Getting around
Downtown Toronto in about an hour, by train
Oshawa is the eastern anchor of the GO train network, with direct rail to Union Station, Via Rail service east, two major highways overhead, and a regional bus system covering the whole city. For commuters, few markets offer this much mobility at this price.
Four ways out
The options, ranked by how you actually live
GO Transit
The daily Toronto commute
Oshawa is the eastern terminus of the Lakeshore East GO rail line. Trains run from Oshawa GO station at 915 Bloor Street to Union Station in downtown Toronto in roughly 60 to 70 minutes, with about ten stops along the way. GO also runs regional buses along the 401 and King corridors.
Driving
401 and 407 east
Highway 401 is the backbone, heading west to Toronto and east to Kingston. Highway 407 East crosses north of Oshawa with an interchange at Harmony Road, and the 412 and 418 connectors linked it to the 401 became toll-free in April 2022.
Durham Region Transit
Around the city and beyond
DRT runs local bus service across Oshawa, including the higher-frequency PULSE lines such as the 901 Simcoe, 902 King, and 917 routes, with a major terminal at the Oshawa Centre. Its network reaches Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, and Clarington, and On Demand service covers lower-density areas.
Via Rail
Ottawa and Montreal without the wheel
Oshawa station sits on Via Rail’s Toronto to Ottawa and Toronto to Montreal corridor, with trains stopping between Guildwood and Port Hope. The Via and GO stations share the same downtown-adjacent site, so the station block is a genuine intercity hub.
Commuter's notes
Pick the neighborhood by your commute
The same city feels very different from the GO station, the 401, and the 407. These heuristics guide most of our relocation conversations.
Live south of the 401 for the shortest GO access; the station is a short ride from downtown and central neighbourhoods.
North-end buyers get the 407 at their doorstep, which beats the 401 for travelling east or around the north GTA.
The GO train parking fills early at peak. Walk, cycle, or take DRT to the station if you can; the north end also has GO bus connections.
Check the schedule before choosing a neighborhood: train frequency and bus transfers vary by time of day, and the last trains matter for commuters.
Test the commute before you commit
Tell us where you need to be by 9am Monday to Friday, and we will tell you which neighborhoods keep the morning sane, with real drive times from our own commutes.