There are many ways to get to Kingston. This page first describes the principal methods of doing so and then provides more detail for those who are driving. The City of Kingston web pages include useful information and maps.
Six Ways to Get to Kingston
- Fly to Pearson International Airport in Toronto, take the Union-Pearson Express Train to Union station and take the train to Kingston from there. This is likely cheaper than flying all the way, and is often faster. For train times, see Via Rail. Note that US-bound passengers have to clear customs in Toronto. If you are coming directly from Toronto, the train is usually the best alternative.
- Fly to Toronto and then on to Kingston. DUE TO COVID THIS IS CURRENTLY NOT AN OPTION.
- Fly to Montreal and then take the train to Kingston. Trudeau International Airport is only a mile from Dorval train station, and there is a shuttle service between them. Trains take between 2-2.5 hours to get from Dorval to Kingston. Note that US-bound passengers have to clear customs in Montreal. If you are coming directly from Montreal, the train is usually the best alternative. Trains from downtown (Central Station) take about 20 minutes longer than trains from Dorval.
- Fly to Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, or Syracuse, and then drive (see below for details). It is a little over 2 hours from Ottawa airport to Kingston, less than 2 1/2 from Syracuse, somewhat less than 3 hours from Montreal, and about the same from Toronto if there are no traffic delays. There is also an airport in Watertown, NY, which has two or three US Air flights a day from Pittsburgh. It is less than 1.5 hours from Kingston. If you are coming directly from Ottawa, the train may be a good alternative to driving.
- Fly to Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, or Syracuse, and then let someone else drive. Several Kingston companies provide limousine service, including ExecuTrans (613-384-8412). It is probably best to let someone at Queen's make the arrangements.
- Fly to Toronto and then take a Megabus from the airport directly to Kingston.
Driving to Kingston
From Toronto, take Highway 401 east. If you are west of Toronto to begin with, you may be able to save time by taking Highway 407, a toll road that runs north of and parallel to Highway 401. It connects to Highway 401 on the eastern side of Toronto.
From Montreal, take either Highway 20 or Highway 40 going west. The two highways eventually join and lead into Highway 401. Highway 20 has some traffic lights, so 40 is usually faster.
From Ottawa, take Highway 416 to Highway 401 and then proceed west. If you are starting from Ottawa Airport, you can access Highway 416 from the Hunt Club Road.
From Syracuse or Watertown, take I-81 north. Follow I-81 until it ends at the 1000 Islands Bridge. This is a toll bridge. Once in Canada, get on to Highway 401 and head west, towards Kingston and Toronto. Kingston is about 30 miles west of the bridge.
Driving within Kingston
The best route to take if you are arriving from the west is to leave Highway 401 at the Sir John A. Macdonald exit and go south (the only way you can go) for quite a while. Other routes may be a bit quicker if driving from the east; see below. Major cross streets will include John Counter Boulevard, Princess Street, Bath Road, and Johnson Street. At the next light after Johnson Street, turn left on Union Street. It will be the second-last set of lights. You will see the (now defunct) Prison for Women just ahead on the right, and you should see a bit of lake Ontario beyond the last set of lights, some distance ahead.
The Economics Department is in Dunning Hall, 94 University Avenue, which is on the southwest corner of Union Street and University Avenue. This is the second traffic light you will encounter after turning onto Union Street; the first is at Albert Street, which is essentially the western boundary of the University. If you are going directly to the hotel, skip to the paragraph after the next one. Parking may be a problem. There is an underground lot a little bit west of Dunning Hall. After you park, proceed to Dunning Hall. Go in either the Union Street or University Avenue entrances and take the stairs to the second floor. The main office is in Dunning 209.
There is another underground lot a bit further from the Department. To get to it, continue on Union Street to the light, turn right onto University Avenue, and then turn left at the bottom of University Avenue. Then turn left again, very soon afterwards, into the underground parking lot. The exit of the lot is immediately to the east of University Avenue, and the entrance is just beyond it. After you park your car, you should be able to get out of the underground lot via a staircase at the north end, near University Avenue. Walk back to Dunning Hall, go in the main entrance, and take the spiral stairs to the second floor.
If you are going directly to one of the downtown hotels, you should also take King Street instead of Union. The Four Points is on King. Delta Kingston Waterfront Hotel, Howard Johnson Confederation Place Hotel, and Holiday Inn are on, or just off, Ontario Street, a few blocks past the intersection of Ontario and King.
Alternative Routes
If you are driving from the east and going to one of the downtown hotels, it is somewhat quicker to use the Montreal Street exit. Turn left from Montreal Street onto Princess Street, which is the last cross street before Brock. Continue all the way to the end of Princess if you are going to the Holiday Inn. Otherwise, turn right on King Street for the Four Points or the Hotel Belvedere, and turn right on Ontario for the Howard Johnson and the Delta Kingston Waterfront Hotel. Ontario will be the last set of traffic lights, and King will be the second-last.
Another possibility, which works well if you are going directly to the University from either direction, is to exit Highway 401 at Division Street. Take it south until it ends at Union Street, a block east of University Avenue. The last mile or so on Division is rather slow. At Union, turn right to go to either the Mackintosh-Corry parking lot or the underground lot, and turn left to go to the Hochelaga Inn.