10 things you should know before you take Vaughan subway Dec. 17
What's the cost of fare? When does it run? Where can you park? Find answers here

Yorkregion.com
Tim Kelly
Dec. 5, 2017

In what is clearly one of the biggest things to hit Vaughan in its 25-year history, three subway stations, the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station at Jane and Highway 7, the Highway 407 station at Jane Street, just south of Highway 407 and the Pioneer Village station on the Vaughan/Toronto border at Steeles Avenue West and Northwest Gate, open on Dec. 17.

The so-called Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension was more than a decade in the planning and building, plagued by construction and cost overruns and what was originally projected to cost $2.6 billion eventually cost $3.2 billion.

However, beginning Dec. 17, you'll be able to get from the VMC station in Vaughan all the way to Union station in downtown Toronto in about 43 minutes.

Here are 10 must-know facts you should be aware of before you take the "better way."

1.To ride the TTC one way if you want to pay cash for a token it will cost you $3.25 for an adult fare. Students (13-19) and seniors (65-plus) pay $2.10 and children 12 and under ride for free. Be prepared, if necessary, to show ID to prove your age.

2.Many TTC users use Presto cards, which are loadable transit passes you tap each time you ride the TTC. You can load as much money as you want onto your Presto card. Once you tap, you're automatically deducted the cost of a fare. It eliminates the need for cash, tokens or other passes.

3.The subway hours of operation on weekdays and Saturdays are approximately 6 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. and Sunday service starts approximately at 8 a.m. and ends at 1:30 a.m. On Christmas Day and New Year's Day subway services start at approximately 9 a.m.

4.At the three new stations in or on the York Region border, there are 900 parking spots available at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, 583 parking spots at the Highway 407 station, and 1,881 parking spots available at the Pioneer Village Station on Steeles Avenue West.

5.It will cost you $5 before 8 a.m. to park at the two VMC lots, $12 between 8-4:30 p.m. and $5 after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. You'll have to pay $5 to park there on weekends. Parking prices at the Highway 407 and Pioneer Village Station lots haven't been set yet, but will be in line with other TTC lots across the system says a spokesperson.

6.The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station is located near Highway 7 and Jane Street. The Highway 407 station is located just west of Jane Street and south of Highway 407 on the west bank of Black Creek. The Pioneer Village station is at the intersection of Steeles Avenue and Northwest Gate on the Toronto/Vaughan border.

7.The six new stations on the Toronto-York Spadina subway extension going from north to south are Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station, Highway 407 station, Pioneer Village station, York University station, Finch West station and Downsview Park station. It will take 43 minutes to ride from the VMC station to Union station in downtown Toronto.

8.There are transit links to the various York stations you can take rather than driving and parking. Viva Rapidway buses will take you right to the station along Highway 7 and drop you off.

9.Not all TTC subway stations have washroom facilities but the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Highway 407 stations do. And all six new stations on the Toronto-York Spadina extension are fully accessible.

10. You can follow the Toronto Transit Commission at www.ttc.ca on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TorontoTransitCommission
on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TTCnotices and https://twitter.com/ttchelps
on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ttcinsta/
on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialTTCchannel
and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/ttc/.