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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
London, Ontario
London
Give London 1–2 nights as a stop between Toronto and Windsor/Sarnia, or 2–3 if you want the museums and Wortley Village at an easy pace.
London is a mid-sized southwestern Ontario city of about 366,000, roughly halfway between Toronto and Windsor on the 401. It is a university and hospital town with a compact downtown, a walkable river valley and a strong small-museum set. Most travellers pass through on the Toronto–Windsor rail or road corridor; it works as a one- or two-night stop rather than a destination in itself.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- London
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, snow), late Dec
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$90–140 excl. bed · Mid C$160–240 excl. bed · High C$280+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$2.50–5 (2026 estimate) |
| Casual lunch (sandwich, soup, burger) | C$15–25 (2026 estimate) |
| Dinner main, mid-range restaurant | C$22–38 (2026 estimate) |
| Draught beer / pint in a bar | C$7–10 (2026 estimate) |
| Museum entry (Museum London is by donation) | By donation; other admission prices check |
| LTC bus fare, 90 minutes | C$3.50 (2026) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YXU · London International Airport
- LTC route 36 (Airport Industrial) is the listed city bus link; check current frequency and hours before relying on it.
- YYZ · Toronto Pearson
- Long-haul gateway; road or shuttle transfer time varies with traffic.
Typical fares
- LTC bus, 90 minutes of travel
- C$3.50 cash (2026). Children 12 and under ride free.
- VIA Rail London → Toronto
- About 2.25–3.5 h; fares vary by booking time.
Get around
London's grid streets make driving straightforward, but traffic can delay trips downtown and around the university. London Transit buses charge C$3.50 cash for 90 minutes (2026); service ranges from about every 5 minutes downtown to 15–60 minutes elsewhere and major routes do not run past midnight. Walking and cycling paths follow the Thames River.
See and do
Known for
- Museum London and Eldon House
- Blackfriars Street Bridge
- Wortley Village
- Labatt Memorial Park (oldest baseball park in the world)
- Forest City parks and the Thames Valley Trail
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Stratford | VIA Rail from London station, about 50 min; or 45 min by car on Highway 7/8 | About 1–1.25 h |
| Woodstock | VIA Rail from London, about 30–40 min; or 40 min by car on the 401/403 | About 1 h |
| Ingersoll | VIA Rail from London, about 25 min; or 30 min by car | About 45 min |
| Sarnia | VIA Rail from London, about 1 h 45 min; or 1 h 15 min by car on Highway 402 | 1.75–2 h |
| Grand Bend | Car on Highway 4, about 1 h; Huron Shores Area Transit also runs from London | About 1–1.25 h |
| Goderich | Car on Highway 4/8, about 1 h 15 min; Huron Shores Area Transit from London | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Downtown (Dundas and Richmond)
- Walk to Covent Garden Market, Canada Life Place, Victoria Park and Museum London; best for a car-free night.
- Wortley Village
- Quiet, café-and-shop strip south of the river; good for a slower stay, 25–30 min walk to downtown.
- Masonville / north end
- University and shopping area; chain hotels, free parking, 15–20 min drive to downtown.
- Wellington Road South
- Highway 401 exit 186 strip; cheapest motels and easy on/off for drivers, no walkable core.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Sorry / Excuse me | Sorry |
| The bill, please | Could I get the bill, please? |
| Can I pay by card? | Do you take card? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where's the washroom? |
| Is this seat taken? | Is anyone sitting here? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- A city bylaw restricts overnight parking on public streets in fall and winter; check signs before leaving a car.
- LTC buses do not run past midnight on major routes; plan a taxi or rideshare after that.
- Prices in Ontario are shown before sales tax (13% HST), so the bill is higher than the menu.
Use normal city precautions and check road conditions before winter drives. Snow squalls can affect Highway 401; do not leave valuables visible in a parked car.
One and two days
No timed day plan for London, Ontario yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Museum London and Eldon House
- Blackfriars Street Bridge
- Wortley Village
- Labatt Memorial Park (oldest baseball park in the world)
- Forest City parks and the Thames Valley Trail
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of London: london.ca/
- London International Airport: flylondon.ca/
- London Transit Commission: www.londontransit.ca/
- VIA Rail — London station: www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/stations/ontario/london
- Eldon House: eldonhouse.ca/
- Banting House National Historic Site: bantinghousenhs.ca/
- Canada Life Place: www.canadalifeplace.com/
- Wikivoyage: London (Ontario), revision 5316259 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5316259
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
London, OntarioLondon
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies in London; the US consulate-general is in Toronto, and most other countries keep embassies in Ottawa. Check your country's official travel information before departure.
Tipping is expected: 15–20% at restaurants and bars, 10–15% for taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/london-ontario). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.