More GO train, bus service coming to York Region, GTA
Changes, including more trains on Barrie line, begin Sept. 2

YorkRegion.com
Aug. 16, 2017
Lisa Queen

Getting around York Region and the Greater Toronto Area on GO Transit is about to get easier.

Starting Sept. 2, there will be more peak GO train service on the Barrie line, a welcome announcement to commuters in Barrie, Bradford West Gwillimbury, East Gwillimbury, Newmarket, Aurora, King City, Vaughan and Toronto.

GO will extend two morning train trips on the Barrie GO line from Maple to Allandale in Barrie, bringing 15-minute service to the entire line during the busiest travel period.

It will also add one new morning and one new afternoon train on the Barrie line, making all stops from Bradford to Union Station.

The province will also increase GO bus service on some of the most in-demand routes that serve customers in Richmond Hill, Burlington, St. Catharines, Guelph, Mississauga, Oakville and Hamilton.

"We are delivering on our commitment to expand GO Transit service with more options for commuters to get where they need to go,” Transportation Minister and Vaughan MPP Steven Del Duca said in a statement.

“These service changes will help manage congestion and provide reliable, predictable journeys across the region."

Other service changes include:

• Six new weekday bus trips on Route 12 Burlington-Niagara, increasing bus service to every half hour between Burlington and St. Catharines, including an earlier morning trip from Burlington to Niagara College that will arrive in time for morning classes.
• Nine new midday and evening weekday bus trips and two new weekend bus trips on Route 29 Guelph-Mississauga to provide consistent, hourly all-day service along this corridor.
• 13 new weekday and four new weekend bus trips on Route 40 Hamilton-Richmond Hill to meet popular demand and provide 24-hour service, seven days a week, with a connection to Pearson International Airport and the Airport Corporate Centre.
• Realignment of Route 19 and Route 40 to provide GO bus service to the Dixie Transitway Station

These service changes are part of the GO Regional Express Rail program, a statement from the province said.

Regional Express Rail includes electrifying core segments and expanding the rail network, and bringing more two-way, all-day service to commuters and families, increasing the number of weekly trips from about 1,500 to nearly 6,000 by 2025. It will provide faster and more frequent service across the GO rail network and is the largest commuter rail project in Canada.

"Providing more train and bus service on our most in-demand routes is just one more way we are making transit a convenient choice for commuters,” Metrolinx president John Jensen said.

“These new Barrie GO train trips also bring us one step closer to our goal of transforming the GO rail network to provide faster and more frequent rail service throughout the entire region."