The Toronto Auto Show 2026, the Canadian International AutoShow, ran from 13 to 22 February 2026 in both buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, under 1 km from Union Station and about 27 km, 25–45 minutes, from Pearson. Buy tickets on the official site, check daily hours, and let a chauffeur drop you at Front Street or Bremner Boulevard. Book your 2027 visit.
The 2026 show is over, but the questions people ask about it, tickets, hours, which building and how to get there in February, are the same every year. This post answers them with what we saw from the dispatch desk during the 2026 run, then turns them into a plan for 2027. For vehicles, exhibitor service and year-round convention trips, see our Toronto AutoShow car service page.
When and where was the Toronto Auto Show 2026?
The Toronto Auto Show 2026 ran for ten days, from Friday 13 February to Sunday 22 February 2026, across the North and South Buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The North Building is at 255 Front Street West and the South Building at 222 Bremner Boulevard, linked indoors. Industry coverage reported a record attendance of more than 374,000 visitors for the 2026 run; treat that as the organisers' figure. The official AutoShow site lists the 2027 show for 12 to 21 February, with media day on 11 February. Always confirm dates and opening hours there before booking.
How do tickets and hours affect your car booking?
We drive you to the show; we do not sell tickets, and we do not print ticket prices. Buy admission through the official AutoShow site rather than resale listings, and note three things that matter for the car:
- Daily hours vary. Weekday, weekend and final-day hours are different; set your pickup from the opening time on your date.
- Timed or dated tickets mean the drop should land 15 to 20 minutes before your entry window.
- The building on your ticket decides the drop: Front Street for the North Building, Bremner Boulevard for the South.
Send dispatch your date, entry time and building when you book, and the chauffeur plans the approach.
Where does the chauffeur drop you at the convention centre?
For the North Building, the set-down is on Front Street West near the main doors, where stopping is permitted that day. For the South Building, it is on Bremner Boulevard, near the CN Tower and the aquarium. On busy show weekends traffic control around both entrances changes, and the chauffeur follows posted signs and staff directions; we do not promise a specific door. The convention centre publishes its own getting here notes. If you are staying in a hotel connected to the PATH or arriving at Union by train, you may walk in indoors and only need the car for the evening.
How far is the MTCC from home, hotel and airport?
| From | Distance to the MTCC | Typical February drive | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union Station / Financial District | under 1 km | 5–10 min | indoor walk possible |
| Yorkville | about 5 km | 10–20 min | University Ave south |
| North York | about 16 km | 20–35 min | Yonge or the Allen and Spadina |
| Mississauga | about 30 km | 30–45 min | QEW and Gardiner |
| Markham or Vaughan | about 35 km | 30–45 min | 404 or 400, then the DVP or Gardiner |
| Oakville | about 38 km | 30–45 min | QEW and Gardiner |
| Hamilton | about 68 km | 50–75 min | QEW and Gardiner |
| Toronto Pearson (YYZ) | about 27 km | 25–45 min | 427 and Gardiner |
Planning figures; snow, weekend crowds and Front Street traffic add time. The reservation engine quotes the exact fixed fare for your address, date and vehicle.
What did a family Saturday at the 2026 show look like?
A family of four from Vaughan, from our dispatch notes:
- 9:40 am pickup in an SUV, boosters fitted; child seats are available at booking.
- 10:25 am drop on Front Street for an opening-time entry at the North Building.
- 10:30 am to 2:00 pm the show floor; the car waits nearby.
- 2:10 pm lunch, then the CN Tower next door.
- 5:00 pm home via the Gardiner and the 400 before the Saturday evening slows down.
About seven and a half hours on the hourly chauffeur service, with no garage, no slush walk and no driving on a snowy Gardiner.
How do enthusiasts and photographers plan a show day?
Enthusiasts who want the floor quiet aim for weekday mornings at opening time, and leave before school groups and the after-work crowd arrive. Photographers carry gear bags and tripods where the show permits them, which suits a car with a proper trunk. The common plan is a drop at opening, a pickup at an agreed time, and a dealership visit or two on the way home. With an hourly booking, a test drive at a dealer in Markham or Vaughan in the afternoon is one more stop rather than a second trip.
How did exhibitors and dealer staff use cars during show week?
Exhibitors work the whole ten days, plus set-up and media day. The usual pattern is a daily hotel-to-floor run in the morning, a lunch or client meeting in the Financial District, a visitor collected from Pearson, and an evening event. One car on an hourly booking covers it, and a coordinator can schedule several cars for a team on one account. A first-class sedan suits a visiting executive; an executive Sprinter moves a team of seven. Our trade show transportation page explains staff shuttles.
What does February weather mean for the trip?
The AutoShow falls in the coldest weeks of the year. In 2026, as most years, at least one show weekend had snow on the Gardiner and the DVP. Our cars run winter tires from November to April, chauffeurs check Ontario 511 before each pickup, and in snow we schedule with a buffer and pick a cleared curb over the closest one. For visitors flying in for media day, arriving the day before protects you from weather delays at Pearson.
Which booking suits which visitor?
| Visitor | Booking | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Family, half day | Hourly, 4–5 hours | show plus a nearby attraction |
| Couple from a downtown hotel | One-way there, timed return | short trips either way |
| Enthusiast plus dealer visits | Hourly, 5–6 hours | several stops in one afternoon |
| Exhibitor, full week | Daily hourly bookings | hotel, floor, meetings, events |
| Media day from Pearson | One-way with flight tracking | on the floor on time |
| Club or class of 12 | Sprinter luxury van, hourly | one group, one meet point |
Sedans, SUVs and Sprinters carry a 3-hour minimum, with extra time in 30-minute blocks.
Is the UP Express or the TTC a better way to the show?
For a solo visitor, often yes. The convention centre is beside Union Station, served by the TTC, GO trains and the UP Express from Pearson Terminal 1, about 28 minutes. A traveller with a carry-on from T1 may find the train simplest. A car wins for families, for groups from the suburbs, for Terminal 3 arrivals, for anyone carrying brochures and bags, and for evenings that continue to dinner. Our UP Express versus limo guide compares both honestly.
What are the common mistakes on an Auto Show visit?
- Arriving at the wrong building. Check the ticket: North on Front Street, South on Bremner.
- Driving in on a game night. A Leafs or Raptors game at Scotiabank Arena fills the roads around Union Station.
- Booking the pickup at closing time exactly. Exits at closing are slow; book 20 minutes after.
- Leaving no buffer in snow. Add 15 minutes to every leg in winter.
- Buying tickets from resale sites. Use the official site.
- Walking to the car through slush. Let the chauffeur collect you at the door side you came in.
How do visitors from out of town plan the 2027 show?
Book the car with your flight number; the chauffeur meets you at Pearson's pre-arranged pickup area on the arrivals curb of Terminal 1 or 3, with meet and greet inside arrivals available at booking. Included waiting runs from actual landing: 30 minutes for Canadian domestic and US flights, 60 minutes for other international arrivals. The closest rooms are in the convention hotels and the Financial District, and our travel desk books flights and rooms with the car on the same itinerary.
Can you combine the show with other winter plans?
Yes, and February is full of them. Winterlicious brings prix-fixe menus to restaurants across the city in some years; our post on Winterlicious 2026 dinner nights covers how a car fits a winter restaurant evening. A game at Scotiabank Arena, a show in the Theatre District or a night at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, held in November, are other ways families make a weekend of a downtown visit.
How do school groups and car clubs book a visit?
Technical colleges, high school auto programmes and car clubs often visit on a weekday, when the floor is calmer and the roads around Union Station are quieter outside rush hour. Up to twelve travel together in a Sprinter luxury van; larger groups use a coach from a vetted partner operator, priced in writing by a coordinator. Send the group size, the entry time and the building on the tickets, and name one teacher or organiser as the contact for the day. The return is best timed for after 6:30 pm or before 3:30 pm, to stay clear of the Gardiner's evening peak.
What about accessibility and luggage?
Infant, convertible and booster seats are available at booking. For guests who can transfer to a seat, the chauffeur folds and stows a wheelchair or walker; for a guest who stays in a wheelchair or scooter, we have a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, which should be booked in advance with the chair described at booking. Exhibitors with display cases should tell us the size and number of pieces, so we send a vehicle with enough space; freight needs a courier.
What does the fare include, and how do you book?
We do not publish prices. The reservation engine shows the fixed, all-in fare before you confirm: chauffeur, vehicle, fuel, 407 ETR tolls on the planned route and gratuity, with HST shown separately. The vehicle class, distance, hours, extra stops and the date change it. Cancellation is measured from the scheduled pickup: more than 72 hours, no charge; 72 hours or less, 10 %; 48 hours or less, 50 %; 24 hours or less or a no-show, 100 %.
