Toronto to Huntsville is about 220 km (137 mi) by road from downtown, a little under three hours on a clear road up Highway 400 and Highway 11, and about the same distance from Toronto Pearson. You can make the trip by chauffeured private car, by Ontario Northland coach, by driving yourself, and once it returns, by the Northlander train from Union Station. Each suits a different kind of trip.
For one traveller with a backpack, the coach is the budget choice. For a family heading to a cottage or a resort with a week of luggage, a couple arriving on an overseas flight, or a wedding party, a private car is the most comfortable door-to-door option, with one fixed price for the vehicle. Elly8.net's Muskoka fares start at US$430 in a business sedan from Pearson to Bracebridge and the lakes, and the web booker prices Huntsville addresses exactly.
What is the best way to get from Toronto to Huntsville?
For a solo traveller on a budget, the Ontario Northland coach is cheapest. For families, groups, resort guests and anyone arriving on a flight, a chauffeured car is the simplest door-to-door option, priced per vehicle. Driving yourself suits a long stay with lots of local driving. The Northlander train, when it returns, will suit downtown starts with light bags.
The drive itself is straightforward and well signed. What makes the choice is everything around it: luggage, the time you land, the weather, the Friday traffic out of the city, and whether you will need a car once you get there.
See Muskoka prices and reserve
The options side by side
| Option | Time | What decides the cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chauffeured private car | about 2 h 55 min clear road from downtown, door to door | one fixed price per vehicle, priced to your address | families, resort guests, flight arrivals, groups |
| Ontario Northland coach | scheduled, plus getting to and from the stops | coach fare per person | solo travellers, light bags, lowest budget |
| Northlander train (planned) | proposed timetable about 3 h 5 min Union to Huntsville | rail fare per person | downtown starts, once service returns |
| Driving yourself or a rental | about 2 h 55 min clear road, plus stops | fuel, rental, parking | long stays with local driving |
The chauffeured car. Rides in Muskoka are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. You get one vehicle, one price for the whole party and your own timetable, with a stop on the way if you want one. From Pearson, the chauffeur meets you inside arrivals with a name board, and the flight is tracked so a late landing moves the pickup.
The coach. Ontario Northland runs motor coaches as well as trains, and its station list includes a Huntsville bus stop. A coach is usually the lowest fare. The trade-offs are a fixed timetable, the trip to the departure point in Toronto and the onward ride from the Huntsville stop to a cottage or resort that may be some distance out of town.
The Northlander train. Ontario Northland is preparing to return the Northlander passenger train between Toronto, Timmins and Cochrane. Its proposed schedule has a northbound departure from Union Station at 18:30 reaching Huntsville at 21:35, and a southbound train leaving Huntsville at 7:50 and arriving at Union at 10:55, operating four to seven days a week depending on the season. It is not running yet; check Ontario Northland's site for the start date. When it runs, it will suit travellers starting downtown, not at Pearson.
Driving yourself. Simple if you have a car. You take Highway 400 north past Barrie, then Highway 11 through Gravenhurst and Bracebridge to Huntsville. It makes sense for a two-week stay with lots of local driving. Our comparison of a chauffeur vs renting a car covers the trade-offs, and the honest one is this: after an overnight flight, three hours on the 400 in cottage traffic is the part of the holiday nobody enjoys.
What the chauffeured trip costs
The published Muskoka fares are for Pearson to Bracebridge and the lakes. Huntsville is about 37 km (23 mi) and roughly 32 minutes further north on Highway 11, so a Huntsville address is priced exactly in the web booker, and the Bracebridge fares give you the starting point.
| Muskoka fare | Business Sedan | Business SUV / Van | First Class SUV | First Class Sedan | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearson to Bracebridge and the lakes | US$430 | US$560 | US$690 | US$755 | US$1,120 |
| Pearson round trip | US$820 | US$1,065 | US$1,315 | US$1,435 | US$2,130 |
| By the hour in Muskoka, 3-hour minimum | US$110 | US$140 | US$165 | US$180 | US$220 |
| Full-day chauffeur | US$810 | US$1,035 | US$1,215 | US$1,325 | US$1,620 |
Every price is fixed, all-in and per vehicle, including the chauffeur, taxes, standard gratuity and airport meet and greet. Tolls, parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost; the usual route on Highways 400 and 11 has no tolls. Because the price is per vehicle, the arithmetic favours groups: a family of five in a business SUV pays the same as a couple. For trips that start downtown rather than at the airport, enter your Toronto address in the booker; see our Toronto limo service page for city fares.
The drive, leg by leg
| Leg | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Downtown Toronto or Pearson to Highway 400 | the slowest stretch at rush hour; avoid leaving between about 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. on weekdays |
| Highway 400 to Barrie | steady driving; summer Friday afternoons northbound are the busiest |
| Barrie to Gravenhurst | the road narrows toward cottage country; winter snow can slow this stretch |
| Highway 11 to Bracebridge and Huntsville | about 37 km between the two towns, around 32 minutes |
Cottage traffic is the big variable. Friday afternoons northbound and Sunday afternoons southbound on summer weekends and holiday Mondays can add an hour or more. In winter, snow can make the stretch north of Barrie slow and tiring. The fixed fare does not change with any of this, and a rest stop is included on request. If you have flexibility, leaving Toronto mid-morning on a Friday or after 7 p.m. avoids the worst of it.
Huntsville when you get there
Huntsville is the northern hub of Muskoka and the base for three places most visitors come for. The Town of Huntsville and Discover Muskoka are the best general guides.
Deerhurst Resort. Deerhurst, at 1235 Deerhurst Drive on Peninsula Lake, is a four-season resort that also describes itself as a leading Ontario conference and meeting venue. The chauffeur drops at the main entrance and helps with bags to the lobby. For conferences, arrival waves in Executive Sprinters and an hourly car for VIPs work well; see conference transportation.
Arrowhead Provincial Park. Close to town at 451 Arrowhead Park Road, Huntsville, Arrowhead has three sand beaches, about 15 km of hiking trails including a trail to Stubb's Falls, and is well known for winter activities such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice-skating.
Algonquin Provincial Park. East of Huntsville on Highway 60, Algonquin has a 56 km Highway 60 corridor with eight campgrounds and 14 interpretive trails, plus a Visitor Centre open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A chauffeur by the hour from Huntsville, from US$110 with a 3-hour minimum, or the full day from US$810, makes an easy Algonquin day without anyone driving the return in the dark. Late September and early October bring the fall colour crowds.
Three trips that work well by private car
A weekend at Deerhurst. Pickup at Pearson on Friday morning with the flight tracked, or at a downtown hotel after the morning rush, straight to the resort. Return on Sunday morning, before the afternoon southbound traffic. Book the round trip together and both legs are fixed.
A Muskoka wedding. Guests arrive at Pearson on different flights, the ceremony is at a resort or on a dock, and the reception runs late on country roads. A First Class Sedan or SUV for the couple, Sprinters for the wedding party and guest shuttles, and late returns after the reception can all go on one booking. See wedding limousine service.
A cottage week with a day in Algonquin. A business SUV or Sprinter takes the family and the luggage up, a full-day chauffeur covers the Algonquin trip midweek, and the return is timed to the flight home. Give the full cottage address, road or fire-route number and any gate details; many cottages are on private roads, and the chauffeur needs to know before setting out.
Who should take which
Take the coach if you are one or two people with light bags, the Huntsville stop works for you and you do not mind a timetable.
Wait for the Northlander if you are starting near Union Station and like trains; check its launch date first.
Drive yourself if you are staying a long time and need a car every day, and you are comfortable with winter highway driving.
Book a private car if you are flying into Pearson, travelling with children (child seats on request) or a lot of luggage, going to a resort or a cottage away from town, part of a wedding or corporate group, or simply want the three hours to be someone else's job. For more on how airport pickups work, see airport transfers and our guide to Pearson airport transportation.
Other trips from the same corner of Ontario
From Toronto, the other popular weekend north is Collingwood and Blue Mountain, for skiing and Georgian Bay. For a day in the city before heading north, our guide to Toronto tours maps out the main sights. Longer runs between Ontario towns are covered by city to city car service.
How booking works
- Enter pickup and drop-off. Add the flight number for a Pearson pickup, and the full civic address for a cottage or resort.
- Choose the vehicle by passengers and luggage. A week at the lake fills a sedan fast; the fleet page shows what fits.
- Reserve now or use the web booker. Confirmation arrives by email.
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, refunded to the original card.
Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory. Elly8.net books the car only; for flights and hotels, our travel partner is BookingWorldwide.net.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Huntsville from Toronto?
About 220 km (137 mi) by road from downtown Toronto, and about 218 km (135 mi) from Toronto Pearson. On a clear road the drive takes a little under three hours via Highways 400 and 11. Summer Friday and Sunday afternoons, holiday weekends and winter weather can add an hour or more.
How much is a private car from Toronto to Huntsville?
Elly8.net's published Muskoka fares start at US$430 in a business sedan, US$560 in a business SUV and US$1,120 in an Executive Sprinter from Pearson to Bracebridge and the lakes. Huntsville is about 37 km further north, so enter your exact address in the web booker for a fixed, all-in price per vehicle.
Is there a train from Toronto to Huntsville?
Not yet. Ontario Northland is preparing to return the Northlander passenger train, with Huntsville on its proposed route between Union Station and Cochrane. The proposed schedule reaches Huntsville at 21:35 northbound. Check Ontario Northland's website for the start date before you plan around it.
Is there a bus from Toronto to Huntsville?
Yes. Ontario Northland's station list includes a Huntsville bus stop on its motor coach network. It is the budget option for light travellers. If you are going to a resort or cottage outside town, plan the onward ride from the stop before you travel.
Can you pick us up at Pearson and drive straight to Deerhurst?
Yes. The chauffeur meets you inside arrivals with a name board, the flight is tracked, and the car goes straight to Deerhurst Resort on Peninsula Lake, with a rest stop on request. The booker gives a fixed price for the resort address, per vehicle.
Can the chauffeur take us into Algonquin Park for the day?
Yes. Book a chauffeur by the hour from US$110 with a 3-hour minimum, or the full day from US$810, and the car takes you east on Highway 60 to the trails and the Visitor Centre and brings you back to Huntsville. Park permits and fees are separate.
