The Honda Indy Toronto race weekend moved from Exhibition Place to a street circuit in Markham Centre in 2026, now run as the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham. It is about 35 km and 30 to 45 minutes from downtown Toronto, and about 40 km from Pearson. An hourly chauffeur drops you near the gates and waits. Book your race-day car at a fixed fare.
Honda Indy Toronto has moved to Markham: what changed
For decades the IndyCar race in Toronto was a summer street race around Exhibition Place and Lake Shore Boulevard. For 2026 the race moved to a new temporary street circuit in Markham Centre on a multiyear agreement announced by IndyCar, partly because Exhibition Place was busy with the FIFA World Cup. The organisers now call it the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham, and the official race site carries tickets, schedules, parking and travel options. Many Torontonians still search for "Honda Indy Toronto", so this page covers the race wherever it is held; we check the official site each season for the venue, and if the race moves again we follow it. For 2026 the race weekend was held in mid-August, rather than the traditional July slot.
Where is the Markham circuit?
The temporary circuit sits in the eastern part of Markham Centre, the city's planned downtown, in the area bounded by Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard, the GO rail line through Unionville and Highway 407, according to IndyCar's announcements. Unionville GO station is right beside the event area, and Highway 404 and the 407 ETR are the main road approaches. The City of Markham publishes road closures for the race weekend; streets inside and around the circuit close for several days, so the exact drop-off point is set by the event's traffic plan rather than by us. Our Markham car service page covers the city in general.
How far is the Indy circuit from Toronto and Pearson?
| Starting point | Distance to Markham Centre | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Toronto (Union Station area) | about 35 km | 30 to 45 minutes |
| Yorkville and Midtown | about 28 km | 25 to 40 minutes |
| Toronto Pearson (YYZ), via the 407 | about 40 km | 30 to 45 minutes |
| North York | about 18 km | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Vaughan | about 25 km | 20 to 35 minutes |
| Richmond Hill | about 12 km | 15 to 25 minutes |
| Scarborough | about 15 km | 20 to 30 minutes |
Race weekends add traffic on the 404 and around the exits nearest the circuit, especially on Sunday. Treat these as planning figures; the exact fixed fare for your address and vehicle shows in the reservation engine.
Which route from downtown?
From downtown the chauffeur usually takes the Don Valley Parkway north onto Highway 404, then exits toward Markham Centre; from the west end and Pearson, the 401 or the 407 ETR east is the usual line. The 407 is tolled and is often the quickest on a busy summer morning; your chauffeur decides on the day from live traffic on Ontario 511. On race days some exits and local streets close, so the last kilometre is where planning matters most. We aim for the designated drop-off and confirm the pickup point before you walk in.
Why an hourly chauffeur suits race day
Race days are long and the timing is loose: practice sessions, support races, qualifying, the main event and a crowd that all wants to leave at once. A single drop-off works if you are happy to find your own way home through race traffic. Most guests book the hourly chauffeur service so the car and chauffeur stay in the area, parked legally outside the closures, until they want to leave. If the race goes long, or you decide to stay for the post-race celebrations, you extend by message in 30-minute blocks. The minimum is three hours; a full race day is usually six to eight.
A race-day timeline for a chauffeured group
A typical Sunday plan from downtown looks like this. The chauffeur collects the group at a hotel or office in the morning, allowing for 404 traffic and the closures around Markham Centre. You are dropped at the designated area, walk to your grandstand or hospitality area, and the chauffeur moves out to a legal spot beyond the closures. During the afternoon you message if you want to leave early or stay late. After the chequered flag, crowds take a while to clear, so many guests wait twenty or thirty minutes before walking to the pickup point, which makes the drive out quicker. Home or to dinner from there.
Book early for race weekend
Race weekends fill the region's hotels and chauffeured fleets at the same time, and Sunday is the busiest day. Book the car as soon as you have tickets, especially for Sprinters and multi-car corporate days, and add the hotel through the travel desk at the same time. If your plans change, the cancellation policy is clear: no charge more than 72 hours before pickup. Last-minute requests are still worth making; dispatch will tell you honestly what is available.
Dinner in Markham or Unionville after the race
Markham Centre sits next to Unionville, whose historic Main Street is lined with restaurants and patios, and the wider city has a large choice of restaurants in every direction. A post-race dinner is a natural add-on to an hourly booking: the chauffeur drives you a few minutes from the closures to the restaurant, waits, and takes everyone home once the highways have cleared.
Corporate hospitality at the Indy
The Indy weekend is one of the region's big client-entertainment days, with hospitality packages sold by the organisers. For companies hosting guests, a fleet of black sedans and SUVs collecting clients from downtown offices and hotels, all arriving within the same window, makes the right impression. One dispatch desk coordinates every car, every guest list and every return address. Our VIP event transportation and corporate car service pages explain how multi-car days are planned and billed. Clients flying in can be met at Pearson and taken straight to the circuit.
Which vehicle for the Indy?
operator, priced in writing by a coordinator.
- One or two guests: a business sedan or first-class sedan.
- Up to six with bags and sunscreen: the business SUV or premier luxury SUV.
- A team of up to seven in lounge seating: the executive Sprinter.
- Up to twelve: the Sprinter luxury van.
- A big group or company outing: a party bus or coach from a vetted partner
GO train, driving yourself or a chauffeur?
GO Transit serves Unionville station on the Stouffville line, right beside the event, which makes the train a sensible option for fans travelling light from downtown on a race-day schedule. York Region Transit and the Viva rapid buses serve Markham Centre too. Driving yourself means race-day parking lots, closures and a long exit queue. A chauffeur fits groups, hospitality guests, families with young children, and anyone coming from somewhere the GO schedule does not suit, such as Pearson, the west end or a hotel in Vaughan.
Drop-off, pickup and walking distances
The circuit layout, gates, accessible drop-off areas and ride-share zones are set by the organisers and the city each year. We follow the current traffic plan, drop you at the designated area closest to your gate, and agree on a pickup point outside the closures. Expect some walking: street circuits have long perimeters and the grandstands can be a fair distance from the nearest legal stopping point. Wear proper shoes, bring sun protection, and share live location with the chauffeur when you start heading out.
Hotels for an Indy weekend
Guests coming from out of town often stay in Markham itself or downtown and ride up each morning. Our page on Markham hotels covers transfers from the area's hotels, and North York and Vaughan hotels are also within easy reach of the 407. Our travel desk books rooms, flights and packages, and the chauffeur can collect you from Toronto Pearson and drive you directly to the hotel or the track. For Markham's conference and event venues outside race weekend, see Markham and Vaughan event venues.
Families and young fans
Race weekends are loud, hot and long, which young fans love and parents plan for. Child seats (infant, convertible and booster) are available at booking; give the ages and weights so the right seats are fitted. The chauffeur keeps water and air conditioning ready in the car, which turns a midday break into a cool rest rather than a search for shade. Bring ear protection for children: IndyCars are loud even at a distance. For guests who use a wheelchair and can transfer to a seat, the chauffeur folds and stows it; for anyone who must stay seated in a wheelchair or scooter, our wheelchair-accessible vehicle is available when booked in advance.
Weather and summer race days
August in Markham can be hot and humid, with thunderstorms that roll in quickly. Races can be delayed or paused for lightning, which is one more reason an hourly booking works better than a fixed pickup time: the chauffeur waits out the delay with you. If you plan to leave early because of the weather, message the chauffeur and walk to the agreed pickup point; we will be there as fast as the closures allow.
What does the fare include?
No prices are printed here. The reservation engine shows a fixed, all-in fare for your booking before you confirm, covering the chauffeur, vehicle, fuel and the gratuity, with HST shown separately. It changes with vehicle class, hours booked, pickup address and the date. Cancellation follows the sitewide policy: free more than 72 hours out, 10 per cent at 72 hours or less, 50 per cent at 48 hours or less, and the full fare at 24 hours or less or on a no-show.
Other big summer sporting weekends
The Indy shares the summer with tennis at the National Bank Open at Sobeys Stadium, golf at the RBC Canadian Open and other tournaments, and baseball at Blue Jays games. The full calendar is on our events page, and our concert and game-day limo page explains how we plan around big crowds.
