**Ontario Northland buses are your best starting point**, particularly for visiting several towns. Greyhound Canada closed its domestic services in May 2021, so older advice recommending it is out of date. [Greyhound’s announcement](https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/greyhound-canada-closes-its-services-in-canada-839752331.html)

Your main options are:

| Option | Best use | Things to consider |
|---|---|---|
| **Ontario Northland** | Town visits and travel farther north | Its routes include Toronto–Barrie–North Bay and Toronto–Parry Sound–Sudbury, with onward services toward Timmins, Cochrane, Hearst, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay. Check individual stops and connections in its [route schedules](https://www.ontarionorthland.ca/en/travel/pdf-schedules). |
| **FlixBus** | Comparing prices for a direct trip | It currently advertises Toronto–North Bay from **C$43.98** and Toronto–Sudbury from **C$59.98**, one way. These are advertised starting prices; check your dates. [North Bay](https://www.flixbus.ca/bus-routes/toronto-on-north-bay-on), [Sudbury](https://www.flixbus.ca/bus-routes/toronto-on-sudbury-on) |
| **Poparide** | Organised carpooling | Drivers list spare seats, including on the [Toronto–North Bay route](https://www.poparide.com/en-ca/travel/toronto-on/north-bay-on). Availability depends on drivers’ plans, so check the return journey as well as pickup and drop-off locations. |
| **Parkbus** | Countryside, hiking and camping trips | Runs trips from Toronto to places such as Algonquin Park, including guided and independent outings. Useful if nature is your main aim; it does not provide a general town-to-town network. [Parkbus](https://www.parkbus.ca/algonquin) |
| **VIA Rail** | A trip where the train journey is part of the attraction | Toronto–Sudbury Junction runs only twice weekly; VIA also operates Sudbury–White River. That limits flexibility for town hopping. [Toronto–Sudbury Junction](https://www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/trains/ontario-and-quebec/toronto-to-sudbury-jct), [train schedules](https://www.viarail.ca/en/plan/train-schedules) |

For a first budget trip, I’d choose **one or two places along a single bus corridor**. Parry Sound is worth considering for a smaller-town visit, or North Bay for a northern base. If by “Northern Ontario” you mainly mean cottage country north of Toronto, also look at Gravenhurst, Bracebridge and Huntsville on Ontario Northland’s Highway 11 corridor.

The crucial detail is **getting around after arrival**. Check the actual bus stop’s distance from your accommodation, waterfront and attractions before booking: a cheap intercity ticket can lose its advantage if you need taxis to reach everything. Stay centrally, compare both bus operators where available, and book your return connection in advance.