A free trip planner for Canada's busiest highway: rest stops you can actually reach in your direction, EV chargers, places worth a detour, where to sleep and fuel up, live traffic and winter conditions, and what to do if something goes wrong.
Pick a start and end above. We'll show only the ONroute plazas on your side of the highway, suggest break points, and list what's worth stopping for.
Most plazas serve only one direction, so check the tag before you plan to stop. All are open 24/7 with fuel, washrooms and food. Rate the ones you've used to help other drivers.
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi · Ontario Travel Information Centre
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi
Fuel · washrooms · food court · free Wi-Fi · Ontario Travel Information Centre
Official closures and collisions come from Ontario 511. Breaking news is usually on X first, so we link straight to live searches and police accounts.
Official closures, construction, road conditions
See conditions before you go
Real-time posts from drivers, media and police
Closures and collisions from the OPP
Speeds by colour along the corridor
Hazards and slowdowns reported by drivers
Live camera snapshots and road conditions at six stretches of the 401 where winter weather causes the most trouble. Snow squalls between London and Woodstock can drop visibility to near zero in minutes.
Plows often work side by side across the lanes. The road ahead of them is worse than the road behind. Stay back and be patient.
If visibility drops, ease off, turn on your full lights, and leave far more space. Don't stop in a live lane.
Blanket, phone charger, water, snacks, scraper, booster cables and a flashlight. Closures can last hours.
The plazas are the easiest stops, but the next town over is often cheaper. Tap a city to see stations near the exit with current prices.
Fuel prices change through the day. Charger counts and availability change as networks expand.
From Point Pelee to the Thousand Islands: places close enough to the 401 to break up a long drive.
Canada's southernmost mainland tip. Boardwalk marsh trail and famous spring and fall bird migrations.
Kilometres of riverside path with the Detroit skyline across the water. An easy first or last stretch of the trip.
A settlement founded by people who escaped slavery via the Underground Railroad, with an original schoolhouse.
Downtown market hall with local food stalls. A good lunch stop roughly halfway between Windsor and Toronto.
Dairy country around Woodstock and Ingersoll: cheese shops and farm stores minutes off the highway.
One of Canada's biggest year-round farmers' markets, in Mennonite country north of Kitchener.
Drive-through wildlife park near Hamilton, about 25 minutes south of the 401 via Hwy 6. Seasonal.
Toronto's skyline icon with the waterfront at its feet. Budget extra time for downtown traffic.
Canada's largest zoo, just north of the 401 at Meadowvale Rd. Easy on and off for families.
Grand historic mansion and gardens of the founder of General Motors of Canada.
Classic and rare cars in downtown Oshawa, a city built on the auto industry.
Sandy Lake Ontario beach a few minutes from the highway, with a walkable heritage downtown.
Aircraft and RCAF history at CFB Trenton, including a full-size Halifax bomber.
Huge freshwater sand dunes in Prince Edward County. Worth an overnight with the wineries nearby.
Restored 19th-century fortress with summer military demonstrations, overlooking Kingston's harbour.
Boat tours past castles and island cottages on the St. Lawrence.
Canada's first railway tunnel, now a lit walkway, next to a hands-on river science centre.
Living-history village from the 1860s, with working mills, trades and costumed interpreters. Seasonal.
St. Lawrence riverside paths and parks. A last stretch of the legs before Quebec.
Hotel clusters right off the highway, west to east. Tap a city to compare rates and reviews.
Since January 1, 2024, every tow operator in Ontario needs a provincial certificate. In the GTA, only authorized companies can tow on restricted stretches of the 401.
| Zone | Highway 401 section | Authorized tow provider |
|---|---|---|
| 2B | James Snow Pkwy (Milton) to Hwy 6 South | Abrams Towing |
| 2A | Dixie Rd to James Snow Pkwy | A.Z. Towing |
| 3B | Dixie Rd to Islington Ave | Pacific Towing and Recovery |
| 3C | Islington Ave to Hwy 400 | Bill & Son Towing |
| 1A | Hwy 400 to Hwy 404 | Abrams Towing |
| 1B | Hwy 404 to Morningside Ave | Bob's Towing |
| 1D | Morningside Ave to Hwy 412 | Classic Towing & Storage Service |
Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Tow Zone Program. Contracts can change, so confirm at ontario.ca/page/tow-zone-program. Outside these zones, call a towing company or your roadside assistance provider directly.
The 401 is one of the busiest truck routes in North America. Here's what professional drivers need in one place.
Ontario 511 has a truck-focused view: inspection stations, truck rest areas and seasonal load limits on the map.
If a station's sign shows it's open, trucks must enter and stop. 511 lists every location but doesn't show open or closed status.
MTO truck rest areas across Ontario, with amenities and open or closed status, plus truck parking at the ONroute plazas.
Vehicles over 4,500 kg GVWR shouldn't call a roadside assistance provider. Call 511 if you're safely on the shoulder, or 911 in an emergency.
Reduced loads apply on some provincial highways during spring thaw. Check before you dispatch.
Heavy towing, mobile diesel, tires or truck stops along the 401.
After a crash it's hard to think straight. Work through this list, then use the calculator to see your key insurance and legal dates.
This is general information, not legal advice. Exceptions and different timelines can apply to your situation. If you were injured, contact me before any deadline passes.
Get a free consultationThrough Toronto the 401 splits into collector and express lanes. Exits leave from the collectors, so move over early. Missing a transfer can cost you 10+ km.
Stopped police, tow trucks or emergency vehicles with lights flashing? Slow down and move over a lane if it's safe. It's the law in Ontario.
If you can't see the driver's mirrors, they can't see you. Pass quickly and don't linger beside them.
Distracted driving fines in Ontario are steep and come with demerit points. Set your route before you pull out.
The reports, the insurance call, and the deadlines that start running right away.
WinterWhy this stretch is so dangerous in early winter, and how to plan around it.
TowingWhen to call 511, when to call CAA, and your rights with any tow truck.
There are 19 ONroute plazas on Highway 401 between Windsor and the Quebec border. Most serve only one direction of travel. All are open 24/7 with fuel, washrooms and food.
17 of the 19 ONroute plazas on Highway 401 have Ivy fast chargers. Chargers at Newcastle and Ingersoll are expected in early 2027.
Call 911 in an emergency or if you are stuck in a live lane. If you are safely on the shoulder in a GTA restricted tow zone, call 511 for an authorized tow. Outside those zones, call a towing company or your roadside assistance provider.
Call police if anyone is injured. If no one is hurt and damage appears to be more than $5,000, report it at a Collision Reporting Centre within 24 hours.
Tell your insurer within 7 days that you intend to apply for accident benefits, and return the application within 30 days of receiving it. The general deadline to start an injury lawsuit is 2 years.
The stretch between London and Woodstock often sees heavy snow squalls in early winter. Check Ontario 511 cameras and road conditions before you travel.
I'm Brent Meadows, a lawyer at Hollingsworth Meadows Cavaliere LLP. Our firm focuses on accident and injury claims across Ontario, and a large share of the people I represent were hurt on Highway 401.
Much of my work involves catastrophic injuries: brain and spinal cord injuries, amputations, and families who have lost someone. These cases have taught me how much a few minutes of preparation matters: knowing where the next safe stop is, what the weather is doing near London, and what to do in the first hour after a collision.
I built Highway401.ca so drivers have the information I wish every one of my clients had before they set out.
The trip planning tools here are free and always will be. If you or someone you love has been hurt, I'm here to listen, and the first conversation costs you nothing.
Tell me briefly what happened. I'll get back to you, usually within one business day. There's no cost to talk.
Fill out the form. It's the fastest way to reach Brent, and your inquiry goes straight to his office.
Nothing is required to start, but these help:
Top placement in your category (tow, repair, truck service, hotel, food, attraction) with a "Featured" badge, your phone and a link.
Your business appears on the trip planner whenever a route passes your exit.
Long weekends, March Break, cottage season, winter driving: timed placements and newsletter mentions.
All sponsored placements are clearly labelled. Tow listings require a valid TSSEA certificate number.
Major closures, construction season and winter warnings. No spam.
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