Markham moves on a genuinely multi-modal network. Within our city limits you’ll find airports and a hospital heliport, regional and municipal roads laid out on a clean grid, rapid-bus corridors, local and express bus routes, GO Transit rail and bus connections, plus a growing web of bike routes and trails. Being on Toronto’s doorstep means we plug into the GTA’s bigger system while still shaping services that fit Markham’s neighbourhoods.
Air
Most long-haul flyers here use Toronto Pearson International Airport, but Markham also has local options. Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport (operated by Toronto Airways Limited) sits at the west end near 16th Avenue and Highway 404 and has served domestic, U.S. general aviation, charter and flight-training activity (including Seneca’s programs). Toronto/Markham Airport at Highway 48 and 19th Avenue is privately operated by Markham Airport Incorporated. In addition, Markham Stouffville Hospital hosts a rooftop heliport serving medical transfers for the east side of the city.
Cycling
Markham’s Cycling Master Plan designates nearly 400 km of cycling-devoted routes. You’ll see three kinds of on-street signage:
Exclusive bike lanes (diamond + bike symbol).
Signed shared lanes (green bike sign on wider lanes).
“Share the road” reminders where pavement is narrower.
Beyond paint, the plan outlines bike lanes and paved shoulders on key corridors and multi-use trails that stitch together parks, boulevards and greenways for both commuting and recreation.
Public Transit (Local, Express & Rapid Bus)
Transit inside Markham is delivered by York Region Transit (YRT) and Viva bus rapid transit, with additional links from the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and GO Transit.
History & integration: Markham Transit, our former city-run system, merged with neighbouring services in 2001 to form YRT. Viva launched in 2005 to speed up cross-regional trips along major corridors like Highway 7 and Yonge Street.
Fares & connections: TTC operates several contracted routes in York Region that connect to Toronto subway stations; fare rules depend on whether your trip stays within York Region or crosses into Toronto.
Express options: YRT’s grid of routes is complemented by limited-stop services (e.g., Bayview Express) and peak-period Business/Community Express routes (300-series) that hop on Highway 407 to reach Finch Bus Terminal faster.
Terminals: Major hubs include Unionville GO Terminal and Markham Stouffville Hospital Bus Terminal, with the Cornell Terminal planned as a new east-end anchor to simplify transfers and restructure several routes.
Viva rapid bus: Four Viva lines serve Markham-Blue (Yonge), Purple (Highway 7), Green, and Pink at peaks. Vivastations feature off-board proof-of-payment, real-time screens and, in heritage areas, “vivavintage” designs. Bus-only lanes are being added on segments of Highway 7, Yonge, Davis and Enterprise to improve reliability.
Paratransit
YRT Mobility Plus provides door-to-door paratransit for riders with mobility needs across York Region, with permitted trips into Toronto when required.
Rail
Passenger: GO Transit’s Stouffville line links Markham to downtown Toronto. Stations serving our community include Unionville, Centennial, Markham, and Mount Joy (with Milliken now situated just south of Steeles in Toronto). The line operates primarily during rush periods on tracks owned by Metrolinx. The Richmond Hill GO line crosses Markham but does not stop within city limits.
Freight: Both Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) move goods through Markham. CN’s York, Uxbridge and Bala Subdivisions serve the south; CPR’s Havelock Subdivision runs through the southeast—critical links for local industry and regional supply chains.
Roads
Our street network follows a GTA-style grid supported by three levels of government: the Province (provincial highways), York Region (arterials), and the City of Markham (locals and some mains).
Provincial highways: Highway 404 is the north–south spine to Newmarket and Toronto. Highways 7 and 48 cross the city as key east–west and north–south routes.
“Downloading” era: In 1997–1998, Ontario transferred responsibility for portions of Highways 7, 11 (now Yonge Street / York Regional Road 1) and 48 to York Region. That shift allowed the Region to prioritize urban upgrades suited to Markham’s growth.
Highway 7 naming discussion: Markham has floated the idea of renaming “Highway 7” within the urban context (e.g., “Avenue 7”) to reflect its city-street function. Any change would need regional coordination given baseline shifts and connections to 14th and 16th Avenues.
York Regional Roads: Flowerpot-shield routes such as Bayview (RR 34), Leslie (RR 12), Warden (RR 65), Kennedy (RR 3), McCowan (RR 67), Markham Road/Main Street (RR 68), Ninth Line (RR 69), Major Mackenzie (RR 25), 14th Avenue (RR 71) and 16th Avenue (RR 73) form the backbone, generally at two-kilometre spacing.
Municipal connectors: Markham maintains all local streets and several strategic links (for example, the John St – Esna Park – Alden corridor), which often provide useful alternatives to busier regional arterials.