The TTC’s Texting Service:
How many times have you been waiting for a streetcar and wondered when the next one would arrive? If you have a cell phone on you, finding out may be easier than you think. If you’ve noticed on the streetcar stop signs, there’s usually a four-digit number attached.
This can be texted to 898882, an automated texting service that will fetch the status of streetcars on your line and text you back when they’re coming. It’s saved my behind countless times, as sometimes it’s better to start walking then wait 14 minutes.
Google Maps:
Google has given us a number of wondrous things, but I love using Maps to figure out where and when I have to be in order to get where I have to go. The popular service has recently (possibly two-three years ago?) expanded to include Toronto on its list of cities with transit information baked right in; hit the “public transit” options while looking for directions to give you a number of routes using the TTC.
I honestly can’t tell you how great this service has been to me, because looking through the TTC’s own literature can be a bit confusing. However, keep in mind that the directions generated are for the time you hit “search” by default; if you’re looking to make any early morning trips, you’ll have to adjust the settings. Subways (and some streetcars) stop around 12-1AM on weekends, so plan accordingly, and have fun!
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