Toronto (YYZ) Layover Guide 2026: UP Express Downtown in 28 Minutes

Toronto Pearson is an easy layover for Americans in two ways. The UP Express train reaches downtown in 28 minutes, and US citizens skip the eTA that most other travelers need, walking through on just a passport. Add 6 free hours and the CN Tower and the waterfront are a simple outing. The decision comes down to how much time you have, with one Pearson-specific wrinkle: US preclearance on the way back if you are flying onward to the States.

This guide covers the YYZ layover call in 2026: when to leave, how to reach downtown and back, and where to rest if you stay. For timing a connection between flights instead, see our Toronto Pearson minimum connection time guide and the YYZ airport reference.

Should you leave the airport?

With 6 hours or more, yes. Entry is simple for US citizens: you need a valid passport, not an eTA, and the UP Express puts Union Station 28 minutes away. The one thing to plan around is US preclearance. If your onward flight is to the United States, you clear US customs and immigration at Pearson before departure, so leave extra buffer for that on your return to the airport. Under 3 hours, stay inside. Between 3 and 6, weigh the return-security and preclearance time.

Getting to downtown Toronto

The UP Express is the layover choice: nonstop from the airport to Union Station in under half an hour, dropping you steps from the CN Tower and the waterfront. The TTC is genuinely cheap if budget matters more than the clock, but the transfer makes it slower than the map suggests.

Where to sleep or rest

Plaza Premium runs lounges at Pearson with sleep rooms and showers, renting rest space from about $55, so you can nap without leaving the airport. For a full night, the Sheraton Gateway connects directly to Terminal 3. Wi-Fi is free across the airport, which covers a long wait at the gate.

Lounges, showers, and food

Showers come with lounge access, including Plaza Premium’s pay-in lounges. The Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge in Terminal 1 has them along with a buffet, though it needs a Business ticket, Aeroplan Super Elite, or Star Gold status. On food, Terminal 1 is a step above the usual, with Caplansky’s Deli and the Fetta Panini Bar worth seeking out on a longer wait.

The short version

Under 3 hours, stay airside and use the free Wi-Fi. Six hours or more, take the UP Express to Union Station for the CN Tower and the waterfront, remembering you need only a passport, not an eTA. If you are flying onward to the US, budget for preclearance on the way back. And if what you have is actually a connection rather than a layover, the minimum connection time guide has the numbers you need.