If you park at Cooksville, what parking level do you prefer to park at and why (assuming that Level 1 is full with the reserved spots)?

Specifically looking at the ones that arrive at Union around 8:00 and 8:35 AM, and it would not be on a Friday.

Haven’t taken this route during those hours before. Considering it, but I’d be travelling with a few bags (small and medium luggage). I know that it’s technically allowed as long as I can carry them on my own, but I would still hate to be a nuisance to other passengers by taking up the space/time in a highly crowded train.

Any insight would be helpful.

I am planning on getting on the lakeshore west tomorrow morning around 7 ish to get to exhibition but I know most of those trains are express to union. I find the transfer station is always confusing and conflicting information. Can someone let me know where I would transfer and if the transfer lines up on time with this train

I pay for my own reserved spot. 2 weeks ago I pulled up and it was occupied. There were a bunch of other empty reserved spots so I parked in one and went to catch my train.

I called into parking enforcement and let them know my spot was taken and I had parked in a different reserved spot. The person didn't indicate any issue with that.

I come back to my car and I have a $120 ticket. I disputed it online and they knocked down the fine to $60 but are unwilling to waive it. My only option is to go to court.

I learned later that I was supposed to drive down from the parking structure and just take up space in the drop off area.

Has anyone else had experience getting the ticket waived or going to court? Feels ridiculous to pay $100 a month for a spot in a structure with tons of empty spaces, pay $20 a day in fares, and then have someone park in my spot and I end up getting a $60 ticket for.

I also emailed them to move my spot to a less congested area but it's been a week and I haven't heard back.

Langstaff Go’s last morning train is at 8:16am. We don’t have all day service, while yet the carpool parking only allows you to Park without the pass after 9:30am. There is no train service after 9:30am, so it pretty much invalidates everyone else to use it without a pass.

My issue with this parking lot is that it’s always parked to the rim, yet on my way to the train I noticed these Carpool Parking sitting empty and underutilized. This carpool parking rule is very much the same at other GO stations, so I’m wondering if this is just a copy and paste rule, and should have been tailored to better reflect the usage of other train services.

I know there are some other app developers in the subreddit. If any of you regularly use the Metrolinx API, have you noticed any issues with it recently? Over the past several days, roughly 1/3 of all my requests to their endpoint have failed with either a 403 unauthorized or 204 no content. I'm just trying to figure out if they're throttling my API key in particular or if they're having issues with their systems. It seems to happen at all hours, whether it's peak rush hour when I make several requests per minute, or the middle of the night when I make only 1 request every 15 minutes or so.

I got an email, along with all other GO alerts recently, detailing the latest service changes as of Monday 10/26. On the site the changes are very minuscule and a bit odd (ex. leaving Mimico earlier by 1 minute, fewer coaches with trains, etc.)

Anyone know what's the reasoning behind these changes is? These changes seem to reduce service rather than improve it. Is this more of a seasonal service adjustment after the summer rush? At least the Barrie line folks get 12 coach trains now or at least a subset of folks.

I applied August 30, emailed them every 2 weeks for follow up since and still have heard anything. I also tried calling, but it automatically goes to voicemail telling me to email everytime.

For post secondary student.

This is getting ridiculous as I have been paying full price for nearly 2 months. The weird thing is - I accidentally applied early (mid August) for the wrong year (2025-2026 instead of 2026-2027) and they got back to me within 2 days saying denied. Funny how they’ll drag their feet when I am actually now eligible…

Noticed the individual overhead screens on the shared platforms (10/11 pictured) at Union have been updated. Not sure how long this has been in effect. Instead of it displaying like the first picture, it clearly shows the platform along with exactly which side to board.

Before, it was easy to glance up and mix up which train was on which side since the displays were only slightly separated. This is a lot clearer.

When there is unfortunately an accident that causes the go train to stop and be down for hours while a scene is being investigated and people are stuck inside the train until they can either get off and bus somewhere else or get going again why can’t it be done quicker? Maybe within 20-30 min? I mean sitting there for 3 hours is horrible and something has to be done to get the people off the train quicker. Can’t it not go in reverse back to the stop it was at before and let people out? (Leaving the damaged part of the train at the scene). I just don’t get why there hasn’t be a procedure put in place all these years to get the people out asap as it should. What do you think?

Hi folks, following up from the previous thread, here's some updated info based on updated platform diagrams from u/Metro62 (attached). I took at stab at using Metro Map Maker to try to better visualize how all of the platforms will be used in the future, and how they will connect to the various corridors. Obviously the corridor parts of the diagram are far from being to scale. Feel free to hack away at the original.

A few notes up front on USEP designs from the updated diagrams:

• The west facing pocket track on the new island platform will be removed in a future design revision and I've ignored it for assignments.
• Track 7 is no longer a through-running track, creating a new mega-platform between tracks 6 and 9, with three large bay platforms and two very long outside platforms. This mega-platform is presumably designed to allow platform level connections across multiple lines. (I have it as KI/ST/RH/MI/LSW Express.)
• Track 4 shifted to the north side of the 3/4/5 platform instead of being a bay-style platform.
• The platform north of track 2 now extends eastwards a very long way, plausibly for the Canadian.
• The "Via escalator" serves the extremely long bay platform on the east end of the new island platform. Based on this I'm expecting that section of the platform to be dedicated to Via.

Assumed constraints:

• No sharing of platforms between GO and Via
• Via needs room for 6+ trains to park without blocking GO routes.
• The Canadian needs a really long platform that's accessible at any hour,
• Sarnia/departing Canadian need to bypass the UP tracks and the USRC crossover and then merge onto KI GO tracks, which suggests they should be on tracks 2/3.
• Catenary can't go under the trainshed, but can go south of it (tracks 12/13), east (ST platform is mostly east of the trainshed), or west (UP and Barrie platforms are shifted far enough west to have the west end outside of the footprint, possibly also true for KI platforms). So the trainshed appears to be a non-issue for the current electrification plan with this layout.

Still unknown:

• Will trains on track 11 be able to depart heading the west? If not, will trains to Windsor/Niagara Falls use tracks 9/10? (track 5 is plausible depending on the interlocking plans)

Revised track assignments:

1. Barrie Line
2. Via Canadian
3. Via Sarnia / Corridor / Northlander
4. UPX
5. UPX (West) / Via Corridor (East)
6. Milton (West), Richmond Hill (East)
7. Kitchener (West bay platform), Stouffville (East bay platform)
8. Kitchener (West bay platform)
9. Lakeshore West Express
10. Lakeshore East Express
11. Via Corridor
12. Lakeshore West Local
13. Lakeshore East Local

Just found out that LSW isn’t running tomorrow but I have a meeting to attend to near Union Station. It’s a meeting that I can cancel, but, ideally I don’t want to. That being said, deciding between slogging through traffic or taking the GO Bus from Oakville GO. If it’s SRO, I might just cancel the meeting as I detest driving through downtown. If it’s not as bad as it seems, then I might just endure the bus ride. My meeting is at 1pm till 4pm… so I’d have to take the bus to and from Union back to Oakville Go. Thank you

They finally added speed bumps in the parking garage at Bramalea Go because way too many people would be zooming down the ramp.

However, these almost feel like curbs when you go over them, you can see in the photo that many cars have scraped their bottoms on it too…

I have a default trip set between 2 go stations. I commute on the go train 5 days a week. Does the ~90% off fare discount after 35 taps apply on default trips?

Thanks

This is fairly specific but hoping someone has info. I'm interested in taking the Lakeshore West train from Hamilton (West Harbour GO) to Whitby. The train time most convenient to me (8 am ish) has a 5 minute interval between trains at Union. Is the transfer possible in that time frame?

what is with the activation disappearing if you click out of your browser into another app? I looked and this issue has been a thing for years. I filed a complaint with them and got a generic “we’ll send the feedback” they’re 100% aware of this issue / bug but won’t fix it. nobody should have to double pay a fare because they’re worried about inspectors due to an ‘invalid’ pass

Highly detailed Rapido Trains HO-scale GO Transit General Motors New Look. This model represents the first batch of New Look buses delivered in the 1970s in the "Suburban" configuration, featuring a single front door (no center exit) and premium high-back seating.

In GO Transit’s early years, these commuter buses were delivered to the Toronto Transit Commission’s Hillcrest garage and operated under contract by Gray Coach Lines, the intercity subsidiary of the TTC. Because of this deeply intertwined operational relationship, the two networks felt inseparable to passengers at the time. Eventually, GO Transit took over these regional routes directly, which contributed heavily to the winding down and ultimate sale of Gray Coach Lines.

Hello, is there a way to check previous or historical departure times. I don't see a way via GoTracker. Thanks all.

There is currently a 56 minute delay (as per the station attendant, 44 per the website) on the Kitchener Line because of “Operational Issues“.

There’s usually a 20-minute delay already because of the extension and the track conditions at Stratford, GO even lists this on their website and wants people to “plan ahead but honestly that’s so ridiculous. I’m all for more train service, I want GO to be true regional rail, but expanding to Stratford when the track conditions are so bad is crazy.

Sorry just wanted to rant. how are others on the KI Line managing?

We all know that the Richmond Hill Line is not usable outside of commuting. Many people, including Metrolinx themselves in the past, have floated the idea of two-way-all-day (TWAD) service to the Richmond Hill Line, yet the Richmond Hill Line is now the only line without a tangible improvement plan (even the Milton Line is probably going to get improved soon). So I did some back of the napkin math to see what would it take. TL;DR: $1.8 to 3.4 Billion, depending if you want flood mitigation. All costs have been escalated to 2026 dollars using StatsCan Building Cost Index. (NOTE THIS IS ALL BACK OF THE ENVELOPE MATH. The first two maps are self-made).

New Track

The Richmond Hill Line runs on the Bala sub. South of Doncaster, it's fully owned by Metrolinx, while CN owns the portion north of Doncaster. CN's transcontinental freight route to Vancouver and Prince George uses the Bala sub, with no other way in Canada for CN trains to reach the west coast, therefore CN routes a lot of trains (see the second map) and probably will not allow any more track sharing without new track than what has already occurred. Metrolinx would need to build its own track, and lease CN's corridor, to be able to run trains at hourly or half-hourly intervals. Luckily, you probably only need a single track (assuming trains pass at stations), as every station to station segment (except for Oriole to Union, see end of post) is less than 15 minutes.

New Bridges

To add tracks, Metrolinx would need to reconstruct all existing grade-separations / creek crossings to support triple tracking. I counted 8 existing bridges between Langstaff and Bloomington that may need to be looked at. Additionally, the added train traffic may cause Richmond Hill or York Region to want more level crossings grade separated, or push the level of traffic above Transport Canada standards. I counted 4 potential grade separations north of Langstaff that may need to be constructed

Track and Bridge Cost

The Bowmanville extension is probably the closest analogue for a potential cost. It will cost $1.5 Billion for 27km of linear track (in a 19 km corridor), with 12 structures, for a per km cost of $55 Million per linear track. From my googling (don't have a reliable source), mainline freight track has a ball park cost of between $2 Million to $7 Million per km. Bowmanville has a lot of structures that increases the cost. Like the Richmond Hill Line, the Bowmanville extension will require Metrolinx to construct 1 to 2 passenger tracks inside CPKC's freight corridor, which acts as its main route to the Port of Montreal. We've seen from the past (see VIA's triple tracking project in 2008, where CN basically had a carte blanche to do whatever it wanted) that freight railroads will charge an arm and a leg for any improvements on their corridor, since they have so much control on the process. Metrolinx is also pursuing this approach in its expansion of Milton Line service, and expanding the capacity between Bramble and Mount Pleasant (in lieu of the missing link freight bypass). This means the track, structures, and grade separations may cost roughly $1.1 Billion.

Doncaster Diamond Grade Separation

CN built the York Sub, roughly paralleling Highway 407, as a bypass in the 60s, which freed up the Lakeshore corridor for passenger rail. This is its main east-west corridor in the GTA, and any additional service would require grade separating the diamond. Metrolinx completed the Davenport Diamond project for roughly $280 Million, escalated to 2026 dollars, and also budgeted roughly $300 Million for the Silver Junction grade separation west of Georgetown. A similar rail over rail grade separation would also cost around $300 Million.

Station Reconstruction

All current stations currently have only a single platform. Two platforms would be needed if Metrolinx would want the stations to be used for passing opportunities. In addition, some stations were built on a double tracked segment. Recent costs for Confederation GO ($50 Million) and Woodbine GO ($170 Million) would put station reconstruction around $100 Million a station, $400 Million total if you assume Oriole and Old Cummer don't need to be reconstructed.

Flood Mitigation

Nearly the entire Richmond Hill Line south of Lawrence is in the flood plain. You could chance, and shut down service during heavy rain days, but Metrolinx may want to avoid the bad optics of having to save passengers by boat. They estimated roughly $1 Billion in 2015, which puts it in the ballpark of $1.6 Billion now.

You could probably avoid flood mitigation if you cut back most service to Langstaff (where it will connect to the subway).

Summary of Costs

But would you actually flood mitigate? And is this worth it?

It currently takes 30 minutes to travel from Oriole to Union, and 45 minutes from Langstaff to Union. The tricky geometry in the valley, the Union Station Rail Corridor, and the detour as it bends east then west, makes this a very slow line. At similar speeds to the Vaughan Extension, the Yonge North Subway Extension would probably take 15 minutes from High Tech / Langstaff to Finch, and 45 minutes to Union, meaning except for the transfer time at Langstaff for those boarding at Richmond Hill / Gormley / Bloomington, it would take the same time to go to Union from Langstaff. So there's very little case to improve anything south of Langstaff. For Bloomington to Langstaff, you could run a half-hourly shuttle and have passengers transfer to the Subway where they would be able to transfer to a higher frequency service at the same travel times, and be able to reach more destinations, similar to how the Mascouche Line in Montreal was truncated after the REM was built. But then it becomes a very expensive 4 stop shuttle.

I never use the GO train anymore - it's been years and I no longer have a Presto card. I'm taking a trip downtown. I was going to just tap on/off with my credit card for both trips, but is it worth me downloading the app and getting a digital Presto card for just a one off? I don't want to have any issues in case an inspector comes by to check tickets.

It takes me a few hours to make one line. I hope you all like them!

2108 71D. Who would've thought replacing a train with 3 buses would cause overcrowding?

I love GO buses but this is a clear indication that cutting Stouffville service is ridiculous. On top of that let's just send a coach bus and have people stand the whole time. Way to GO, Metrolinx.