Hamilton Street and Railway Co. (HSR) operates public transit buses in the city and the surrounding suburbs. The fare is $2.55 as of February 14, 2010. No change is provided. HSR has partnered with Google Maps to provide a comprehensive trip planner.
Hamilton is divided into two main sections?"The Mountain" and downtown. The Mountain refers to anything on the escarpment?access to the mountain is limited to a few roads, which often arrive on a different street than when you started. If you're going up the mountain, take a second to learn which access you need to take. Driving on the mountain accesses in the winter can be treacherous, and even many locals avoid it if possible due to icy road conditions. During severe storms many and sometimes even all of the accesses can be closed by the city, making travel between the two major districts nearly impossible. The Sherman Access changes to one-way traffic during rush hour, to get traffic down the mountain in the morning and up the mountain in the afternoon. If you aren't aware of this, it can mean having to take a long detour if you've committed to taking the Sherman but can't. Even outside of rush hour the signage on this access can be confusing.
Hamilton is infamous for having mainly one-way streets throughout its downtown core, although many have turned two-way over recent years. Be aware of what intersection you're heading for, and what streets precede it, or you may overshoot. Conversion back to two way streets began in 2004. In the fall of 2005, John and James Streets, main North/South arteries, were converted back to two way traffic. Most of the locals preferred the one way system, but visitors will find it easier to get around.
Rush hour traffic can be problematic like in any other large city. Try to avoid driving down Upper James Street in the mornings or between 4-6PM unless you're content to watch pedestrians overtake you on the sidewalks. The nearby street of West 5th (next major street to the west of Upper James) generally has a far lower volume of traffic and can save you upwards of 10 minutes of driving time. It also sports a mountain access that can get you down to (lower) James Street in no time at all.
The Lincoln Alexander Expressway (known locally as the Linc or Link) is a city by-pass that runs across the mountain from Ancaster to Stoney Creek. If you're trying to get past the city be sure to avoid the major roads (Mohawk, Fennell, Stone Church or Rymal) at all costs and take the Linc, which will save you ample time and gas.
There are some duplicate street names between Hamilton and the surrounding areas it amalgamated with; for example, there is a King Street in Dundas, Hamilton, and Stoney Creek.
The transit system is average at best for a city of its size. Downtown service is quite good, but the neighbouring suburbs suffer from infrequent buses, primarily due to high levels of car ownership. On Sundays and holidays expect 30-60 minute waits between buses, even on fairly major routes (such as Upper James Street on the Hamilton Mountain). Late or too-early buses are a common problem on the mountain and can get irritating for locals who depend on transit to get to work. The City has recently announced plans to fund improvements in bus service with additional buses on major routes, but this has not yet been realized.
The major bus hub is located at MacNab St S, which runs between King Street and Main St. You can catch a bus to pretty much any part of the city from Gore Park, and each stop generally has a schedule posted on the pole for your convenience. As of January 2 2011, Gore Park will be largely replaced by the new MacNab Street Transit Terminal, which is a short walk several minutes west of Gore. This will affect many, but not all buses. If you have any questions just ask a local - most people are usually quite friendly and helpful and will be happy to provide suggestions if you're looking for a place to visit or something to do while visiting.
Many locals will have stories about rude or inattentive drivers, but if you are missed by a speeding driver or find yourself thrown around by over-zealous use of the brakes you can contact the usually-friendly HSR help desk to file a complaint.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Hamilton (Ontario)
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Hamilton (Ontario) - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Hamilton (Ontario) hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Hamilton (Ontario) Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
