[ShonTron]

Route 17 is a huge deal, because it's the first GO bus route that completely goes against the 55-year old model of running a Toronto-centric network. I'm really impressed it's going all the way from Kitchener-Waterloo to Hamilton GO Centre via Guelph and McMaster. So that's a big win.

Weekend Kitchener train service is also a huge deal, and proof that GO had the capacity the whole time through Brampton's CN trackage. The weekend Route 30 service makes it a reasonable service between Toronto and Kitchener/Waterloo, and a lot faster than the old Route 21/25 transfer at Square One.

The permanent Route 21 redirection to the Lakeshore Line is unfortunate, and I think it shows that more than ever, there needs to be major expansion on the Milton corridor, at least to Erindale, if not all the way. What it does do at least is times the train connections properly, takes the guesswork out of travel, and eliminates the traffic congestion issue on summer weekends that had the ad hoc diversions on Route 21 and 31 that no one liked. Another thing to come out of it is a revived Milton-Oakville bus connection, and a much more simplified Route 21 service pattern.

 

[canarob]

This is terrible news -- cancelling off-peak and weekend trains right before the summer when they are used the most. Does anyone have a sense of how long this will last? The work on the Stouffville tracks and stations has really been dragging on and this is so disappointing.

 

[SaugeenJunction]

This is terrible news -- cancelling off-peak and weekend trains right before the summer when they are used the most. Does anyone have a sense of how long this will last? The work on the Stouffville tracks and stations has really been dragging on and this is so disappointing.

Hopefully these cancellations will deal with the "dragging on" aspects of the project. Short term pain, long term gain.

 

[LNahid2000]

Glad they decided to put Niagara express service on the schedule this time instead of just randomly running express trips when there were too many people last year.

 

[canarob]

Hopefully these cancellations will deal with the "dragging on" aspects of the project. Short term pain, long term gain.

That's what I thought the last several times trains have been cancelled.

 

[anb]

Notable changes:

- Weekend hourly Kitchener service to Mount Pleasant, including 30 and 33 buses
- No off peak/weekend service on Stouffville and Barrie (exception being some trips to Allandale on weeekends), buses will replace during off peak and weekends
- Milton buses will be rerouted to LW line, highlight on one of the branches being 7 day Milton-Oakville service (30 min on weekdays), and weekend service will finally include Lisgar


- 12B is back for the season, and more 12C trips between Fairview Mall in St Catherines and Burlington

- New 17 bus route connecting the likes of University of Waterloo, Wilfried Laurier University, University of Guelph, and McMaster University, via connections at Guelph Central, Aberfoyle Park and Ride, and Aldershot GO

- 19 will no longer service the downtown Mississauga and go straight to Square One from the transitway

- 21 is split into 21A Milton-Oakville. 21B Lisgar-Clarkson via Meadowvale/Streetsville, and 21C Erindale-Port Credit via Square One/Cooksville

- 25 will have its seasonal weekend service back to Toronto Premium Outlets on Saturdays

- 30 will have hourly weekend service between UW, WLU, Kitchener GO, and Bramalea

- 31 will no longer run in the day time on weekends due to new weekend train service and most trips are replaced by the 33, including the bi hourly Guelph service now heading to York Mills instead of Union

- 34 will be combined with the 94 stopping at Square One, Dixie/Renforth transitway, Pearson Airport, Yorkdale, Sheppard-Yonge, Scarborough Centre, and Pickering, further highlight including the route being an hourly 24/7 route

- 36 will no longer run on weekends between Downtown Brampton and Bramalea Bus Terminal (BCC), as replaced by weekend 33 service

- 40 is going to have 20 min peak service and some 20 min trips on weekends

- 41A is now extended to Pickering, providing more service between Square One, 407 Bus Terminal, and Consumers Business Park

- 45 will no longer run its 45B branch affecting riders between Unionville and Hwy 407 Station

- 47 is one of the bigger changes as this route will have most times at 30 min service at all 7 days a week, and its seasonal service is back now running to the new Major Mackenzie West terminal near Wonderland

- 52 (thankfully) has its hourly service back on weekends and both it and 56 will no longer run local service on Highway 7/Winchester Rd, therefore finally using the new 407 extension for the first time, still stopping at the Park and Rides along the way. 52 will also have its seasonal service back to Major Mac West/Wonderland

- 65 will run a lot more because of the off peak and weekend changes on the Barrie Line

- 66 will no longer run to Yorkdale, and will start/stop its trip at the 407 bus terminal.

- 68 is no longer going to Barrie Bus Terminal, just stopping and terminating at Allandale Waterfront

- 70 and 71 will run a lot more because off the off peak and weekend changes on the Stouffville Line

- 81 and 88A are now being discontinued

- 96 will have its seasonal service back to Toronto Zoo

Let me know if I missed some changes but this is all I have caught.

 

[Richard White]

Glad they decided to put Niagara express service on the schedule this time instead of just randomly running express trips when there were too many people last year.

Sarcasm or did I miss something?

 

[LNahid2000]

Sarcasm or did I miss something?

Not sarcasm. Last April, they often had to run multiple buses to Niagara even though they had a single milk run on the schedule. This year, they actually added express service to the schedule. Much easier to plan when the express service is actually on the schedule instead of a surprise express trip when you get to Burlington GO.

 

[Metroscapes]

Route 17 is a huge deal, because it's the first GO bus route that completely goes against the 55-year old model of running a Toronto-centric network. I'm really impressed it's going all the way from Kitchener-Waterloo to Hamilton GO Centre via Guelph and McMaster. So that's a big win.

Weekend Kitchener train service is also a huge deal, and proof that GO had the capacity the whole time through Brampton's CN trackage. The weekend Route 30 service makes it a reasonable service between Toronto and Kitchener/Waterloo, and a lot faster than the old Route 21/25 transfer at Square One.

The permanent Route 21 redirection to the Lakeshore Line is unfortunate, and I think it shows that more than ever, there needs to be major expansion on the Milton corridor, at least to Erindale, if not all the way. What it does do at least is times the train connections properly, takes the guesswork out of travel, and eliminates the traffic congestion issue on summer weekends that had the ad hoc diversions on Route 21 and 31 that no one liked. Another thing to come out of it is a revived Milton-Oakville bus connection, and a much more simplified Route 21 service pattern.

I love that the new Route 17 is coming in. It's a great first step, but not totally satisfied because a) it's only on weekdays, and b) it's to Waterloo directly, with no direct dropoff to downtown Kitchener on the way (it's just a connecting LRT ride away, but still. But I'll take it, still a huge improvement.

Weekend GO train service is big, I just wish the Guelph > Bramalea express was a connecting option, ad trip time form Guelph is still about 2 hours. Again, I'll take it.

I'm also curious about dropping service to Etobicoke North, are they abandoning it entirely?

 

[innsertnamehere]

The kitchener - Hamilton bus is great, but damn is it slow. Over 2 hours for Hamilton to Kitchener. If heading from Hamilton Centre you'd be better off taking Burlington Transit and catching the bus at Aldershot. Similarly it may be faster for some trips to transfer at Aberfoyle to the 25 if going to Waterloo..

edit: example:

6:50am departure from waterloo gets you to Hamilton Centre at 9:20. If you take the 7:10 Route 25 departure instead, you can connect to the same bus in Aberfoyle. Then get off at Aldershot at 8:43 and connect to the 8:51 train to West Harbour, arriving at 9:05. Comparatively, the 17 bus would arrive downtown at 9:20.

That would make the trip a total of 35 minutes faster than just sitting on the bus the whole time.

 

[smably]

I love that the new Route 17 is coming in. It's a great first step, but not totally satisfied because a) it's only on weekdays, and b) it's to Waterloo directly, with no direct dropoff to downtown Kitchener on the way (it's just a connecting LRT ride away, but still. But I'll take it, still a huge improvement.

It looks like the only stop in Waterloo is at Laurier. Seems weird that they wouldn't connect to an LRT station. It seems very student-focused, at the expense of other riders.

 

[TTCdinosaur]

This is terrible news -- cancelling off-peak and weekend trains right before the summer when they are used the most. Does anyone have a sense of how long this will last? The work on the Stouffville tracks and stations has really been dragging on and this is so disappointing.

It’s why people buy cars and stick with them. Transit is not reliable nor predictable.

 

[ARG1]

This is terrible news -- cancelling off-peak and weekend trains right before the summer when they are used the most. Does anyone have a sense of how long this will last? The work on the Stouffville tracks and stations has really been dragging on and this is so disappointing.

Copium suggests that its not summer yet, and it could be reinstated in June when summer actually starts.

 

[ShonTron]

It looks like the only stop in Waterloo is at Laurier. Seems weird that they wouldn't connect to an LRT station. It seems very student-focused, at the expense of other riders.

No, it goes to the University of Waterloo bus terminal. There’s also a stop at Victoria and Frederick in Kitchener, just east of Highway 85. I guess that’s why GO was testing route options, to see what could work with a 45-foot bus on a timetable: the UW/WLU connection was more important than the direct Downtown Kitchener service.

 

[ShonTron]

The kitchener - Hamilton bus is great, but damn is it slow. Over 2 hours for Hamilton to Kitchener. If heading from Hamilton Centre you'd be better off taking Burlington Transit and catching the bus at Aldershot. Similarly it may be faster for some trips to transfer at Aberfoyle to the 25 if going to Waterloo..

edit: example:

6:50am departure from waterloo gets you to Hamilton Centre at 9:20. If you take the 7:10 Route 25 departure instead, you can connect to the same bus in Aberfoyle. Then get off at Aldershot at 8:43 and connect to the 8:51 train to West Harbour, arriving at 9:05. Comparatively, the 17 bus would arrive downtown at 9:20.

That would make the trip a total of 35 minutes faster than just sitting on the bus the whole time.

Yeah. Route 17 is in actuality two bus routes melded into one. But hopefully the ridership is strong, prompting more improvements.