A 65 PARLIAMENT transfer, circa 1985

Compiled by Pete Coulman

See Also

• 365 PARLIAMENT NIGHT

February 26, 1966

In conjunction with the opening of the BLOOR-DANFORTH SUBWAY, service begins on this day on a bus route replacing the old PARLIAMENT streetcar. Buses operate from the new Castle Frank subway station bus terminal (looping counterclockwise through the terminal), via west on Bloor and south on Parliament to loop clockwise through the existing off-street loop on the west side of Parliament, just south of King Street.

Service operates seven days a week, 18 hours a day out of Sherbourne garage (at this point, a part of the Danforth division). Buses operate every six minutes during rush hours (using three buses) and ever fifteen minutes at all other times (using two buses).

June 25, 1972

As part of the renovation of Cherry Beach, with new change houses, refreshment stands and picnic benches, service on this route is extended from south of King on Parliament, east on Lakeshore Boulevard and south on Cherry Street to loop counterclockwise on the park grounds south of Unwin, returning via the reverse route. Buses operate through the Parliament-King loop only on the northbound return trip. Service operates daily, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9:00 a.m. until 9:53 p.m. weekends and holidays.

September 4, 1972 (Labour Day)

Last day of operation for the Cherry Beach service. On the next day, all buses turn back at King. Although this closure was planned as part of the end of the summer season, service did not resume the following year due to low ridership.

March 23, 1985

Service is extended south of King into the St. Lawrence area. Buses operate over the regular route to King and then continue south via Parliament and west on Front, looping via Princess, the Esplanade and Berkeley.

May 12, 1991

Weekday daytime service south of King is discontinued, replaced by the new 121 FRONT-ESPLANADE route. There is no change to evening and weekend service running between Castle Frank station and the Esplanade.

February 18, 1996

As part of a series of system-wide service cuts resulting from the elimination of provincial public transit subsidies, weekday evening, Saturday evening and all Sunday service is eliminated. The 65 "King" branch is eliminated as all buses operate to the Esplanade.

November 22, 1998

Service rendered accessible using lift-equipped buses.

July 23, 2000

In conjunction with the elimination of the 121 FRONT-ESPLANADE (replaced by 509 HARBOURFRONT west of Union station), service is extended south and west to Union station during the daytime on weekdays and on Saturdays. At other times, service is provided by an extension of 72 PAPE. From Castle Frank station, buses operate west on Bloor, south on Parliament, west on Front, south on Berkeley, west on the Esplanade, north on Yonge, west on Wellington, south on Bay and east on Front to Scott before heading south to the Esplanade and returning to Castle Frank station.

October 15, 2000

Sunday and holiday service added between Castle Frank station and Union Station. Buses operate every 30 minutes from approximately 9:15 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Service redesignated 65, as King-Parliament loop is closed and redeveloped.

March 31, 2002

Low floor buses replace lift-equipped buses on this route.

June 28, 2003

A seasonal Saturday-only service is launched serving the new Distillery District near Mill Street. Buses operate from Castle Frank station via west on Bloor, south on Parliament, east on Front, east on Eastern Avenue, south on Cherry Street, west on Mill Street, north on Parliament Street, west on Front Street, south on Berkeley, west on the Esplanade to Yonge, looping via north on Yonge, west on Wellington, south on Bay, east on Front and south on Scott, returning via the reverse route. Sunday and weekday service is unchanged. With this change, service from Union station to Mill Street is provided six days a week, since service during weekends is provided by the "A" branch of the 72 PAPE route.

August 30, 2003

Last day of the Saturday seasonal service to Mill Street. Buses revert to their original routing. Effective May 15, 2004, this Saturday branch is replaced by 172 CHERRY STREET.

November 23, 2008

As part of the TTC's Ridership Growth Strategy, all service on Parliament operates at intervals of 30 minutes or better whenever the subway is open, 7 days a week. However, service is cut back to Front and Princess, looping via south on Princess, east on the Esplanade and north on Berkeley, as service on the Esplanade is now taken up by a full-service "A" branch of 72 PAPE.

October 18, 2021

Due to the City of Toronto revising the traffic patterns of the Esplanade, setting it to one-way westbound, service on the Esplanade on-street loop must be revised, operating clockwise instead of counter-clockwise via Berkeley, the Esplanade, and Front Street East. Stops are relocated across the street within the on-street loop. No change to schedules or destination signs.

September 4, 2022

As part of the TTC's 2022 Annual Service Plan, all buses on this route are extended south to Dockside Drive via Queens Quay East to provide service to the East Bayfront neighbourhood and the George Brown College Waterfront Campus. Service is discontinued from The Esplanade, Princess Street and Front Street East..

65 Parliament Image Archive

	A map of the TTC's short-lived seasonal extension to Cherry Beach, circa the summer of 1972.
	TTC GM New Look bus #3741 poses at Cherry Beach at the foot of Cherry Street on July 29, 1972, in service on the short lived 65A PARLIAMENT "Cherry Beach" branch. The photographer is unknown and the image is courtesy the Pete Coulman collection.
	A rear-view shot of TTC GM New Look bus #3741 at Cherry Beach on July 29, 1972. The photographer is unknown and the image is courtesy the Pete Coulman collection.
	TTC GM New Look bus #3954 pulls into King-Parliament Loop. P. Bateson took this shot, donated from the Pete Coulman collection.
	TTC GM New Look bus #8330 operates on Parliament southbound at King in 65 PARLIAMENT service in this June 1983 shot by Robert Lubinski.
	The front page of an official TTC timetable describing 65 PARLIAMENT operations, effective November 20, 1988.
	Orion bus VII #7758 approaches the intersection of King Street East and Parliament Street on April 25, 2010. Note newly constructed residential buildings of Distillery District in the background. This photo was taken by Roman Fomin.
	In this photograph, Orion bus VII #7731 pulls into Castle Frank Station caught by Roman Fomin on April 19, 2012.
	An official TTC map of 65 PARLIAMENT operations, effective July 1, 2013.
	On August 8, 2015, Flickr user “booledozer” took this shot of TTC Orion VII bus #7780 seen on Parliament Street and The Esplanade in service on 65 PARLIAMENT.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8591 pulls into Castle Frank station in service on 65 PARLIAMENT as the sun sets on January 22, 2019. Photo by James Bow.
	TTC Nova LFS #8479 lays over on Front Street, west of Bay Street, where the 65A PARLIAMENT Branch used to terminate. The branch itself has been nonexistent since the 2008 extension of the 72 Pape service to Union Station expanded to all day, every day, rendered the 65A branch obsolete. Photo taken on July 26, 2020 by Marcus Danchuk.