← TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon·2 nights

Ottawa: Canal Path, ByWard Market and Parliament Hill

A direct train to a flat, compact capital with a canal pathway, a covered market district and the Parliament buildings within walking distance.

Duration2 nights
TransitVIA Rail, about 4 hours 25 minutes on average from Toronto Union Station
DepartsToronto Union Station

After the Toronto Waterfront Marathon: Ottawa

The Route: Toronto Union Station → Ottawa station → Downtown Ottawa → Ottawa Airport Logistics: VIA Rail direct from Union Station, with the O-Train from the station into the centre. Downtown is flat and walkable. Marathon Month: October Duration: 2 nights

Toronto Union ──(about 4 hrs 25 min VIA Rail, fastest about 3 hrs 45 min)──> Ottawa station ──(O-Train Line 1, about 10 to 12 min)──> Downtown
                                                                                                                                  │
                                              Ottawa Airport (YOW) ◄──(taxi or bus)────────────────────────────────────────────┘

The marathon finishes on a Sunday in mid-October, and the train to Ottawa on Monday or Tuesday is the most direct way to put a different city between you and the finish line. VIA Rail runs about nine trains a day, and the journey averages 4 hours 25 minutes, with the fastest around 3 hours 45 minutes. Advance fares are cheaper than same-day fares, so book through viarail.ca.

October in Ottawa: Days are cool, nights approach freezing and rain is common. Autumn colour in Gatineau Park, about 15 minutes' drive north, is usually past its peak by the second half of the month but still worth the trip. The Rideau Canal closes to boats in mid-October, but the pathways beside it stay open.

Ottawa station is at 200 Tremblay Road, with its own O-Train Line 1 stop adjoining it. The ride to the Rideau and Parliament stations takes 10 to 12 minutes.

Nights One and Two: Downtown

The Rideau Canal pathway is the principal recovery asset. It is paved and flat, runs for several kilometres beside the water and has benches, and a stroll along it from near the Château Laurier takes in the locks beside Parliament Hill. At post-marathon pace a few kilometres takes an hour with pauses.

Parliament Hill is within walking distance of the canal. The Centre Block is closed for restoration, so check which tours are running. The National Gallery of Canada at 380 Sussex Drive is a short walk from the ByWard Market, with level floors and seating. Check opening days and prices at gallery.ca.

The ByWard Market district is the centre of Ottawa's restaurant life, and the streets around it are flat. Options include Buvette Daphnée, Ember and North and Navy. Check menus and opening times before choosing.

The Fairmont Château Laurier at 1 Rideau Street stands between the ByWard Market and the Rideau Canal. It is a stone castle-style hotel of 1912, and a short walk from Parliament Hill. The Lord Elgin Hotel on Elgin Street, near Confederation Park, offers a quieter base and is a short walk from the canal and the National Gallery.

Getting to Ottawa Airport

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) is about 20 minutes from downtown by taxi, and OC Transpo runs an airport bus. Check the current service at octranspo.com. The alternative is to return by VIA Rail to Toronto Union Station and fly from Toronto Pearson (YYZ), using the UP Express for the last stretch.