Toronto Customs & Security
Jul 15, 2005 | 8:09 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: USAirways Dividend Miles
Posts: 1
Toronto Customs & Security
Hello! This is my first post on this board. I was referred here by a member of the Slow Travel board.
This weekend my husband and I and 3 children are travelling from the US to Toronto, Canada (via USAirways), and then from Toronto to Rome via Alitalia. We have 3 hours between our connections if all goes according to schedule (wishful thinking!) I know we must change terminals once we arrive in Toronto. What is the procedure for doing this, i.e., can we walk there, or do we need to take some kind of transporation?
Are we required to go through customs when we enter Canada? We are planning to have only carry-on luggage, no checked luggage. I would prefer to check some of the luggage, but my husband thinks that if we do, it will not be checked through to Rome and we'll have to retrieve it in Canada before we change terminals.
I've tried to ask both airlines this question, and they just tell me that I'll have to check once I get to the airport. If I knew I could check some luggage, packing would be much easier.
Thank you for your help.
This weekend my husband and I and 3 children are travelling from the US to Toronto, Canada (via USAirways), and then from Toronto to Rome via Alitalia. We have 3 hours between our connections if all goes according to schedule (wishful thinking!) I know we must change terminals once we arrive in Toronto. What is the procedure for doing this, i.e., can we walk there, or do we need to take some kind of transporation?
Are we required to go through customs when we enter Canada? We are planning to have only carry-on luggage, no checked luggage. I would prefer to check some of the luggage, but my husband thinks that if we do, it will not be checked through to Rome and we'll have to retrieve it in Canada before we change terminals.
I've tried to ask both airlines this question, and they just tell me that I'll have to check once I get to the airport. If I knew I could check some luggage, packing would be much easier.
Thank you for your help.
Jul 15, 2005 | 9:05 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: YYZ
Posts: 6,149
US Airways arrives at Terminal 3 in Toronto, and Alitalia departs from the Infield Terminal.
When your plane lands at T3, you will need to clear Canadian customs and retrieve your bags temporarily. This is so that they are on your person when you pass by the Canadian inspectors. 9 times out of 10 they don't even look at them, but them's the rules. If your bags are tagged through to your Alitalia flight, you can drop them at the re-check belt in T3 and then proceed upstairs to your bus to T1, which you catch on the roadway in front of T3 (bus stop signs hang from the roof of the building). You can't walk between the terminals. The buses run every 8 minutes.
You need to go to T1 because all the check-in facilities for the Infield Terminal are there. The Infield Terminal is a temporary building with gates only that is in use until T1 is finished. Passengers and bags are taken by vehicles (in your case another bus) out to the Infield once they have checked in at T1. If US printed your AZ boarding passes, you can go straight to security at T1. If not, stop by the check-in desk first (you will need to do this anyway if US didn't tag your bags thru).
Security in Canada is marginally quicker than in the US... friendlier too. Lots of security lanes open at peak times. 10 minutes is long for me in Toronto.
Total time needed on the ground in Toronto is about 90 mins to 2 hours depending on how fast everyone in your party can walk. The main variables are going to be your wait at Canadian customs at T3 and the vagaries of the GTAA bus schedules. 3 hours should not be cause for alarm.
More info:
Greater Toronto Airports Authority
www.gtaa.com
Feel free to ask me any additional questions.
When your plane lands at T3, you will need to clear Canadian customs and retrieve your bags temporarily. This is so that they are on your person when you pass by the Canadian inspectors. 9 times out of 10 they don't even look at them, but them's the rules. If your bags are tagged through to your Alitalia flight, you can drop them at the re-check belt in T3 and then proceed upstairs to your bus to T1, which you catch on the roadway in front of T3 (bus stop signs hang from the roof of the building). You can't walk between the terminals. The buses run every 8 minutes.
You need to go to T1 because all the check-in facilities for the Infield Terminal are there. The Infield Terminal is a temporary building with gates only that is in use until T1 is finished. Passengers and bags are taken by vehicles (in your case another bus) out to the Infield once they have checked in at T1. If US printed your AZ boarding passes, you can go straight to security at T1. If not, stop by the check-in desk first (you will need to do this anyway if US didn't tag your bags thru).
Security in Canada is marginally quicker than in the US... friendlier too. Lots of security lanes open at peak times. 10 minutes is long for me in Toronto.
Total time needed on the ground in Toronto is about 90 mins to 2 hours depending on how fast everyone in your party can walk. The main variables are going to be your wait at Canadian customs at T3 and the vagaries of the GTAA bus schedules. 3 hours should not be cause for alarm.
More info:
Greater Toronto Airports Authority
www.gtaa.com
Feel free to ask me any additional questions.
Last edited by YYZC2; Jul 15, 2005 at 9:07 am
Jul 15, 2005 | 9:10 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: BDL
Programs: NWA Platinum, HHonors Diamond, SPG, YX, AA
Posts: 5,354
If you WANT to check bags, do so as picking them up in Toronto and dropping them off for your flight to Rome will take all of 2 minutes. However, if you can fit everything in a carryon, why would you want to check a bag? Where you will really save time is when you arrive in Rome and don't have to wait with 400 other people to claim their bags!