Skip to McMaster Navigation Skip to Site Navigation Skip to main content
McMaster logo

Getting around Hamilton

Welcome to the heart of Ontario and the economic engine of Canada – Hamilton and south central Ontario.

Hamilton is the ninth largest city in Canada, fourth largest in Ontario, and ranked as one of the top 10 places to do business in Canada. Situated on the Niagara escarpment, Hamilton is only 45 minutes southwest of Toronto and northwest of the U.S. border.

McMaster is nestled in the west end of Hamilton in a residential area called Westdale Village. Bordered by Cootes Paradise, the Royal Botanical Gardens, and the shores of Lake Ontario, the campus is connected to kilometres of nature trails, biking paths, and Hamilton’s burgeoning waterfront.

Those in search of a more urban experience are never too far from amenities in downtown Hamilton – restaurants, concert theatres, hockey games, art galleries, street festivals and more.

Hamilton is also conveniently situated on major rail, air, water and road transportation networks to other large North American centres, including Toronto, New York, Chicago and Montreal.

Map of Hamilton

Expandable List

Hamilton Street Railway(HSR)

HSR is Hamilton’s city-wide public bus transportation system, with many bus stops on and around McMaster’s main campus.

You will need to pay HSR bus fare out-of-pocket until you activate your Presto bus pass as a McMaster University student. Visit the Graduate Students Association site for more information about the HSR bus pass for graduate students. If you have any questions about your bus pass, contact the Graduate Students Association directly at macgsa@mcmaster.ca.

For more information about using your Presto Card, Visit the PRESTO website.

GO Transit

GO Transit is a network of train and bus lines that keep people moving around the Greater Golden Horseshoe. It is one of the most affordable options that connect you from Hamilton to places such as Toronto Pearson Airport and Niagara Falls. You may catch a bus on campus, at one of their many stops in the city, or at the Hamilton GO Centre.

Students with the HSR bus pass activated on their PRESTO Card are automatically eligible for Go Transit student rates. Visit the Graduate Students Association site for more information about the HSR bus pass for graduate students. If you have any questions about your bus pass, contact the Graduate Students Association directly at macgsa@mcmaster.ca.