Mobile data in Toronto for visitors
Toronto has the United States an afternoon's drive away, and that border matters more for your data than anything else in the city. The Canada eSIM connects to Rogers and is data only, so your usual number stays on for calls, texts and WhatsApp.
At a glance
- Does an eSIM work in Canada?
- Yes. It connects to Rogers Wireless (5G).
- Price
- From 10,49 € (3 GB, 15 days).
- For a one-week trip
- 5 GB for 30 days: 15,49 €.
- Does an EU phone plan work there?
- No: Canada is outside EU roaming, so even a plan from an EU country charges it as abroad.
- When does the plan start?
- When your phone first connects to a network in Canada. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
Pearson or Billy Bishop: UP Express and the island tunnel
From Pearson, the UP Express train runs every 15 minutes to Union Station downtown, stopping at Weston and Bloor, in around half an hour. You can tap a credit or debit card, a phone wallet or a PRESTO card on the reader before boarding, and you must tap off at the end with the same card or phone. UP Express fares are separate from the TTC, so tap off before you change to the subway.
Some shorter flights land at Billy Bishop, on the Toronto Islands, which is linked to the mainland by a pedestrian tunnel of about 260 metres with moving walkways, as well as by a short ferry.
eSIM for Canada
Data on your phone the moment you land in Canada. No account, no app, no shop.
Black Friday −25 % Ends in 32d 00:59:26Choose your data
For one to two weeks of maps, messaging and the odd video.
Buy up to 180 days before you fly: the plan only starts when the eSIM connects at your destination.
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Will it work on my phone?
On iPhone: Settings → General → About, and scroll to EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Every iPhone from the XS (2018) onwards does.
On Android: Settings → About phone → Status, and look for EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Most Galaxy S20, Pixel 3 and later do.
It also has to be carrier-unlocked. If you bought it outright or your contract is over, it almost certainly is.
Not sure about your model? Ask us before you pay and we will tell you — a person answers within 24 hours.
How it works
- 1Choose and payCard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account.
- 2Install it at homeThe QR arrives by email. Scan it on wifi in a minute.
- 3Connect when you landTurn on data roaming for the eSIM and you are online.
The TTC, the subway signal and the island ferry
TTC subway gates, buses and streetcars take contactless bank cards and phone wallets, as well as PRESTO, which can also live in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. Only a PRESTO card gets TTC fare discounts, so it can be worth it on a long stay.
Underground, every subway station has mobile signal, but some tunnels between stations are still being connected, so load the next step of your route before the train pulls out. For the Toronto Islands, buy ferry tickets on the City of Toronto website, which is the only official online seller; the city has warned about fake ticket sites, and online tickets have their own line at busy times.
Niagara Falls and the Rainbow Bridge
Niagara Falls is the day trip almost everyone makes. GO Transit runs weekend trains from Union Station to Niagara Falls, and GO e-tickets bought on the phone must be shown on the phone, not printed. The Canadian side, with the Horseshoe Falls and the riverside walk, is all on the Canada pack.
Walk across the Rainbow Bridge and you are in Niagara Falls, New York, where the Canada eSIM no longer gives data. For the American side, Buffalo or a drive on to New York, add the United States eSIM: a phone can hold both, and you switch the data line at the border. Our New York guide covers the same crossing from the other end.
How much data for Toronto
For three or four days in the city, with the TTC, the islands and plenty of walking, the 3 GB pack, valid for 15 days, is enough. A week that adds Niagara and the train on to Montreal fits better in 5 GB, valid for 30 days, and 10 GB suits sharing the connection with a laptop over the hotspot.
Those packs only count on the Canadian side: on a day in the United States, the data comes from the US eSIM instead. Buy up to 180 days before the trip; the plan starts when it first connects in Canada, and you can top up the same eSIM without reinstalling. The packs are on the Canada page, and the data calculator sizes them for your days.
Does the Canada eSIM work on the US side of Niagara Falls?
No. It only works in Canada. Once you cross the Rainbow Bridge you need the United States eSIM for data.
Can I pay for the TTC and UP Express with my phone?
Yes, with a contactless bank card, a phone wallet or PRESTO. On UP Express, tap off with the same card or phone at the end. The eSIM pays for nothing; it only provides the data.
Is there signal in the Toronto subway?
In every station, yes. Some tunnels between stations are not covered yet, so the connection can drop while the train is moving.
Can I use my US eSIM from New York in Toronto?
No. The United States and Canada are separate packs, each valid only in its own country, so Toronto needs the Canada eSIM.
Get your eSIM before you fly: the QR arrives by email in minutes and the plan only starts when you connect at your destination.
See eSIMs for Canada