City public transportation (subway, buses, streetcars) is managed by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).

It is impossible to get lost in the subway. There are only two subway lines:

• North — South, called Yonge — University — Spadina;
• East — West, called Bloor — Danforth.

The names indicate streets along the subway lines.

Bus lines overlie areas not covered by the subway. Usually the last bus stops are located on subway stations. When you leave the subway you can either go to the street through metal dividers marked “Exit”, or using special passages marked “Buses” you can get to a bus stop. You will find yourself at a bus stop where no one can enter from the street but only from the subway station. If you board a bus at a stop located on the territory of a subway station, you need not to pay the bus fare. It is considered as continuation of your subway ride which has already been paid by you. If a bus takes you to a subway station you enter the station through a special passage and continue your ride without additional fare.

Transfer tickets. In the subway there are red machines issuing transfer tickets. If you continue your ride on a bus or streetcar you must get a transfer ticket to be able to ride free of charge in one direction.

Bus drivers do not sell tickets nor change money. So, you must have enough change, tickets or tokens. You can buy tickets not only in the subway but in convenience stores or newspaper stands.

The subway is open from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., and on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. The cost of one ticket is $2.75 for an adult (18 — 65 years of age). If you buy 5 or more tickets at a time you pay less. Also monthly and weekly metro passes are available.

2. Rented cars

Until you buy your own car you may find it easy and comfortable to rent a car. Prices are very moderate. You can find a company which rents out cars for $14 per day (insurance not included). To rent a car you must present your driver’s licence and a credit card. Some companies agree to have a deposit of $500 instead of a credit card. Do not forget to discuss the allowed mileage and insurance before you rent a car.

3. Obtaining driver’s licences

A driver’s licence in Canada not only gives you the right to drive a car but is also a personal identification document.

You may use your driver’s licence from your country of origin during the first three months since your arrival in Canada and after that period you must get a Canadian licence.

If you have had a driver’s licence before and your driving experience is over a year, you may take a driving test. For that you must take an oral test, written test and road test. An oral test may be taken in Russian, English, French, Chinese, Polish, etc. Driver’s Handbook in English is sold in every bookstore or you can find it on the website of the Ministry of Transportation.

You can find all the information about the tests on this web-site http://www.mto.gov.on.ca.

The amount of $100 which is required to pay for the driver’s licence includes the cost of the driving test. If you have problems with your eyes, you must have your eyeglasses or correction lenses with you.

You cannot take the driving test without first taking the oral test. You must schedule the date of your driving test. You can do this immediately after your oral test in the Ministry of Transportation office or you can do this over the phone or internet.

Those persons who have not had driver’s licences or driving experience before cannot take the driving test for a year but they still can drive if accompanied by a driver with driving experience of no less than 4 years. If you take a course of studies in a driving school (10 driving lessons and 25 class lessons), you can take your driving test after 8 months.

In addition to all this, the Province of Ontario requires drivers to take one more test before you become a real driver. But this refers only to those who have not had a driver’s licence before coming to Canada.

Those who fall into an intermediate category (have had a licence but not enough driving experience) should either wait for the appropriate period or finish a driving school and get a certificate).

Types of driver’s licences.

• G1 — is issued after an oral test for those who have not had driving experience. This licence entitles you to drive if accompanied by an experienced driver. You cannot drive on highways and you are not allowed to drive after drinking.
• G2 — is issued to new drivers after their first successful driving test. You can drive on highways but you cannot drink alcohol.
• G — is issued after the second driving test for new drivers and after the first driving test for experienced drivers. If you have G driver’s licence you are allowed to have a certain dose of alcohol in your blood.

4. Purchase of a car

There are three types of purchasing a car in Canada — for cash, financing (by a bank or a manufacturer), and leasing (with payout or without).

5. Car insurance

You cannot drive an uninsured car. The reason for this is that everything in Canada is in private property. As a result of an accident the damage can be as high as $1,000,000. There exists a real insurance industry. If your car was hit by someone’s car and you were physically hurt, you will be paid compensation.

The insurance cost for the first year can be $3,000 — 4,000 for a regular car (Toyota, Nissan, Ford) and $4,000 — 5,000 for such cars as Mercedes, BMW.