Over the last five years, GO service has gone from 1094 trips per week in 2012, to 1709 trips per week in 2017. Metrolinx is investing in growing the GO train network to support 6,000 trips per week by 2025. GO is committed to taking people further, faster and more often than ever before.
On a typical weekday, GO runs 272 train trips that accommodate 217,000 boarding’s and 2,318 bus trips that accommodate 67,000 boardings. When you add up the numbers, you're looking at approximately 268,000 passengers travelling through the GO system on any given weekday. And those numbers are set to grow dramatically through our plans to expand and improve GO service.
All GO trains in operation today are diesel push-pull trains with 10 to 12 bi-level coaches. Our two-way, all-day services run every half hour on the Lakeshore East and Lakeshore West lines, with even more frequent 10- to 15-minute service during the busy morning and afternoon rush-hour periods. Hourly midday service has been running on the Kitchener line to Bramalea and since September 2015 and regular year-round weekend service was introduced on the Barrie line since December 2016.
As of 2017, GO's rolling stock includes: 75 MP40 Diesel Locomotives with a 150 km/h top speed; 656 Rail Cars that seat up to 162 passengers each and are 25.9m in length; and 18 Diesel trains that operate in 2-car or 3-car formations.
With a projected ridership of over 127 million by 2029, GO is expanding to keep up. The first map (left) is existing GO Transit & TTC lines in 2012. The second map (right) is the projected transit expansion across the region for 2025.
The Union Station Rail Corridor is the heart of the GO network.
All GO Transit trains run through it and 91% of GO rail passengers start or finish their journey there.
Currently, up to 29 trains arrive at Union Station in the peak hour. By 2025, it’ll be approximately 50.
Electrification and frequent two-way all-day services will lead to even more off-peak demand.
Light Rail Transit (LRT) is the future of urban transportation. To help move people quickly and efficiently in more densely populated areas, Metrolinx is planning and building several LRT routes: Finch West LRT (11 km); Hurontario LRT (20 km); Hamilton LRT (14 km); and Eglinton Crosstown LRT (19 km). With numerous connections to a number of GO train lines and bus routes, these LRTs will play a critical part in moving people onto and off of the regional GO Transit network and will help connect communities for years to come.
Sixty-eight kilometres of new bus rapid transit routes in York Region, Mississauga and Hamilton will help get people from A to B quickly and conveniently.
With the goal of creating an enhanced rapid transit network, Metrolinx is building on existing GO Transit infrastructure to create an electrified network that will provide a faster and more efficient way to travel. New tracks, new stations, improved network signals, and a new 46,462-square-metre maintenance facility are all part of the plan.
Here's what more GO service could look like in the future:
15-Minute Service
Burlington-Oshawa, Bramalea-Union, UP Express, Aurora-Union, Unionville-Union
Hourly Service
Hamilton-Union (express from Oakville)
Barrie-Union
To prepare for the future, Metrolinx is planning several enhancements, including: electrifying and extending all-day service on the Kitchener, Barrie and Stouffville corridors; extending service to
Bowmanville
and Niagara Falls; and adding new stations.
With future ridership growth predictions soaring, regular weekday GO train service will serve Niagara Falls by 2023 and Bowmanville by 2024.
GO has spent the last half-century taking you closer to the places you want to go. Take a look at all the ways Metrolinx is working to ensure GO will take you even further in the future.