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I live in Scarborough and would like to get myself and my bike to Centre Island (obviously I need help up to the ferry dock, for which there are not other option beyond that). Here are ways I figured out to do it and perceived issues:
Background: My schedule is very flexible anytime within a day, and I am most likely to travel during the weekdays. So please make your suggestion with the assumption that I'll be traveling during the weekdays.
A.) Driving: Not sure where can I found all-day parking in downtown Toronto near the ferry dock. The key is "all-day" parking as I would spend my entire day down at the Centre Island/Harbourfront area.
B.) Driving/subway approach: If I drive part of the way then park my car to ride the subway. Where is the most likely station that I can find parking, let say, after 10am and yet it's closest to the Union Station?
C.) Bus/subway approach: Is it common and practical for people to use the bike racks on TTC buses? Any good or bad experiences with them?
Why don't you just ride the bike all the way to the ferry? It shouldn't take more than an hour.
Not sure where in Scarborough you are but if you can get to Danforth Ave it's an easy ride from there. Otherwise, put the bike on the car, drive to the area near the ferry, and park. There's plenty of garages and city-owned parking lots around, shouldn't cost more than $12 for a day's parking. There's even some street parking near the ferry terminal but I believe it's limited to 3 or 4 hours. The lots near the Gardiner where it intersects with Bay and Yonge are pre-pay lots and you can definitely park there for 12 hours or more at a cost of under $10 a day. As long as there's no events going on you should find a spot.
Go west on Finch and pick up the don valley trails (parallels the DVP) all the way into downtown Toronto. Check a bike map as I have never taken the trails that far north, but I am pretty sure they do run that far.
The final choice is the TTC. It is the cheapest option and the least frustrating (stuck in traffic and finding parking space are stressors for me). The bus' bike rack is very sturdy so I feel very safe leaving it on there while riding the bus.
Taking the bike up and down stairs and elevators took a bit of finesse. Also, I am not sure where to stand or seat when I'm in the train in order to cause the least disturbance. My thinking was to stand in the middle of the cabin, and right between all 4 doors so I'm not blocking any of the exits.
I also rode up the Don Valley Trail (and mentally laughed at the cars that got stuck on Northbound at 5pm on Don Valley), got through some walking trails and got up to The Danforth.
Thanks for everyone's help!
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