At Billy Bishop you choose between the pedestrian tunnel (853 ft, about 260 m, four moving walkways, six minutes or less, elevators at both ends) and the free ferry (121 m, about 90 seconds, every 15 minutes). Both start at the mainland pavilion at 2 Eireann Quay, foot of Bathurst Street, which is where your car drops you and collects you. Most travellers use the tunnel. Book the Billy Bishop airport transfer direct.
Billy Bishop ferry or tunnel: the quick decision
Take the tunnel unless you have a reason not to. According to the airport's pedestrian tunnel page, it crosses the Western Channel 100 feet below the surface, has four moving walkways, and gets you from the mainland to the island terminal in six minutes or less. There is no waiting for a departure. The ferry is the alternative: a 121-metre crossing of the Western Gap that takes about 90 seconds and, the airport says, runs every 15 minutes. It is free for pedestrians. If you arrive just as a ferry is loading, it can be as quick as the tunnel; if you have just missed one, the tunnel wins. Either way, your chauffeur never drives onto the island. The car stops at the mainland pavilion, and that single fact shapes the whole trip. Our parent page on Billy Bishop airport covers fares and flight tracking; this post is about the last 300 metres.
The numbers, from the airport's own pages
| Pedestrian tunnel | Ferry | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 853 ft (about 260 m) | 121 m across the Western Gap |
| Crossing time | 6 minutes or less on foot | About 90 seconds on the water |
| Frequency | Walk in any time it is open | Every 15 minutes (subject to change) |
| Cost for passengers | Free | Free for pedestrians |
| Level changes | 6 elevators on the mainland; escalator or 2 elevators on the island; 153 steps as an alternative | Board at quay level |
| Best for | Almost everyone, especially with a tight connection | Travellers who prefer not to go underground, or who enjoy the view |
The ferry schedule on the airport site shows daily service from 5:15 a.m. to just after midnight, with a note that times can change with weather and capacity. The airport's own listed hours are 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
From your Hamilton driveway to the gate: a timeline
For a 10:30 a.m. weekday flight, carry-on only, from downtown Hamilton:
- 7:45 a.m. Pickup. The chauffeur confirms the flight number and airline.
- 8:05 a.m. QEW eastbound through Oakville; the chauffeur checks Gardiner conditions.
- 8:55–9:05 a.m. Off the Gardiner, down to Lake Shore and south on Bathurst Street.
- 9:05 a.m. Drop-off at the pavilion doors on Eireann Quay. Bags out in a minute.
- 9:12 a.m. Through the tunnel and up to the terminal.
- Security, lounge or coffee, boarding.
That timeline leaves margin for the airline's check-in cut-off. Heavier traffic or a stadium event means an earlier pickup; dispatch will tell you. Our Hamilton to Billy Bishop airport route has the time-of-day planning table.
Where exactly does your car stop?
At 2 Eireann Quay, in front of the mainland pavilion. The airport's pick-up and drop-off page describes complimentary spots inside the turning circle, limited to a maximum five-minute wait for a vehicle that is ready to drop off or collect. That is why the drop-off is quick: the chauffeur pulls in, the bags come out onto the curb, and you walk straight into the pavilion toward the tunnel entrance or the ferry dock. Rideshare vehicles use a separate lane, and taxis load at a corral to the right of the pavilion. A booked chauffeur is not circling looking for you; on the way in you are dropped at the door, and on the way home the car is staged nearby until you message.
Tunnel with luggage, children or a wheelchair
The tunnel is the easier route for most people with bags. Six elevators serve the mainland end, and on the island you can take one of Canada's longer escalator runs or two elevators; the 153-step staircase is optional. Rolling suitcases are fine on the moving walkways. With a stroller or a child who is tired, the elevator on both ends is the simplest route. For travellers with limited mobility, request airline wheelchair assistance when you book your flight. On our side, a luxury van has an easier step-in height, and we fold and stow manual chairs and walkers for passengers who can transfer to a seat. Our own fleet has no ramp-equipped vehicles, so power-chair users should arrange a specialist accessible provider.
When the ferry is the better choice
- You like the water. It is a short, pleasant crossing with the skyline behind you.
- You would rather not go underground, for comfort reasons.
- You are meeting someone arriving by car on the island side, which is rare for passengers but common for island residents; the ferry also carries a limited number of vehicles for a fee.
- You arrive with a ferry loading. Then the 90-second crossing is as fast as anything.
In fog or high wind, the ferry is more exposed to weather than the tunnel; the airport notes that times may vary.
Departure-day mistakes around the pavilion
- Asking to be dropped "at the airport" on the island. Cars do not go there. The drop-off is the mainland pavilion.
- Leaving it too late for the Gardiner. The tunnel is quick; the drive to it is not.
- Packing passports in the trunk. For US flights, keep documents in your hand before you step out of the car.
- Forgetting a stroller or car seat in the vehicle. The chauffeur checks the cabin before leaving, but a quick look back saves a phone call.
Arriving: tunnel back to the mainland
On the way home you do the crossing in reverse, collect bags on the island first, then walk the tunnel or catch the ferry to the mainland pavilion, where the car waits. Included waiting starts from actual landing: 30 minutes for Canadian domestic and US flights, 60 minutes for other international arrivals, then 15-minute blocks. That covers the crossing on an ordinary day. The step-by-step pickup is in our sibling post on Billy Bishop pickups at Eireann Quay.
Budget route: GO train, shuttle and tunnel
If you are travelling alone with a small bag, the transit route is realistic: a GO Transit train from Hamilton to Union Station, then the airport's complimentary shuttle from Union Station, which leaves from the west side of the Fairmont Royal York at 44 York Street and takes about 15 minutes in normal traffic, according to the airport. The shuttle drops at the pavilion, so the tunnel-or-ferry choice is the same. See public transit options on the airport site and our guide to where to get picked up at Union Station if a car will meet your train instead.
Weather on the channel
The Western Gap is a narrow stretch of Lake Ontario, and weather matters more at the island than at an inland airport. Fog can delay or divert flights; strong wind can affect the ferry, and the airport's ferry page notes that times vary with weather. The tunnel is unaffected by either, which is one more reason most people use it. In winter the road is the bigger risk: squalls on the QEW and ice on the escarpment accesses at the Hamilton end. We check Environment Canada the evening before, and dispatch messages you if the pickup should move earlier. If your flight is diverted to Pearson, flight tracking sends the chauffeur there and the fare follows the Pearson structure.
First time at the island airport? What to expect
Visitors are often surprised by how small the operation looks from the street. You pull off Bathurst Street onto Eireann Quay, the pavilion is in front of you, and the island terminal is visible across a channel a little over 100 metres wide. Inside the pavilion, signs point to the tunnel elevators and the ferry dock. There is no check-in on the mainland side for passengers; you check in on the island. Allow time for the crossing in your head, but not much of it. If you are collecting a relative instead of flying, note the five-minute limit in the turning circle: the airport points early drivers to its parking instead, which is one reason families book a chauffeur for the pickup.
What to tell dispatch when you book
A few details make the pavilion drop-off smoother. Give us the flight number, not only the time, so the return can be tracked. Tell us the number of checked bags and any stroller, golf bag or folding wheelchair, so the right vehicle comes. Mention if a passenger needs extra time getting in and out of the car, and whether you would like meet & greet on the return. For corporate travellers, standing notes such as "first-class sedan, quiet ride, 407 when faster" can sit on a corporate account so the assistant never has to repeat them.
The whole day with one car
Some island trips are day trips: out at 7 a.m., meetings in Ottawa, back through the tunnel at 6 p.m. We book both legs together so the return automatically tracks the evening flight. When the day includes Toronto meetings before or after the flight, an hourly chauffeur keeps one car and one chauffeur with you: a business sedan is $120–145 per hour, 3-hour minimum, all-in plus HST.
Fares to the pavilion from around Hamilton
Planning ranges, one way, business sedan, all-in plus HST: downtown Hamilton $275–340 (about 70 km, 55–80 minutes); Burlington about $225–275 (about 55 km, 45–65 minutes); Oakville about $190–230 (about 40 km, 35–55 minutes). Visitors staying in Burlington hotels or Oakville hotels can book from the lobby the same way. The reservation engine prices your exact address.
Book direct
Use the booking page: enter "YTZ", your flight number and address, choose the car, add meet & greet if you want someone at the pavilion doors (planning figure $25–35), and confirm the fixed all-in fare. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours ahead; 10 % inside 72 hours, 50 % inside 48, and 100 % inside 24 hours or for a no-show.
