GO Transit, a division of Metrolinx, will begin adding additional trains and extending service on others along three rail lines serving the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). The new and extended service begins Sept. 3.
"All of these new and improved trips are giving people more reasons to choose transit first, which is what our GO Rail Expansion program is all about," said Phil Verster, president and CEO of Metrolinx.
The Kitchener line will see the highest increase in service with 65 new and extended trains. The addition of 50 new GO train trips and the extension of 15 existing GO train trips each week will bring new weekday evening train service to people in Brampton and more midday, rush-hour and late-night service as far as Kitchener.
"The introduction of hourly two-way evening weekday service between Brampton and Toronto is major step forward in our GO Rail Expansion program that will transform GO into a comprehensive two-way, all-day rapid transit system on core segments of the network,” said Ontario Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney.
The Lakeshore West line will see 19 new GO train trips added and 25 existing train trips extended each week, which will double rush-hour train service to West Harbour, improve rush-hour service for customers in Burlington, Oakville and Mississauga, and make weekend train service to Niagara Falls and St. Catharines a year-round offering.
"Doubling train service to Hamilton during rush hour is going to make a real difference for people who depend on GO to commute for work and school," said Donna Skelly, MPP for Flamborough-Glanbrook. "Along with year-round weekend service to Niagara Region, these increases will give customers more choice when planning their commutes."
The third route to see additional service is the Lakeshore East Line, which will have 15 new train trips added each week to increase midday and weekday service along the entire line.
"These new midday trains make Ajax more accessible and more connected to communities across the GTHA than ever before," said Rod Phillips, MPP for Ajax. "Our government is committed to investing in public transit to support local businesses, good jobs and get Ontario moving again."
At the end of May, the GO Rail Expansion Program received a C$2 billion (US$ 1.47 billion) commitment from the Canada Infrastructure Bank for the next phase of the program.
