GO trains to run every weekend
Metrolinx expanding service at the end of this month
Metrolinx has announced that weekend GO train service between Niagara Falls and Toronto will run all year, starting Aug. 31.
The weekend schedules will remain the same as they are today — with four trains leaving Niagara Falls every Saturday and Sunday.
For years, weekend service has been seasonal between Niagara Falls and Union Station.
The extension of weekend service complements regular weekday train service, which was launched in January, four years earlier than was expected.
Although there is only one train out and one train in, Monday to Friday, elected officials said it would be a boost for business, especially tourism, and give people access to good-paying Toronto jobs while continuing to live in Niagara.
The expansion of weekend service in Niagara was announced Thursday as part of a larger expansion across the GO train network.
In a statement to The Niagara Falls Review, Metrolinx said it continues to work with its rail partners to find new ways to increase service to Niagara.
The agency said GO Transit has been running weekend summer service for the past decade, “so this is a natural progression.”
When it comes to regular weekday service, “our experience with introducing new services has shown it takes time for ridership to grow, but that ridership does build.”
Niagara Region Chairman Jim Bradley said expanding the popular weekend service was a “logical step” for Metrolinx to take.
“While we recognize the summer months are the months where tourist travellers are more prevalent … I think throughout the year there’s an interest in people coming down here and the more they see that they can have access to a GO train, the better it’s going to be there for them,” he said.
Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates said Thursday’s announcement means “more trains and convenience” for Niagara residents, but “we still have the issue that we need these hours extended to the weekday.”
“This is good news for the tourism sector because the trains that come in on the weekends have been full, but we’re going to keep working with Metrolinx, the Ministry (of Transportation), and our partners to expand the weekday trains to make the schedule easier on commuters,” he said.
Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said he is “thrilled” with the announcement from Metrolinx, and credited the agency for “moving the ball forward” on service in Niagara.
“It’s a sign of things to come,” he said.
Diodati said the next step is to expand commuter weekday service in Niagara.
“We’ve come a long way and the most important thing is … we’re moving the ball forward,” he said, noting daily GO train service to Niagara wasn’t originally expected until 2023.
“We’re way ahead of schedule. We’re going in the right direction — the trajectory is important because we can see where this is going and it’s going to serve resi
dents in Niagara Falls very well.”
St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik said Thursday’s announcement was a “massive step” for GO in the region.
“The mayors have been advocating for a year-round service around the tourism side because we all see the number of people that are coming into Niagara year-round — we’re not a seasonal destination anymore,” he said, adding it will continue to “build the capacity” for more service in the future.
“We’re hoping by next year … they’ll be adding trains to the regular daily commute. The momentum is clearly there. The announcement clearly shows that there’s momentum for Metrolinx to see Niagara as a growth opportunity for their business.”
For more information about schedules, visit gotransit.com.