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Metrolinx it is significantly increasing GO Transit train service along a number of its lines—another step along the way to frequent, all-day, every day service—the regional transit agency announced today.
GO is adding 149 new or extended trips to its schedules every week, starting Saturday, August 31. In effect, this means 84 new trips along four rail corridors and 65 trips that GO is extending beyond their current terminals.
“These changes are another major step in our GO expansion program,” said Metrolinx President and CEO Phil Verster. “Offering nearly 150 new and extended weekly GO train trips means our customers have more options to travel when they want to go.”
Kitchener-line passengers receive the bulk of the new or extended service. Afternoon rush-hour passengers heading to Kitchener have the option of a new express train for their homebound commute that promises to reduce their travel times by 20 minutes. The current 6 PM train will now operate as express—without stopping—between Union Station and Bramalea before dropping off and picking up passengers at all stops to Kitchener. Commuters looking for service to he skipped stations at Bloor, Weston, Etobicoke North, and Malton will benefit from a new train on the schedule at 5:45 PM.
GO is also adding hourly service to and from Bramalea Monday-to-Friday evenings. Some of these train trips start and end at Mount Pleasant GO Station, meaning that most Brampton riders gain regular commuter service in both directions along the line every weekday.
GO is also extending some trips that currently end in Brampton or Georgetown to Kitchener and Guelph. Some of these trains operate late weekday evenings.
On the Lakeshore West line, GO will double the service to West Harbour Station in Hamilton from two daily trains to four, extending trips that currently start or end in Aldershot to Hamilton. Four Toronto-bound trains will leave West Harbour every Monday-to-Friday morning. Four Hamilton-bound trains will arrive in West Harbour afternoons. (Service is split in Hamilton, with four daily trains that begin and end at the downtown-located Hamilton GO Centre.)
For passengers travelling between Niagara Falls and Toronto, GO will continue its weekend service all year round. With this change, GO would offer passengers service to and from Niagara Region every day, since GO also operates one trip in each direction Mondays to Fridays during rush hours.
Lakeshore East passengers also receive more service, with new train trips operating in both directions between Oshawa and Union Station weekday afternoons.
Metrolinx recently completed major construction along the Stouffville line. That means that GO can reinstate Monday-to-Friday evening service along the line that had been suspended. And, those trains will operate further into Markham, starting and ending their trips at Mount Joy GO Station, instead of Unionville.
Metrolinx is still short of announcing concrete plans to electrify any of its lines on its way to turning the shrive into electrified two-way all-day regional express rail, but the service increases in the meantime mean 8% more service over what is provided now. What do you think of these increases to GO service? Use the form below to add your comments. Or, join the discussion in our dedicated Forum thread.
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