Starting Saturday, January 23, GO Transit is making temporary service changes that, it says, adapt to Government of Ontario calls to stay home when possible while balancing the need to provide a lifeline transit service for essential travellers.
Buses replace trains along the Barrie, Kitchener and Stouffville lines Monday-to-Friday evenings and all day Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. According to GO’s parent company, Metrolinx, these changes “make better use of resources while demand is low.”
Even though Ontario has announced state of emergency, GO Transit continues to operate — public transit is an essential service - but public health guidelines recommend limiting travel to essential trips only.
Throughout the fight against COVID-19, Metrolinx has constantly adjusted schedules and activities to create a sustainable service plan that would continue to deliver lifeline transit for essential workers. That included reducing service last March and introducing several safety measures to keep passengers safe while on vehicles and at stations.
Last September, GO resumed some services, as trends and demands again shifted, just as some people temporarily returned to work and outings.
The latest changes result from increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in Ontario, while overall ridership is down by more than 90 per cent.
Metrolinx officials say as Ontario starts to recover, and more passengers return to GO, it will again adjust service and reinstate full schedules to meet that demand.
65 Barrie line
Starting Saturday, January 23, buses replace all trains along the line Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Starting Monday, January 25, buses replace trains Monday-to-Friday evenings.
The buses that replace the trains don’t stop at Downsview Park GO Station. TTC subway trains along Line 1 Yonge - University continue to operate to and from Downsview Park.
Trains
Sunday, January 19 is the last day (for now) that GO operates trains along the line Saturdays, Sundays or holidays.
Friday, January 22 is the last day that GO operates the southbound trains that usually leave Aurora GO Station at 7:57 and 8:57 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. (The trains usually end their trips in Union Station at 8:48 and 9:48 p.m.)
It’s also the last day that GO operates the southbound train that usually leaves Allandale Waterfront GO Station at 9:07 p.m. (The train usually ends its trip in Union Station at 10:48 p.m.)
It’s the last day that the transit agency operates the northbound trains that leave Union Station at 6:53, 7:53, 8:53 and 10:53 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. (The trains usually end their trips in Aurora GO Station at 7:44, 8:44, 9:44 and 10:44 p.m.)
It’s also the last day that it operates the northbound train that leaves Union at 9:53 p.m. (The train usually ends its trip in Allandale Waterfront GO Station at 11:34 p.m.)
Buses
Starting Saturday, January 23, GO replaces trains with buses along the 65 East Gwillimbury / Newmarket / Toronto and 68 Barrie / Newmarket / Aurora routes all day Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Starting Monday, January 25, it replaces trains with buses Monday-to-Friday evenings.
68 Barrie / Newmarket / Aurora
Buses operate with regular schedules along the 68 and 68B branches. GO operates buses along the special 68D branch to replace train service.
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays:
68 branch
Buses drop off or pick up passengers at local stops between Downtown Barrie Terminal and Aurora GO Station bus terminal.
Southbound buses leave Downtown Barrie at 10:17 and 11:12 a.m. and 12:12, 1:12, 2:12, 4:12, 5:12, 7:12 and 8:17 p.m. They end in Aurora at 11:42 a.m. and 12:42, 1:42, 2:42, 3:42, 5:42, 6:42, 8:42 and 9:42 p.m.
Northbound buses leave Aurora at 8:02, 9:02, 10:37 and 11:37 a.m. and 12:52, 1:52, 3:52, 4:52, 6:52, 7:52 and 9:52 p.m. They end their trips in Downtown Barrie at 9:27 and 10:27 a.m. and 12:02, 1:02, 2:22, 3:22, 5:22, 6:22, 8:22, 9:22 and 11:17 p.m.
68B branch
Buses drop off or pick up passengers at local stops between Downtown Barrie Terminal and East Gwillimbury GO Station bus terminal.
Southbound buses leave Downtown Barrie at 6:10, 7:25, 8:25 and 9:25 a.m. and 3:20, 6:20 and 10:15 p.m. They end their trips in East Gwillimbury at 7:15, 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. and 4:30, 7:30 and 11:20 p.m.
Northbound buses leave East Gwillimbury at 3:05, 6:05, 9:05 and 11:05 p.m. and 12:05 and 1:05 a.m. They end in Barrie at 4:15, 7:15 and 10:15 p.m. and 12:05, 1:05 and 2:05 a.m.
68D branch
Buses drop off or pick up passengers in the bus terminals at Allandale Waterfront and Barrie South GO stations, then operate express - without stopping - to Union Station Bus Terminal.
Southbound buses leave Allandale Waterfront at 8:13 and 10:13 a.m. and 1:13, 4:13 and 7:13 p.m. They end in Union terminal at 9:43 and 11:43 a.m. and 2:43, 5:43 and 8:43 p.m.
Northbound buses leave Union terminal at 10:57 a.m. and 1:57, 4:57, 7:57 and 10:57 p.m. They end in Allandale at 12:27, 3:27, 6:27 and 9:27 p.m. and 12:27 a.m.
Monday-to-Friday evenings:
68 branch
Southbound buses leave Downtown Barrie at 6:02, 7:12 and 8:12 p.m. They end in Aurora at 7:42, 8:42 and 9:42 p.m.
Northbound buses leave Aurora at 7:52, 8:52, 9:52 and 11:52 p.m. They end in Downtown Barrie at 9:22, 10:17 and 11:12 p.m. and 1:12 a.m.
68B branch
Southbound buses leave Downtown Barrie at 9:25 and 9:55 p.m. They end in East Gwillimbury at 10:30 and 11 p.m.
Northbound buses leave East Gwillimbury at 5:50, 7:05 and 11:05 p.m. They end in Barrie at 7 and 8:15 p.m. and 12:05 a.m.
68D branch
A southbound bus leaves Allandale Waterfront at 9:13 p.m. It ends in Union terminal at 10:48 p.m.
A northbound bus leaves Union at 9:57 p.m. It ends in Allandale at 11:27 p.m.
65 East Gwillimbury / Newmarket / Toronto
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays:
65 branch
Buses drop off or pick up passengers at local stops between East Gwillimbury GO Station bus terminal and the Wellington / Highway 404 Park and Ride carpool lot, then operate express — without stopping — to Union Station Bus Terminal.
Southbound buses leave East Gwillimbury at 11:25 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and 12:25 a.m. Sundays and Mondays. They end their trips in Union terminal at 12:25 and 1:25 a.m.
65C branch
Buses serve local stops between Aurora GO Station and the Wellington / Highway 404 Park and Ride carpool lot, then operate express to Union Station GO Bus Terminal.
Northbound buses leave Union at 7:12 and 8:12 a.m. They end in Aurora at 7:57 and 8:57 a.m.
65E branch
Buses drop off or pick up passengers at local stops between East Gwillimbury and Aurora GO Station, then operate express to King City, serve passengers at local stops between King City and Rutherford GO Station, then operate express to Union Station GO Bus Terminal.
Southbound buses leave GO Station bus terminal at 5:10, 6:10, 7:35, 8:50, 9:50 and 10:50 a.m. and 4:50 and 7:50 p.m. They end their trips in Union Station Bus Terminal at 6:50, 7:50, 9:15, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 12:30, 6:30 and 9:30 p.m.
Northbound buses leave Union at 11:02 a.m. and 1:27, 4:27, 7:27, 9:27, 10:27 and 11:27 p.m. and 12:12, 1:12 and 2:12 a.m. They end their trips in East Gwillimbury at 12:34, 3, 6, 9 and 11 p.m., midnight and 1, 1:39, 2:39 and 3:39 a.m.
65F branch
Buses operate express between Aurora and King City, serve passengers at local stops between King City and Rutherford GO stations, then operate express to Union Station Bus Terminal.
Southbound buses leave Aurora at 12:02, 1:02, 2:02, 3:02, 4:02, 6:02, 7:02, 9:02 and 10:02 p.m. They end their trips in Union terminal at 1:22, 2:22, 3:22, 4:22, 5:22, 7:22, 8:22, 10:22 and 11:22 p.m.
Northbound buses leave Union terminal at 9:12, 10:12 and 11:32 a.m. and 12:32, 2:32, 3:32, 5:32, 6:32 and 8:32 p.m. They end their trips in Aurora at 10:32 and 11:32 a.m. and 12:47, 1:47, 3:47, 4:47, 6:47, 7:47 and 9:47 p.m.
Monday-to-Friday evenings:
65 branch
Southbound buses leave East Gwillimbury GO Station at 6, 7, 10:35 and 11:05 p.m. They end their trips in Union Station Bus Terminal at 7:15, 8:05 and 11:40 p.m. and 12:05 a.m.
65C branch
A northbound bus leaves Union terminal at 7:03 p.m. It ends its trip in Aurora GO Station bus terminal at 7:48 p.m.
65E branch
A southbound bus leaves East Gwillimbury at 12:05 a.m. It ends its trip in Union terminal at 1:35 a.m.
Northbound buses leave Union terminal at 9:27 and 11:12 p.m. and 12:12, 1:12 and 2:12 a.m. They end in East Gwillimbury at 11 p.m. and 12:40, 1:40, 2:40 and 3:40 p.m.
65F branch
Southbound buses leave Aurora at 8:02, 9:02 and 10:02 p.m. They end in Union terminal at 9:22, 10:22 and 11:22 p.m.
Northbound buses leave Union terminal at 6:27, 7:27, 8:32 and 10:32 p.m. They end in Aurora at 7:47, 8:47, 9:47 and 11:47 p.m.
31 Kitchener line
Starting Monday, January 25, GO buses replace trains along the line Monday-to-Friday evenings. Since GO does not provide train service along the line weekends, buses continue to operate with regular schedules Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
The buses that replace the trains don’t stop at Etobicoke North, Weston or Bloor GO stations. The TTC operates near all of these stations. Line 2 Bloor - Danforth trains stop near Bloor GO Station. Also, if you’re travelling to or from Weston or Bloor, consider boarding UP Express trains, but note that UPX is also operating with less frequent service.
Trains
Friday, January 22 is the last day (for now) that GO operates the eastbound trains that usually leave Mount Pleasant GO Station at 8:40 and 10:40 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. (The trains usually end their trips in Union Station at 9:28 and 11:28 p.m.)
It’s also the last day GO operates the eastbound train that usually leaves Kitchener GO Station at 8:39 p.m. It arrives in Mount Pleasant at 9:40 p.m. and ends its trip in Union Station at 10:28 p.m.
It’s also the last day that GO operates the westbound trains that usually leave Union Station at 7:34, 8:34 and 9:34 p.m. The trains usually end their trips in Mount Pleasant GO Station at 8:23, 9:23 and 10:23 p.m.
It’s also the last day that GO operates the westbound train that usually leaves Union at 10:34 p.m. It arrives in Mount Pleasant at 11:23 p.m. and ends its trip in Guelph Central GO Station at 12:04 a.m.
Buses
Starting Monday, January 25, GO replaces the trains with buses along the 30 Kitchener / Brampton express and 31 Guelph / Georgetown / Toronto routes Monday-to-Friday evenings. GO operates an extra bus leaving Kitchener at 8:43 p.m. along route 30. Extra buses operate along the 31K and 31L branches to replace the trains. GO is also adjusting the schedule for buses along the 37 Orangeville / Brampton route due to the other schedule changes along the Kitchener corridor.
30 Kitchener / Brampton express
Buses start at Kitchener GO Station, serve passengers at local stops in Kitchener, then operate express - without stopping - to the Meadowvale Business Park in Mississauga. They then operate express to Bramalea GO Station bus terminal. At Bramalea, you can transfer to buses along the 31 Guelph / Georgetown / Toronto route to travel further eastward.
Eastbound buses leave Kitchener at 6:13, 7:18, 8:43 and 9:28 p.m. They end their trips in Bramalea GO Station at 7:38, 8:38, 9:53 and 10:38 p.m.
Westbound buses leave Bramalea at 6:19, 7:19, 8:19, 9:19, 10:19 and 11:19 p.m. and 12:11 a.m. They end in Kitchener at 7:29, 8:29, 9:29, 10:29 and 11:29 p.m. and 12:29 and 1:16 a.m.
31 Guelph / Georgetown / Toronto
31K branch
Extra eastbound buses leave Mount Pleasant at 8:40, 9:40 and 10:40 p.m. Buses drop off or pick up passengers at Brampton, Bramalea and Malton GO Stations, then operate express — without stopping - to Union Station Bus Terminal. They end their trips in the terminal at 9:45, 10:45 and 11:45 p.m.
Extra westbound buses leave Union terminal at 7:21, 8:21, 9:21 and 10:21 p.m. They end their trips in Mount Pleasant at 8:31, 9:31, 10:31 and 11:31 p.m. At Mount Pleasant, you can connect with buses along the 33 / 33E Guelph / Georgetown / North York route to travel further westward.
31L branch
Extra eastbound buses leave Bramalea GO Station at 8:58, 9:58 and 10:58 p.m. Buses drop off or pick up passengers at Malton GO Station, then operate express — without stopping - to Union Station Bus Terminal. They end their trips in Union Station Bus Terminal at 9:43, 10:43 and 11:43 p.m. Passengers aboard buses along the 30 Kitchener / Bramalea express route can connect with these buses at Bramalea to travel further eastward.
Extra westbound buses leave Union terminal at 7:31, 8:31, 9:31 and 10:21 p.m. They end their trips in Bramalea at 8:16, 9:16, 10:16 and 11:16 p.m. At Bramalea, you can connect with buses along the 30 Kitchener / Brampton express route to travel further westward.
37 Orangeville / Brampton
The southbound buses that usually leave Town Line west of Mill Street in Orangeville at 7:51 and 9:51 p.m., leave, instead, at 9 p.m. and 10:22 p.m. The buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops on the route nine or 27 minutes later than usually. They end their trips in Downtown Brampton Terminal at 8:40 and 11 p.m. At Brampton, you can connect with buses along the 31K Guelph / Georgetown / Toronto route to continue your trip eastward. (Usually, passengers arriving on route 37 buses can connect with trains at Brampton.)
71 Stouffville line
Starting Saturday, January 23, buses replace all trains along the line Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Starting Monday, January 25, buses replace the first southbound train Monday-to-Friday mornings and all trains Monday-to-Friday evenings.
The buses that replace the trains don’t stop at Milliken, Agincourt, Kennedy or Scarborough GO stations. The TTC operates near all of these stations, with Line 2 Bloor - Danforth and Line 3 Scarborough trains stopping at Kennedy. Also, if you’re travelling to or from Scarborough GO Station, consider boarding GO trains along the 09 Lakeshore East line.
Trains
Sunday, January 19 is the last day (for now) that GO operates trains along the line Saturdays, Sundays or holidays.
Friday, January 22 is the last day that GO operates the southbound trains that usually leave Mount Joy GO Station at 7:35, 8:35, 9:35 and 10:35 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. (The trains usually end their trips in Union Station at 8:28, 9:28, 10:28 and 11:28 p.m.)
It’s also the last day that GO operates the northbound trains that usually leave Union Station at 7:14, 8:14 and 9:14 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. (The trains usually end their trips in Mount Joy GO Station at 8:05, 9:05 and 10:05 p.m.)
It’s also the last day that it operates the northbound trains that usually leave Union at 10:14 and 11:14 p.m. (The trains usually end their trips in Lincolnville GO Station at 11:22 p.m. and 12:22 p.m.)
Also the northbound train that usually leaves Union at 6:14 p.m. drops off or picks up passengers at the usual stops at the usual times and then continues on to Stouffville GO Station at 7:14 p.m. and Lincolnville GO Station at 7:22 p.m.
Buses
Starting Saturday, January 23, GO replaces trains with buses along the 70 Uxbridge / Stouffville / Markham and 71 Stouffville / Toronto routes all day Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Starting Monday, January 25, it replaces trains with buses Monday-to-Friday evenings.
70 Uxbridge / Stouffville / Markham
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays:
70B branch
Buses serve passengers at local stops between Railway Street across from Albert Street in Uxbridge and Lincolnville GO Station bus terminal.
A southbound bus leaves Uxbridge at 7:40 a.m. It ends in Lincolnville at 8:05 a.m.
Northbound buses leave Lincolnville at 10:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. They end in Uxbridge at 10:50 p.m. and 12:50 a.m.
70D branch
Buses serve passengers at local stops between Uxbridge and Mount Joy GO Station bus terminal.
Southbound buses leave Uxbridge at 9:40 a.m. and every two hours until 9:40 p.m. They end in Mount Joy at 10:20 a.m. and every two hours until 10:20 p.m.
Northbound buses leave Mount Joy at 10:13 a.m. and every two hours until 8:13 p.m. They end in Uxbridge at 10:58 a.m. and every two hours until 6:58 p.m., then 8:53 p.m.
70F branch
Buses serve passengers at local stops between Lincolnville and Mount Joy GO station bus terminals.
Southbound buses leave Lincolnville at 11 a.m. and every two hours until 9 p.m. They end in Mount Joy at 11:20 a.m. and every two hours until 9:20 p.m.
Northbound buses leave Mount Joy at 11:13 a.m. and every two hours until 9:13 p.m. They end in Lincolnville at 11:36 a.m. and every two hours until 8:36 p.m., then 9:33 p.m.
Monday-to-Friday evenings:
70B branch
Northbound buses leave Lincolnville at 11:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. They end on Railway Street aross from Albert Street in Uxbridge at 11:50 p.m. and 12:50 a.m.
70D branch
Southbound buses leave Uxbridge at 6:40, 7:40, 8:40 and 9:40 p.m. They end their trips in Mount Joy at 7:20, 8:20, 9:20 and 10:20 p.m.
Northbound buses leave Mount Joy at 7:13, 8:13, 9:13 and 10:13 p.m. They end in Uxbridge at 7:58, 8:53, 9:53 and 10:53 p.m.
71 Stouffville / Toronto
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays:
71 branch
Buses serve passengers at local stops between Railway Street across from Albert Street in Uxbridge and Unionville GO Station bus terminal, then operate express - without stopping - to Union Station Bus Terminal.
A southbound bus leaves Uxbridge at 5:45 a.m. It ends its trip in Union terminal at 7:10 a.m.
A northbound bus leaves Union at 7:43 a.m. It ends its trip in Uxbridge at 9:08 a.m.
71C branch
Buses serve passengers at local stops between Lincolnville and Unionville GO station bus terminals, then operate express - without stopping - to Union terminal.
Southbound buses leave Mount Joy at 7:25, 8:25 and 9:25 a.m., 11:10 p.m. and 12:10 and 1:10 a.m. They end their trips in Union terminal at 8:30, 9:30 and 10:35 a.m. and 12:15, 1:10 and 2:10 a.m.
Northbound buses leave Union at 9:18, 10:18, 11:18 and 11:43 p.m. and 12:43, 1:43 and 2:43 a.m. They end their trips in Lincolnville at 10:23 and 11:23 p.m. and 12:18, 12:43, 1:43, 2:38 and 3:38 a.m.
71E branch
Buses serve passengers at local stops between Mount Joy and Unionville GO station bus terminals, then operate express - without stopping - to Union terminal.
Southbound buses leave Mount Joy at 10:40 a.m. and every hour until 9:40 p.m. and 10:25 p.m. They end their trips in Union terminal at 11:35 a.m. and 12:35, 1:40, 2:40, 3:35, 4:35, 5:35, 6:35, 7:35, 8:35, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:15 p.m.
Northbound buses leave Union at 9:18 a.m. and every hour until 8:18 p.m. They end their trips in Mount Joy at 10:03 and 11:03 a.m., 12:08 p.m., 1:13 p.m. and every hour until 7:13 p.m. and 8:08 and 9:03 p.m.
Monday-to-Friday evenings:
71C branch
Southbound buses leave Lincolnville GO Station bus terminal at 6 and 11:05 p.m. and 12:05 and 1:05 a.m. They end their trips in Union terminal at 7:20 p.m. and 12:15, 1:10 and 2:10 a.m.
Northbound buses leave Union at 10:18, 11:18 and 11:43 p.m. and 12:43, 1:43 and 2:43 a.m. They end their trips in Lincolnville at 11:32 p.m. and 12:17, 12:43, 1:43, 2:38 and 3:38 a.m.
71E branch
Southbound buses leave Mount Joy GO Station at 7:40, 8:40, 9:40 and 10:40 p.m. They end their trips in Union Station GO Bus Terminal at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 p.m.
Northbound buses leave Union terminal at 7:18, 7:23, 8:18 and 9:18 p.m. They end their trips in Mount Joy at 8:08, 8:13, 9:08 and 10:08 p.m.