Directions & Parking

From Toronto and East

Queen Elizabeth Way to Highway 403 West (Hamilton). Exit at Waterdown Road. Travel 800 metres south along Waterdown Road to Plains Road West. Turn right onto Plains Road West and travel 2km. Turn left into the RBG Centre parking lot.

From Kitchener-Waterloo and West including Detroit (U.S.A.)

Highway 401 East to Highway 6 South. Follow Highway 6 South for about 25 km. Exit onto York Road, make a left and then a right on the new Plains Road and drive south crossing over the 403. Turn left at the lights to continue on Plains Road West for about 1 km, passing the glass building. Turn right into the RBG parking lot.

From the Niagara Region and Buffalo (U.S.A.)

Queen Elizabeth Way to Highway 403 West (Hamilton). Exit at Waterdown Road. Travel 800 metres south along Waterdown Road to Plains Road West. Turn right onto Plains Road West and travel 2km. Turn left into the RBG parking lot.

Burlington Transit Plains 1 buses stop directly in front of RBG Centre / Hendrie Park (note that the Plains 101 Express no longer makes stops along Plains Road).

Burlington Transit and HSR buses connect seamlessly via free transfer in downtown Hamilton, and all local buses are equipped with bike racks. Please note that public transit does not stop in front of Rock Garden, the Arboretum or Laking Garden at this time.

Find your route with Google Maps

For current bus schedules, please follow the links below:

Burlington Transit
Hamilton Transit

Relevant bus stops:

• Plains at RBG (Burlington Transit)
• York at RBG Rock Garden (Burlington Transit)
• Princess Point (HSR)

Plan with Triplinx

GO Train

2 options available depending on your preference for the number of transfers:

• Take the Lakeshore West Train Line. Exit at the Burlington Train Station and take Burlington Transit Route 1 Plains to Hamilton to RBG Centre.
• Take the Lakeshore West Train Line. Exit at the Aldershot Train Station and take HSR route 18 southbound bus from Aldershot GO station bus stop (bus runs approx. every 30 min), get off at Waterdown at Plains bus stop, walk 2 min to Plains at Waterdown bus stop, take Burlington Transit Route 1 West to Hamilton bus  (bus runs approx. every 10 min), get off at Plains at RBG bus stop.

GO Train with a Bicycle

Take the Lakeshore West Train Line. Exit at the Aldershot station, a 4 km bicycle ride to RBG Centre (directions).

GO Bus

Depending on the starting location, multiple GO bus routes are available, with transfers to Burlington Transit at the Burlington Train station (Burlington Transit Route 1 Plains to Hamilton), or various transfer points in Hamilton. Please see the GO Transit trip planner for assistance.

Please Note

There are are no direct buses that run from Aldershot GO to RBG at this time. Options for travelling from Aldershot GO include:

It is possible to walk or bike 1.2 km from the Aldershot station to Plains Road to catch the Burlington Transit Route 1 bus from there. Please see the Burlington Transit Trip Planner for details. Travelers arriving at Aldershot GO may also consider taking a cab or ride share to the Gardens (4 km distance).

RBG Centre is located ~9 km from the Burlington Train Station, accessible by GO Transit and VIA Rail. The Burlington Transit Route 1 Plains to Hamilton bus is available to transport you from the Burlington station to RBG Centre.

Please note, there are no buses that run from Aldershot GO to RBG at this time. It is possible to walk or bike 1.2 km from the Aldershot station to Plains Road to catch the Route 1 bus from there. Please see the Burlington Transit Trip Planner for details. Travelers arriving at Aldershot GO may also consider biking, taking a cab or ride share to the Gardens (4 km distance).

Be as green as our gardens and ride your bicycle to RBG! Whether coming from Hamilton, Burlington or beyond there are a variety of routes available to get here. Once you arrive you’ll find that several of RBG’s garden areas are within a short distance of each other. Extend your trip and ride your bike between some of the garden areas on backroads and bicycle lanes.

Secure bike locking stations are available at each garden area and major trail head (see parking lot list above) so you can leave your bike behind and enjoy a walk in nature.

Find your bike route to RBG

Biking and Go Transit

Coming from further? Consider bringing your bike on the GO Train and cycling 4km from the Aldershot station.

Hamilton Bike Share

Princess Point (south shore of Cootes Paradise) is a Hamilton Bike Share hub! Hamilton Bike Share allows visitors to rent a bicycle to travel to or from Princess Point (travel within a designated area only).

Hamilton Bike Share has launched a service area extension pilot to the Rock Garden! Bike share users can now ride to the Rock Garden and lock there with zero locking fees.

Please Note

Riding and bicycle is not permitted in garden areas or on RBG’s trails. On our trails, bikes pose a direct threat to plants and ground-dwelling wild life, causes erosion, root death and tree dieback. This permanently alters nature’s balance by changing microclimates and paving the way for invasive species.

Additional Resources

• City of Hamilton – Bike Routes
• City of Burlington – Cycling
• HSR’s Mountain Climber program