Which is quicker: going around the U, or the double-transfer?

[Padraic]

I live at College station and often go to stops on the western half of the Yonge line (Musem for school and St Clair West for friends). I can never decide which is quicker, either to go south and around the U (as recommended by myttc.ca), or go north and transfer on, then off, the Bloor line (as recommended by my roommate).

Anybody have firm opinions on this?

 

[wonderboy416]

I would always make the transfer rather than go around the U, so many times I'd step off the train on either the yonge or spadina line to catch the bloor train within a couple of minutes, there's no way the trains making it around the U in that short time frame (I think it's about a minute and a half per stop).

Of course the obvious answer is... why not try both? You're obviously going to have some variance transfering. I also like the experience of getting off and joining the crowd waiting for another train, it seems crazy but I enjoy that... Where I live now it's 38 minutes to Gangnam station if I go east and make one transfer OR 39 minutes if I go west and make 3 transfers (according to my cell phone which you can plug in your destination and it tells you the best routes and travel times - kinda neat). I always go west, I not only enjoy it more but if the timing is just right I can make the trip in about 30 minutes. Some of these stations probably do 5-6 times the volume of Yonge/Bloor too.

 

[CDL.TO]

I have a system. If you're boarding/exiting at, then you:
- Queen or King: Ride around the U
- Dundas: If destination is between Yonge and University, walk. If it's a few blocks east of Yonge or west of University, ride the U. If it's east of Church or west of McCaul, try and catch the streetcar.
- College: Walk or try to catch the streetcar.

I live near St. Clair West and have to be at various locations in the Yonge/College-Dundas area during the week, so I deal with this every day.

So in your case, I would try to catch a 506. If there's none in sight, I would walk to Queen's Park station.

 

[adma]

And depending on weather conditions, sometimes going around the U might be a preferrable option even if it's slower--particularly if your boots are waterlogged or whatever...

 

[Hipster Duck]

For St. Clair West: walk to Queen's Park subway station.

For school: just walk the entire way.

 

[nfitz]

I'm surprised no one has suggested what to me is the obvious for St. Clair West. Take the subway to St. Clair and jump on the St. Clair streetcar.

And I'd just take the 506 streetcar to University or (or McCaul, or St. George) and walk.

 

[xtremesniper]

To be honest I would make transferring to the Bloor line a last priority on the list of options. The frequency vs the amount of people on that line is abismal. You'll end up waiting on a platform with no air and tons of people for more than 5 minutes before you get a train just to go two stops. Not worth it.