What "400-series" means
The 400-series highways are Ontario's network of controlled-access freeways — divided roads with grade-separated interchanges, no driveways or stop signs, and a posted speed of at least 100 km/h. They are owned and operated by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), with the exception of Highway 407 ETR through the central Greater Toronto Area, which is operated by a private concession.
The "400-series" name refers to the route-numbering convention: every freeway in Ontario's system is given a number in the 400 range, distinguishing it from the older provincial highways (Highway 11, Highway 17, Highway 7, and so on) that are conventional roads, often with traffic lights and at-grade crossings. There are also two named freeways — the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) and the Don Valley Parkway — that function as part of the same system without 400-series numbers.
Full list of 400-series highways
The current network includes the following routes. Lengths and exact endpoints are best confirmed with the MTO; we list general termini and purpose.
| Route | Approximate corridor | Primary purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 400 | Toronto (Highway 401) north to Sudbury area (Highway 69 transition) | Main route from the GTA to cottage country and Northern Ontario |
| Highway 401 | Windsor — Toronto — Quebec border (continuing as A-20 in Quebec) | The province's busiest freeway and a key Canada-US trade route |
| Highway 402 | London west to Sarnia and the Blue Water Bridge to Michigan | Western international border crossing for Ontario |
| Highway 403 | Woodstock — Hamilton — Mississauga (joins QEW and Highway 401) | Alternate route between southwestern Ontario and the GTA |
| Highway 404 | Toronto (Highway 401) north to Lake Simcoe area | York Region commuter and cottage corridor |
| Highway 405 | Niagara Region (QEW) to the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge into New York | Niagara international border crossing |
| Highway 406 | St. Catharines (QEW) to Welland | Niagara peninsula north-south spur |
| Highway 407 | Burlington (QEW) east to Highway 35/115 in Clarington | GTA bypass; the central section is the privately operated 407 ETR (electronic tolls) |
| Highway 409 | Toronto (Highway 401) to Toronto Pearson International Airport | Airport access spur |
| Highway 410 | Mississauga (Highway 401) north through Brampton | Brampton commuter corridor |
| Highway 412 | Highway 401 north to Highway 407 in Whitby | Connector between the 401 and 407 in Durham Region |
| Highway 416 | Highway 401 (near Prescott) north to Ottawa | Eastern Ontario freeway link to the 401 |
| Highway 417 | Highway 17 west of Ottawa east through Ottawa to the Quebec border | The "Queensway" through the National Capital Region |
| Highway 418 | Highway 401 (Courtice) north to Highway 407 in Clarington | Eastern Durham connector |
| Highway 420 | QEW in Niagara Falls east to Stanley Avenue (downtown Niagara Falls) | Short freeway spur into the Niagara Falls tourist district |
| Highway 427 | QEW in Toronto north past Pearson Airport to Highway 7 | West-Toronto/Etobicoke vertical spine, primary truck route |
In addition to the numbered 400-series routes, the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) runs from Toronto around the western tip of Lake Ontario through Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, and into the Niagara Region, ending at the Peace Bridge at Fort Erie. The QEW predates the numbering system and kept its name. The Don Valley Parkway is a freeway-grade urban expressway in Toronto operated by the City of Toronto rather than the province.
How the network is laid out
If you sketch the system from the air, three patterns emerge. First, the network is heavily concentrated in southern Ontario, particularly around the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, where most of the population and freight movement is. Second, the routes form a rough lattice between the United States border crossings (Detroit/Windsor, Sarnia/Port Huron, Niagara Falls/Buffalo, the Thousand Islands, and Cornwall) and the major population centres of Toronto, Hamilton, and Ottawa. Third, freeway coverage thins dramatically once you leave the south: only Highway 400 (continuing as Highway 69) and Highway 416 push significantly beyond the densely settled belt.
For a picture of how the freeway system fits within Ontario's wider road network, see the Ontario highway map, or the printable Ontario highway map if you need a hard copy. The Ontario map with cities is helpful for relating the highways to the towns they connect.
Toll roads
Most 400-series highways are toll-free. The main exception is the central section of Highway 407 ETR, operated by a private concession company between Burlington and Brock Road in Pickering. The eastern extension to Highway 35/115, plus the connectors Highways 412 and 418, are operated by the province and use electronic transponder/camera billing rather than traditional tollbooths. Drivers without a transponder are billed by mailed invoice based on licence plate recognition.
Speed limits and posted limits
The default freeway speed limit on 400-series highways is 100 km/h. As of recent years, the province has been raising the limit on selected sections to 110 km/h, mostly on rural stretches of Highways 401, 402, 403, 404, 416, and 417. Watch for posted signs because the change is not uniform across each highway.
Which highway should I take?
Choosing between routes depends on where you are going and traffic conditions:
- Toronto westbound to Niagara Falls: the QEW is the standard route. Highway 403 is a parallel option once you reach Burlington.
- Toronto to Ottawa: Highway 401 east to Highway 416 north is the typical route. The drive is roughly 4–5 hours.
- Toronto to Sudbury or Northern Ontario: Highway 400 north is the main artery, transitioning to Highway 69 north of Parry Sound.
- Toronto to Detroit or Chicago: Highway 401 west all the way to the border crossings at Windsor.
- Toronto to Buffalo: the QEW south-east, crossing at the Peace Bridge in Fort Erie.
- GTA bypass to avoid the 401: Highway 407 (toll) provides a continuous east-west alternative across the top of the region.
For long road trips that combine multiple freeways and connector highways, the Ontario road trip map covers common multi-day itineraries.
Common questions
Are 400-series highways free to use?
All except the privately operated central section of Highway 407 ETR are free. The publicly operated sections of Highway 412, Highway 418, and the easternmost Highway 407 use electronic tolling on a smaller scale.
What is the difference between a 400-series highway and a "Highway 11" or "Highway 17"?
The 400-series routes are full freeways with no driveways, traffic lights, or at-grade crossings. The lower-numbered "King's Highways" (Highway 11, Highway 17, Highway 7, and others) are usually arterial highways with intersections, traffic lights, and direct access to abutting properties. They are still important inter-city routes — Highway 11 is part of the Trans-Canada — but they are not freeways.
Is the Trans-Canada Highway part of the 400-series?
Mostly no. In Ontario, the Trans-Canada Highway is signed as Highway 17 across most of the north and parts of the east, and as Highway 11 through Northern Ontario. Only short urban sections (like Highway 417 through Ottawa) coincide with 400-series freeways.
Related maps
- Ontario highway map — full provincial road network
- Printable Ontario highway map — PDF for offline use
- Highway 401 map — detailed look at Ontario's busiest freeway
- Highway 417 map — the Queensway through Ottawa
- Southern Ontario map — the area covered by most freeways
- Ontario road trip map — itineraries that use these highways