Narrative:

Ground switched us to tower frequency at intersection of taxiway a and taxiway H. Tower contacted us with instructions to expedite taxi and to line up and wait on runway 23. We had planned for a full-length departure on runway 23 and proceeded on taxiway Q to enter the runway. Tower called back to instruct us to hold short of runway 23 as we were on the taxiway Q extension. We held short and were then cleared for takeoff from taxiway Q following landing of traffic on final approach. The small note regarding normal taxi procedures for runway 23 is hidden on the airport diagram. There is a note on the briefing page to 'expect' to enter runway 23 at taxiway H; but we both interpreted the note to be an advisory about the odd-placed hold short line -- not that the takeoff will definitely be from taxiway H. If this information is listed on the ATIS; it would clear the confusion as to if taxiway H or full length will be used. Also; if tower would clear the aircraft onto the runway using the 'via hotel' verbiage; it would be very clear to understand the correct routing. I understand now that taxiway Q will never be used unless specifically stated by ATC; but at the time I read it differently. Supplemental information from acn 802632: on taxi to runway 23; ground told us 'taxi via taxiway a; taxiway H to runway 23.' at approximately taxiway A3; ground told us to switch to tower. Once on taxiway H; we were told by tower to 'line up and wait on runway 23; please expedite.' we felt we were cleared onto the runway via taxiway H and taxiway Q for a full length departure; so we proceeded past where intersection H hits the runway and proceeded down taxiway Q. Tower then told us to hold clear of the runway. After an aircraft landed; we were cleared once again onto the runway; told we had made a mistake and should do better next time; and cleared for takeoff. We discovered on both our airport diagram briefing pages there was small print that crews should expect takeoffs from intersection H for runway 23 and not expect full length. I feel it would be better if the ATIS made this point clear rather than only the small print from our commercial chart pages. I was well rested at the time but have not regularly gone to toronto.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW HAS TXWY INCURSION AT CYYZ; ENTERING TXWY Q WITHOUT CLEARANCE TO DO SO.

Narrative: GND SWITCHED US TO TWR FREQ AT INTXN OF TXWY A AND TXWY H. TWR CONTACTED US WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO EXPEDITE TAXI AND TO LINE UP AND WAIT ON RWY 23. WE HAD PLANNED FOR A FULL-LENGTH DEP ON RWY 23 AND PROCEEDED ON TXWY Q TO ENTER THE RWY. TWR CALLED BACK TO INSTRUCT US TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23 AS WE WERE ON THE TXWY Q EXTENSION. WE HELD SHORT AND WERE THEN CLRED FOR TKOF FROM TXWY Q FOLLOWING LNDG OF TFC ON FINAL APCH. THE SMALL NOTE REGARDING NORMAL TAXI PROCS FOR RWY 23 IS HIDDEN ON THE ARPT DIAGRAM. THERE IS A NOTE ON THE BRIEFING PAGE TO 'EXPECT' TO ENTER RWY 23 AT TXWY H; BUT WE BOTH INTERPED THE NOTE TO BE AN ADVISORY ABOUT THE ODD-PLACED HOLD SHORT LINE -- NOT THAT THE TKOF WILL DEFINITELY BE FROM TXWY H. IF THIS INFO IS LISTED ON THE ATIS; IT WOULD CLR THE CONFUSION AS TO IF TXWY H OR FULL LENGTH WILL BE USED. ALSO; IF TWR WOULD CLR THE ACFT ONTO THE RWY USING THE 'VIA HOTEL' VERBIAGE; IT WOULD BE VERY CLR TO UNDERSTAND THE CORRECT ROUTING. I UNDERSTAND NOW THAT TXWY Q WILL NEVER BE USED UNLESS SPECIFICALLY STATED BY ATC; BUT AT THE TIME I READ IT DIFFERENTLY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 802632: ON TAXI TO RWY 23; GND TOLD US 'TAXI VIA TXWY A; TXWY H TO RWY 23.' AT APPROX TXWY A3; GND TOLD US TO SWITCH TO TWR. ONCE ON TXWY H; WE WERE TOLD BY TWR TO 'LINE UP AND WAIT ON RWY 23; PLEASE EXPEDITE.' WE FELT WE WERE CLRED ONTO THE RWY VIA TXWY H AND TXWY Q FOR A FULL LENGTH DEP; SO WE PROCEEDED PAST WHERE INTXN H HITS THE RWY AND PROCEEDED DOWN TXWY Q. TWR THEN TOLD US TO HOLD CLR OF THE RWY. AFTER AN ACFT LANDED; WE WERE CLRED ONCE AGAIN ONTO THE RWY; TOLD WE HAD MADE A MISTAKE AND SHOULD DO BETTER NEXT TIME; AND CLRED FOR TKOF. WE DISCOVERED ON BOTH OUR ARPT DIAGRAM BRIEFING PAGES THERE WAS SMALL PRINT THAT CREWS SHOULD EXPECT TKOFS FROM INTXN H FOR RWY 23 AND NOT EXPECT FULL LENGTH. I FEEL IT WOULD BE BETTER IF THE ATIS MADE THIS POINT CLEAR RATHER THAN ONLY THE SMALL PRINT FROM OUR COMMERCIAL CHART PAGES. I WAS WELL RESTED AT THE TIME BUT HAVE NOT REGULARLY GONE TO TORONTO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.