City and stops at St. Catharines railway station. GO Transit also offers limited commuter train service between Toronto and Niagara Falls that calls at St. Catharines, including the Niagara Weekend GO Train Service on weekends year-round.
• By car: The QEW runs right through the city, making it a straightforward drive from Toronto and the Niagara region.

Once you arrive at the bus terminal or railway station, local Niagara Region Transit buses and taxis can take you onward to your destination in the city.