Live in London. Work in the GTA.
Thousands of people weigh the same trade: London's more affordable homes against a longer trip to work. With hybrid work, it's more realistic than ever, if you plan it properly. This guide covers the drive, the train, the schedules and the neighbourhoods that make it work.
Approximate road distances from central London. Actual distance depends on your start and end points and route.
The honest answer: it depends on how often
| Office days per week | How it usually feels |
|---|---|
| 0 (fully remote) | London is a great base, with occasional trips easily managed |
| 1 | Very manageable by car or train for most people |
| 2 | Manageable with planning; many people pair days and occasionally stay over |
| 3+ | Demanding. Consider this carefully, and test it before you buy |
| 5 (daily) | Possible but gruelling; most who try it don't sustain it long term |
The deciding factors are where in the GTA you work, what time you need to be there, and whether you can work during the trip. A downtown Toronto office reached by train is a very different commute from a Mississauga office park reached by car.
Your options at a glance
Before you commit, test it
The best advice we can give: do the actual commute at least twice before buying, on a real workday, at the real time. Leave London when you'd need to leave, arrive when you'd need to arrive, and come home in the evening rush. Try it once by car and once by train if both are options. A Sunday-afternoon drive tells you nothing.
Not just Toronto. Many Londoners commute to Kitchener–Waterloo, Woodstock, St. Thomas or Sarnia, which are shorter trips with different patterns. See regional commutes.
What makes it sustainable long term
- Few office days: one or two a week is where most London-to-GTA commuters land.
- Consecutive office days, with an occasional overnight, rather than two separate round trips.
- A home close to your route: near a 401 interchange if you drive, or near downtown if you take the train.
- A real home office for your remote days. See home office & internet.
- A written agreement with your employer about your schedule.
- A plan B if your employer's policy changes, such as local job options in your field.
A week in the life (one example)
Here's how one common pattern looks for a hybrid worker with a downtown Toronto office two days a week. On Tuesday, they catch an early VIA train from London station, work on board, and walk from Union to the office. Tuesday night is spent at a hotel or with friends. Wednesday is the second office day, ending with the late-afternoon train home. Monday, Thursday and Friday are remote, in a home office ten minutes from the river paths. It's one long stretch a week instead of five daily commutes, and the rest of the week has no commute at all.
Is the trade worth it?
That depends on the money you save, the time you spend, and how you feel about both. For many hybrid workers, a London home with more space and a shorter commute on remote days is well worth a couple of long days a week. For others, the trip becomes the thing they dread.
Questions to answer before you buy
- Which days will you be in the office, and is that in writing?
- Where exactly is your office, and how far is it from Union Station or a GO station?
- What time do you need to arrive, and can it flex?
- Will you drive, take the train, or mix both?
- Where would you stay on the occasional late night?
Your local agent
Find a home that makes the commute easier
For commuters, a few kilometres can save hours a month: being close to a 401 interchange, near the VIA station, or with space for a proper home office. Rayna Elabed, a Sales Representative with CENTURY 21 First Canadian Corp., Brokerage in London, can help you find homes that fit how you actually get to work. Browse current London listings and contact her through her CENTURY 21 page.
Browse listings with RaynaLast reviewed October 30, 2026