Image: Metrolinx / GO Transit.
You can jump up, jump around, jump along or just jump at the Peek’s Toronto Caribbean Carnival’s Grand Parade in Exhibition Place and along Lake Shore Boulevard West on the western waterfront this Saturday. But first, jump onto GO Transit buses or trains or TTC streetcars, buses and subway trains.
Both GO and the TTC are adding extra service to get you to the parade and back home again.
Map of TTC services to and from the parade. (Note that the map incorrectly presents the path for buses operating along the 63 Ossington route.)
The Mas bands and guest bands start the parade shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Lake Shore Boulevard West at British Columbia Drive and proceed east along Lake Shore West towards the city core. At Newfoundland Drive, the parade turns left and proceeds to Princes’ Boulevard.
Only ticket-holders can watch the parade inside the grounds of Exhibition Place. But, most people probably choose to watch it free on the south side of Lake Shore West between British Columbia and Newfoundland.
GO Transit
You can travel to and from the parade along these GO routes — 01 Lakeshore West train, 09 Lakeshore East train, 21 Milton train, 30 Kitchener / Bramalea bus, 31 Kitchener train, 33 Guelph / Georgetown / North York bus, 65 Barrie train, 71 Stouffville train.
65 Barrie train
GO usually operates trains along the line weekends. This Saturday, August 5, all trains start and end their trips in Aurora GO Station, instead of continuing to Allandale Waterfront GO Station. GO is operating extra buses along the 68 Barrie / Newmarket line to help passengers north of Aurora to connect with the trains. All trains drop off or pick up passengers at their usual times in stations south of Aurora.
In Union Station, connect with frequent eastbound trains along the 01 Lakeshore West line to travel to Exhibition GO Station and the parade. Or, board regular trains along the 12 Niagara Falls line or special Caribbean Carnival trains serving the 21 Milton, 31 Georgetown and 71 Stouffville lines. Exit at Exhibition GO Station.
Homebound, take any train from Exhibition to Union, then board a regular Barrie line train.
You can view this weekend’s special schedule for the 65 Barrie line here. (.pdf)
33 Guelph / Georgetown / North York bus
33F branch
GO is operating extra buses along this branch of the route Saturday, August 5, so that passengers travelling to and from Guelph, Acton and Georgetown can connect with the extra trains operating along the 31 Kitchener line at Mount Pleasant GO Station.
An extra eastbound bus leaves the University Centre terminal on the University of Guelph campus at 9:29 a.m. It ends its trip in Mount Pleasant bus terminal at 10:39 a.m. The train leaves Mount Pleasant at 10:54 a.m., ending its trip in Exhibition GO Station at 12:08 p.m.
Heading home, ride the train that leaves Exhibition at 6:39 p.m., ending its trip in Mount Pleasant at 7:54 p.m. An extra westbound bus leaves Mount Pleasant at 8:04 p.m. It ends its trip in Guelph at 9:24 p.m.
You can view the schedule for the Caribbean Carnival Parade service along the 31 Kitchener line here.
31 Kitchener train
GO is operating extra trains along the line Saturday, August 5.
A special eastbound train leaves Mount Pleasant GO Station at 10:45 a.m. It picks up passengers at all stops to Union Station. It then continues to Exhibition GO Station, ending its trip at 12:08 p.m.
A special westbound train leaves Exhibition at 6:39 p.m. It drops off passengers at all stops to Mount Pleasant, ending its trip at 7:54 p.m.
GO is also operating extra buses along the 30 Kitchener / Bramalea and 33 Guelph / Georgetown / North York routes so that passengers west of Mount Pleasant can also travel to and from the parade.
You can view the schedule for the Caribbean Carnival Parade service along the 31 Kitchener line here.
30 Kitchener / Bramalea express bus
GO is operating extra buses along the route Saturday, August 5, so that passengers traveling to and from Kitchener can connect with the extra trains operating along the 31 Kitchener line at Bramalea GO Station.
An extra eastbound bus leaves Kitchener GO Station at 9:53 a.m. It operates express - without stopping - to Bramalea GO Station. It ends its trip in Bramalea at 10:53 a.m. The train leaves Bramalea at 11:08 a.m., ending its trip in Exhibition GO Station at 12:08 p.m.
Heading home, ride the train that leaves Exhibition at 6:39 p.m. and arrives in Bramalea at 7:39 p.m. An extra westbound bus leaves Bramalea at 7:49 p.m. It ends its trip in Kitchener at 8:54 p.m.
You can view the schedule for the Caribbean Carnival Parade service along the 31 Kitchener line here.
09 Lakeshore East train
GO is operating its regular service along the line, with trains operating every 30 minutes from about 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. Saturday, August 5.
GO interlines Lakeshore East trains with trains operating along the 01 Lakeshore West line. That means that, after arriving at Union Station, just stay on your train to travel one more stop westbound to Exhibition GO Station. Heading home, board an eastbound 01 Lakeshore West train at Exhibition to continue beyond Union along the 09 Lakeshore East line.
You can view the schedule for the 09 Lakeshore East line here.
01 Lakeshore West train
GO is operating its regular service along the line, with trains operating every 30 minutes from about 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. Saturday, August 5. Exit from or board trains at Exhibition GO Station.
You can view the schedule for the 01 Lakeshore West line here.
21 Milton train
GO is operating extra trains along the line Saturday, August 5.
A special eastbound train trip leaves Milton GO Station at 11 a.m. It picks up passengers at all stops to Union Station. It then continues to Exhibition GO Station, ending its trip at 12:13 a.m.
A special westbound train leaves Exhibition at 6:20 p.m. It drops off or picks up passengers at all stops to Milton, ending its trip at 7:34 p.m.
You can view the schedule for the special Caribbean Carnival Parade service along the 21 Milton line here.
12 Niagara Falls train
GO operates its regular train service along the line Saturday, July 31. Exit from or board trains at Exhibition GO Station.
You can view the regular schedule for the 12 Niagara Falls line [here]http://www.gotransit.com/timetables/en/schedules/schedules_window.aspx?tableid=12&dir=E&date=2017-08-05&parentid=1).
71 Stouffville train
GO is operating extra trains along the line Saturday, August 5.
A special southbound train leaves Lincolnville GO Station at 10:45 a.m. It picks up passengers at all stops to Union Station. It then continues to Exhibition GO Station, ending its trip at noon.
A special northbound train leaves Exhibition GO at 6:44 p.m. It drops off passengers at all stops to Lincolnville, ending its trip at 8:04 p.m.
You can view the schedule for the Caribbean Carnival Parade service along the 71 Stouffville line here.
Toronto Transit Commission
The TTC is increasing service along these routes to get you to and from the parade: 29 Dufferin; 504 King; 509 Harbourfront; 511 Bathurst.
It’s short-turning or detouring service along these routes: 121 Fort York / Esplanade; 510 Spadina; 514 Cherry.
And, it’s operating special express buses along these routes: 29E Dufferin express; and 193 Exhibition rocket.
511 Bathurst
All day, Saturday, August 5, the TTC’s increasing the frequency of service along the route. Streetcars operate between Bathurst Station and Exhibition Loop.
514 Cherry
From 5 a.m. Saturday, August 5 until 2 a.m. Sunday, August 6, streetcars start and end their trips in Charlotte Loop, instead of Dufferin Gate Loop.
Westbound cars operate along their regular route to King Street West and Spadina Avenue, then detour:
northward along Spadina Avenue;
eastward along Adelaide Street West; and then
southward along Charlotte Street to Oxley Street,
ending their trips.Westbound cars skip their regular stops
- on King Street West at Portland, Bathurst, Tecumseth and Niagara Streets, Strachan Avenue, Shaw and Sudbury Streets, across from Jefferson Avenue and at Joe Shuster Way and Dufferin Street and
- in Dufferin Gate Loop.
Instead, westbound cars drop off passengers at temporary stops
- on Spadina Avenue north of King Street West and
- on Charlotte Street at Oxley Street.
Eastbound cars start their trips in Charlotte Loop, on Charlotte Street at Oxley Street, then proceed:
southward along Charlotte to King Street West,
resuming their regular route eastward along King West.Eastbound cars skip their regular stops
- in Dufferin Gate Loop,
- on Dufferin Street at King Street West,
- on King Street West at Fraser and Atlantic Avenues, Sudbury and Shaw Streets, Strachan Avenue, Niagara, Tecumseth, Bathurst and Portland Streets and Spadina Avenue.
Instead, eastbound cars drop off passengers at a temporary stop
- on Charlotte Street at Oxley Street.
29 Dufferin
All day, Saturday, August 5, the TTC’s increasing the frequency of service along the route. Buses operate between Wilson and Dufferin Stations and Dufferin Gate Loop.
All buses start and end their trips in Dufferin Gate Loop and don’t proceed through Exhibition Place.
29E Dufferin express
All day Saturday, August 5, the TTC operates frequent express buses between Dufferin Station and Dufferin Gate Loop.
Southbound buses operate without stopping:
southward along Dufferin Street;
westward along Springhurst Avenue;
southward along Fort Rouille Street; and then
eastward into Dufferin Gate Loop,
ending their trips.Northbound buses operate without stopping:
northward along Dufferin Street to Dufferin Station,
ending their trips.
193 Exhibition rocket
All day Saturday, August 5, the TTC operates frequent express buses along the regular special-event route between Dundas West Station and Dufferin Gate Loop.
121 Fort York - Esplanade
All day, Saturday, August 5, the TTC’s increasing the frequency of service along the route. Buses operate between Union Station and Fleet Street west of Exhibition Loop.
At Union Station, board buses on Front Street West at Bay Street.
The TTC is also detouring the buses.
From 5 a.m. Saturday, August 5 until 2 a.m. Sunday, August 6, westbound buses operate along their regular route to Fort York Boulevard and Bathurst Street, then detour:
southward along Bathurst; and then
eastward along Fleet Street to Fort York Boulevard,
ending their trips.Westbound buses skip their regular stops
- on Fort York Boulevard west of Bathurst Street, across from Gzowski Street and at Fleet Street,
- on Princes’ Boulevard at Strachan Avenue and
- in Princes’ Gate Loop.
Instead, westbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- on Bathurst Street at Fleet Street and
- on Fort York Boulevard at Gzowski Street.
Eastbound buses start their trips on Fleet Street [westbound] at Fort York Boulevard, then proceed:
along their regular route north- and eastward along Fort York.
Eastbound buses skip their regular stops
- in Princes’ Gate Loop and
- on Fleet Street at Fort York Boulevard.
509 Harbourfront
All day, Saturday, August 5, the TTC’s increasing the frequency of service along the route. Streetcars operate between Union Station and Exhibition Loop.
At Union Station, board streetcars in the underground streetcar station.
Streetcars do not operate to and from Union along the 510 Spadina route from 5 a.m. Saturday, August 5 until 2 a.m. Sunday, August 6.
504 King
All day, Saturday, August 5, the TTC’s increasing the frequency of service along the route. Streetcars operate between Dundas West, St Andrew, King and Broadview stations.
You can transfer on King Street West at Dufferin or Bathurst Streets to TTC buses heading closer to parade. Or exit the streetcars at Jameson or Strachan Avenues to walk ten to fifteen minutes southward to Lake Shore Boulevard West between British Columbia and Newfoundland Roads to enjoy the parade.
63 Ossington
All day, Saturday, August 5, the TTC’s increasing the frequency of service along the route. Buses operate between Eglinton West and Ossington Stations and Liberty Village. Walk ten minutes southward from Liberty Village to Newfoundland Road and Princes’ Boulevard to enjoy the parade.
510 Spadina
From 5 a.m. Saturday, August 5 until 2 a.m. Sunday, August 6, streetcars start and end their trips in Queens Quay / Spadina Loop. They don’t operate along Queens Quay West and through the Bay Street tunnel to and from Union Station. Board streetcars operating along the 509 Harbourfront route, instead.
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