Raptors tickets are sold through official channels, including Ticketmaster.ca and the Scotiabank Arena ticket office, and scanned from the Raptors app. After the game, the fastest pickup is a meet point a few minutes' walk from Bay Street and Lake Shore, chosen by your direction home. The arena is 0.5 km from Union Station and 27 km (25–45 min) from Pearson.
The Scotiabank Arena limo for games and concerts page explains the arena and how our cars work there. This post answers the question we hear most from basketball fans booking a car: after the buzzer, where exactly should we be picked up? It also covers Raptors tickets, family timing and the honest transit option. When your seats are booked, the reservation engine shows the fixed fare for the evening.
How do you get Raptors tickets onto everyone's phone?
Raptors tickets bought through official channels, such as Ticketmaster.ca or the arena's ticket office, are delivered to your account, and the arena's Know Before You Go page says Raptors tickets are held in the Raptors app and scanned from each fan's phone. Buy from the Toronto Raptors site's linked ticketing or official resale rather than from strangers online. Then do the transfers early: one ticket to each adult's phone the night before, and confirm everyone can open the app. Children's tickets can stay on a parent's phone. We do not sell tickets and are not connected with the team; we drive fans there and back.
When does a Raptors game end, and why does it matter for pickup?
A basketball game has four 12-minute quarters on the clock, but timeouts, fouls, reviews and halftime stretch that to a little over two hours of real time for many games, and a close finish or overtime adds more. That uncertainty is the reason we discourage one-way pickups booked for a fixed time. On an hourly chauffeur booking, the car stays nearby and simply moves to the meet point when you message during the fourth quarter. Hourly bookings have a 3-hour minimum for sedans, SUVs and Sprinters, and a game night with travel and dinner almost always runs longer than that.
Where should you be picked up after a Raptors game?
Pick the meet point by where you are going, not by the gate you used. A car already facing home avoids the slowest part of the night.
| Heading to | Suggested direction to walk | Why it works | Typical drive home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississauga, Oakville, Pearson | west, towards York Street and Bremner | quick access to the Gardiner westbound | 25–50 min |
| Yorkville, midtown, North York | north-west, away from Bay Street | parallel streets north avoid the Bay queue | 15–40 min |
| Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham | east towards Yonge or Jarvis | lines up for the DVP northbound | 35–55 min |
| Scarborough, Pickering, Ajax | east along the Esplanade area | lines up for the Gardiner east and DVP | 30–55 min |
| A downtown hotel | stay on foot | walking is often quicker | 5–15 min |
The exact corner depends on the evening's road restrictions, so the chauffeur confirms it on the day and texts it with the plate number.
Why not just get picked up at the arena doors?
Because hundreds of other cars are trying to do the same thing. The arena does not publish a dedicated pickup zone for private cars, police manage the intersections at Bay and Lake Shore after games, and some turns are blocked while crowds cross. A car that pulls up at the main doors joins a slow queue and may be moved on before you appear. Walking three to five minutes to a quieter corner feels counter-intuitive with children in tow, but in our experience it saves twenty minutes or more. For guests with limited mobility, the chauffeur will drop and collect as close to an accessible entrance as traffic control allows, and our wheelchair-accessible vehicle can be booked in advance for fans who stay in their chair.
How should a family with young children plan a Raptors night?
A family of five from Brampton, about 45 km and 40 to 55 minutes from the arena, books an SUV with two booster seats for a 7:30 p.m. game. The chauffeur collects them at 5:15, and they eat near the arena before doors. Spare clothes, snacks and a tablet for the ride home stay in the car. At the start of the fourth quarter, the parent texts the chauffeur; if the youngest is fading, they leave with five minutes to play and beat the crowd entirely. The car is at a corner west of the arena, the children are asleep before the Gardiner, and nobody has to carry a sleeping child through a parking garage.
What does a Raptors date night look like with a chauffeur?
Two people, one first-class sedan and an evening that does not revolve around parking. The car collects at home in Yorkville at 5:45, drops at a restaurant near the St. Lawrence Market, then takes the couple to the arena for tip-off. After the game the chauffeur meets them north-west of the arena and drives to a bar on King Street West for one drink, then home. Four stops, one car, no app rides in the rain. The first-class sedan is the usual choice; the business sedan and the electric Tesla Model Y also suit two passengers.
Should students take the TTC to a Raptors game?
Usually, yes. A student at the University of Toronto or Toronto Metropolitan University who lives near the subway will find the TTC to Union Station and a short walk through the station the simplest and cheapest way to the game. The arena's getting-here information points fans to Union, and the TTC runs late. A chauffeur starts to make sense for a group of six or more splitting a Sprinter, a birthday, or students living in parts of the 905 the trains do not reach late at night. Check GO Transit for the last train before you go.
How do visiting basketball fans plan a Toronto trip around a game?
Fans flying in from elsewhere in Canada or the United States often land on game day. From Pearson the drive is about 27 km via Highway 427 and the Gardiner, typically 25 to 45 minutes; from Billy Bishop it is only 3–5 km. The chauffeur meets you at the airport's pre-arranged pickup area with your flight tracked, takes the luggage to the hotel, and is back for dinner and the game. Visitors from the US should remember that every passenger needs a valid passport or other accepted document to enter Canada. Our travel desk books flights and rooms, and the Financial District hotels are a walk from the arena.
What should you leave in the car during the game?
The arena's restricted bag policy allows only small purse-style bags, so the car becomes a locker: school backpacks, work bags, shopping from the Eaton Centre and heavy coats all stay inside. The arena is also cashless, so bring a card for food and drinks. Tell the chauffeur what you are leaving and keep your phone, ID and payment card on you. If something is left behind after the drop-off home, dispatch will arrange its return.
How do you keep a group of twelve together after the game?
Groups lose time in two ways: waiting for stragglers and splitting across exits. Give the group one meet point and one leader who messages the chauffeur. Ask everyone to walk straight to the corner after the buzzer, not to the team store or the washrooms first, unless they tell the leader. A Sprinter luxury van seats up to twelve, so the whole group rides in one vehicle. For a team outing or a youth basketball club, the Sprinter group transportation page explains how larger groups are handled, including a second van.
What changes on a playoff night?
Playoff basketball brings bigger crowds outside the arena, with fans gathering in Maple Leaf Square to watch on the big screen, wider police control around Bay and Lake Shore, and busier restaurants. Book the car as soon as you have tickets. Plan for a longer walk to the meet point, sometimes ten minutes rather than three, and expect the chauffeur to choose a corner further from the square. After a big win, celebrations can slow traffic across the south core; the route home may go north on a parallel street before turning towards the highway.
How is a Raptors night different from a Leafs night?
Both teams play in the same building with the same mobile-ticket and bag rules, but the evenings differ. Basketball crowds include more families with younger children, and the end of the game can bring a sudden rush if the result is decided late. Hockey finishes are harder to predict because of overtime and shootouts, and the season falls deeper into winter. Our sibling post on Leafs tickets and an arena night covers the hockey version, and the Scotiabank Arena concert exit plan covers shows at the same arena.
What mistakes do Raptors fans make with their ride home?
- Booking a one-way pickup for a fixed time and watching the game go to overtime.
- Asking the chauffeur to wait "at the front", which is closed to waiting cars.
- Splitting up after the buzzer to visit the team store.
- Letting every phone in the group die before the meet point is confirmed.
- Forgetting that the drive home from the 905 on a Friday night can take longer than the drive in.
How does a snowy winter night change the plan?
Most of the Raptors home season falls between November and March, and a snowstorm on a weeknight can double the drive in from the 905. On those days dispatch moves pickups earlier, sometimes by 30 minutes, and chauffeurs check Ontario 511 before leaving. Our cars run on winter tires. After the game, the walk to the meet point is shorter in bad weather, because the chauffeur chooses the nearest workable corner rather than the ideal one, and heavy coats stay in the car during the game. Families with small children should pack boots and a spare layer for the walk; everything else can wait in the warm car.
What if the game is rescheduled or you need to cancel?
Start times sometimes move for national broadcasts. On an hourly booking, tell dispatch and the pickup moves with the game. Our cancellation policy is measured from the scheduled pickup: more than 72 hours before, no charge; 72 hours or less, 10 %; 48 hours or less, 50 %; 24 hours or less or a no-show, 100 %. If the game moves to another date, ask us to re-book the car for it. Check the City's road notices on toronto.ca when planning, as lane closures around the Gardiner change through the year.
