Hamilton GO Station

Although Hamilton GO is a bit on the run down side, it does the job and gets you to where you need to go. There is not a lot by way of food here apart from a small café and a convenience store. Stop off elsewhere before you catch your bus.
Tip: I have been caught out trying to catch a late night bus back to Toronto before. Double check the last bus time on the GO Transit website as they can change depending on the season. Also, download the Transit app for your iPhone as this can help you plan your trip and is always accurate.

The Hamilton GO Station is your passport to cities beyond Hamilton! Yay! The terminal itself is old and sagging. There’s the HSR ticket office, the GO ticket office and the Greyhound ticket office inside. There’s a dingy little café and a convenient store. Stick with the convenient store for your chips, chocolate bars, and pop. Besides that, get your ticket and stand outside near your platform. Pro-​tip: Platform 8 for Toronto Express. Pro tip 2: Avoid the beggars and bums who ask for change.

Taking the public transit in Hamilton is doable. You have to be weary of bus schedules, otherwise you’ll be standing there for quite some time waiting with the other Hamilton… locals. You’ll make new friends named Jim Bob and Doughy Pete. They do, however, have a number to call to find out when the next bus is arriving. Very convenient.
Fare is $ 2.55 and grabbing a transfer will allow for up to 2 hours travel time. Example: I took a bus to a Value Village, shopped around for about an hour and a half, and then used my transfer to hop on another bus to get back to the Hamilton downtown core.
Also, whenever I’m slightly short of change, I notice drivers tend to say «It’s ok, just hop on, sonny.»
The TTC could learn something from this type of service.