Toronto tours by private car on Elly8.net start with the private city highlights tour, from US$440 in a business sedan to US$880 in an Executive Sprinter, fixed and all-in. For a day built entirely around your own list, a chauffeur by the hour starts at US$110 in a business sedan with a 3-hour minimum, and a full day starts at US$810.
The city's sights are spread out: a castle on a hill in the Annex, a converted brickworks in a ravine, a Victorian industrial district by the lake, and cliffs at the eastern edge of Scarborough. Most are only 5 to 15 minutes apart by car on a clear road, but they are a long way apart on foot, and that is where a chauffeured day earns its price. This guide gives you sample routes with real drive times and the local details that keep the day moving.
How long does a chauffeured Toronto tour take?
The private city highlights tour runs a few hours and covers the waterfront, Old Town, Yorkville and Casa Loma, from US$440 in a business sedan. For four or five stops, book a full day from US$810, or by the hour from US$110 with a 3-hour minimum. Drive times between central sights are mostly 5 to 15 minutes.
Every price is per vehicle and includes the chauffeur, taxes and standard gratuity. Parking during the stops and any tolls are billed at cost. Toronto and the GTA run on the Elly8 fleet and chauffeurs, so the chauffeur who collects you in the morning stays with you for the day.
See Toronto prices and reserve
The drive times that shape the day
These are clear-road drive times between popular stops, from routing data. In midday traffic, add a few minutes to each; at weekday rush hour, double them.
| From | To | Distance | Clear-road drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Yorkville hotel | Casa Loma | about 2.3 km (1.4 mi) | about 5 min |
| Casa Loma | Evergreen Brick Works | about 6.8 km (4.2 mi) | about 12 min |
| Evergreen Brick Works | Distillery District | about 4.6 km (2.9 mi) | about 8 min |
| Distillery District | St. Lawrence Market | about 1.6 km (1 mi) | about 3 min |
| St. Lawrence Market | Kensington Market | about 4.5 km (2.8 mi) | about 7 min |
| Kensington Market | High Park | about 8.8 km (5.5 mi) | about 15 min |
| High Park | CN Tower | about 9.2 km (5.7 mi) | about 15 min |
| CN Tower | Bluffer's Park, Scarborough | about 17.7 km (11 mi) | about 24 min |
The lesson in that table is that in Toronto the driving is the short part. The time goes on the stops themselves, on finding a place to stop, and on walking from the car to the entrance. A chauffeur solves the last two: you step out at the door and call the car when you are ready.
Sample route 1: the classic highlights day
A good first-time route, starting from a downtown or Yorkville hotel at about 9:30 a.m., after the morning rush.
- Casa Loma. The hilltop castle in the Annex, with limited parking on its hill. The chauffeur drops you at the entrance and waits nearby. Allow about 90 minutes.
- The Royal Ontario Museum and Bloor-Yorkville. A few minutes down the hill to Bloor Street. Spend the late morning at the museum or browsing the boutiques, with lunch in Yorkville.
- St. Lawrence Market. A short drive to Old Town. The St. Lawrence Market South Market is closed on Mondays, and the farmers' market runs on Saturdays from early morning.
- The Distillery District. Three minutes east. Its cobbled streets are pedestrian-only, so the car meets you at the edge.
- The CN Tower and the waterfront. End at the tower around sunset, then back to the hotel.
That is a full day; book the full-day chauffeur rather than the highlights tour if you want time inside every stop.
Sample route 2: ravines, markets and the west end
For repeat visitors or anyone who prefers neighbourhoods to landmarks.
- Evergreen Brick Works in the Don Valley ravine, heritage brickworks buildings in a ravine setting, with gardens and a Saturday farmers' market.
- Kensington Market and Chinatown, for food and independent shops. The streets are narrow and busy, so the car drops at Spadina Avenue.
- High Park, the big west-end park, for a walk in spring blossom or fall colour.
- Ossington or Queen West for dinner, with the car collecting you afterwards.
Booked by the hour, this kind of day runs well at five or six hours.
Sample route 3: the lake and the islands
Toronto's waterfront is best seen partly from the water.
The ferry to Toronto Island Park leaves from the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at 9 Queens Quay West, at Queens Quay and Bay Street. According to the City of Toronto, the ferry is busiest on weekends and holidays, with peak travel to the islands from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and back from about 5 to 9 p.m., when waits can exceed 30 to 60 minutes; buying tickets online gets you an express line. Cars do not cross with you, so the chauffeur drops you at the terminal and collects you when you return, or you release the car and book the pickup separately.
Pair the islands with the CN Tower, a harbour walk along Queens Quay and an early dinner on the waterfront. To finish further east, the Scarborough Bluffs stretch along about 15 km of lakeshore, with Bluffer's Park at 1 Brimley Road South offering parking, a beach and views of the cliffs. Stay behind the fences; the City warns that the bluff edges are unstable.
Sample route 4: a wet or freezing day
Toronto weather can turn a walking day into a long one, and a car changes the plan rather than cancelling it. Keep the day to indoor sights with short hops between them: the Royal Ontario Museum on Bloor Street, lunch in Yorkville, a few hours inside Casa Loma, then the CN Tower if the cloud is high enough to see anything. From mid-November, finish at the Distillery Winter Village in the early evening. The car waits nearby at each stop, and coats, shopping and umbrellas stay inside it.
Small things that keep a tour day on time
- Share timed tickets in advance. If you have a fixed entry time anywhere, put it in the booking notes so the route is built around it.
- Agree the next pickup point before each stop. The chauffeur may suggest a side entrance or a nearby corner where the car can stop legally.
- Leave the heavy things in the car, but keep passports, phones and valuables with you.
- Tell us about mobility needs. Step-free drop-off points can be planned for most sights if we know in advance.
When to start, and when to avoid
- Start after 9:30 a.m. on weekdays. The morning rush on the Gardiner, the Don Valley Parkway and the downtown grid eats tour time.
- Avoid finishing downtown at 5 p.m. if you can; plan dinner first and drive back after 7.
- Saturdays are busy at the markets and in Yorkville. Go early for the farmers' markets.
- Check the event calendar. Game nights near Union, the Toronto International Film Festival in September and big parades close streets. Destination Toronto lists what is on.
- Winter is still a good season. The Distillery Winter Village runs from November 12, 2026 to January 3, 2027, and a heated car between indoor sights makes a January day comfortable.
Private car or the alternatives?
A fair comparison, because a chauffeur is not always the answer.
| Way to see Toronto | Cost | Good at | Less good at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walking and the TTC | standard adult fare C$3.30 by card | the downtown core, budget days | spread-out sights, bad weather, small children |
| Taxi or rideshare between stops | metered or app price per ride | one or two stops | waiting at each stop, peak prices |
| Shared sightseeing bus | ticket per person | first overview, fixed route | your own pace, stops off the route |
| Elly8.net highlights tour | from US$440 per vehicle | a few hours, door-to-door | very long days |
| Elly8.net full day or hourly | from US$810, or US$110 an hour | your own route, families, groups | a single short hop |
The TTC fare is from TTC fares. For one or two people with a downtown-only list, walking and the subway work well. The car makes sense for families with small children (child seats on request), older travellers, groups who want to stay together, wet or freezing days, and lists that reach Casa Loma, the Brick Works, High Park and the Bluffs in one day. Because prices are per vehicle, a family of five in a business SUV pays the same as a couple.
Choosing the vehicle
- Business Sedan, up to 3 passengers: US$440 for the highlights tour.
- Business SUV / Van, up to 6: US$560. The family choice.
- First Class Sedan or First Class SUV: US$720 or US$660.
- Executive Sprinter, up to 12: US$880 for a group or extended family. Our Toronto Sprinter guide has more on group days.
The fleet page shows each class. For how a chauffeured sightseeing day runs across the network, see private city tours and hourly chauffeur.
Day trips beyond the city
With a full day, the obvious extension is Niagara. The 10-hour Niagara Falls day trip starts at US$1,015 in a business sedan and US$2,025 in an Executive Sprinter, with time at the Falls and along the Niagara Parkway; our Niagara Falls car service and wine tours pages cover the region. North of the city, Collingwood and Blue Mountain is a ski and lake region, and our guide to Toronto to Huntsville covers a longer trip into Muskoka. If you are new to the city and still choosing where to stay, our guide to booking a limo to Toronto describes the hotel districts.
Booking a chauffeured day
- Choose the highlights tour, hourly or the full day, and the pickup time and address.
- List your stops in the notes, with any timed tickets, so the chauffeur plans the order and the drop-off points.
- 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. All tour prices are on packages.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is a private tour of Toronto by car?
The Elly8.net private city highlights tour costs US$440 in a business sedan, US$560 in a business SUV, US$660 in a first class SUV, US$720 in a first class sedan and US$880 in an Executive Sprinter, fixed and all-in per vehicle. A full day starts at US$810, and hourly service at US$110 an hour with a 3-hour minimum.
Does the chauffeur act as a tour guide?
The chauffeur drives, plans the route and drop-off points, and knows the city well, but is not a licensed tour guide. Many attractions offer their own guided or self-guided visits, so check each one's site, and the chauffeur waits nearby while you are inside.
Can the car wait while we visit each stop?
Yes. On the highlights tour, hourly bookings and the full day, the chauffeur waits nearby and comes back to the entrance when you call. Parking during the stops is billed at cost. Sights with no stopping space, such as the Distillery's pedestrian streets, are served from the nearest corner.
Can we visit Toronto Island by car?
Cars do not go with you on the public ferry to Toronto Island Park. The chauffeur drops you at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at Queens Quay and Bay Street and collects you when you return. On summer weekends, allow for ferry queues in the afternoon and early evening.
Is a chauffeured tour good with small children?
Yes, and it is one of the main reasons families book one. Child seats are available on request; give each child's age and weight when you book. Door-to-door drops, a warm car between stops and the freedom to change the plan around naps make a long day much easier than the subway.
What is the best time of year for a Toronto tour?
Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable for walking stops, the ravines and High Park. Summer is busiest at the ferry and the waterfront. Winter suits indoor sights and the Distillery Winter Village, with the car keeping everyone warm between them.
