Kitchener line

Kitchener is one of the seven passenger lines of the GO Transit system in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. It extends westward from Union Station in Toronto to Kitchener, though most trains originate and terminate in Brampton in off-peak hours.

History

Services

The GO Transit Georgetown line opened on April 29, 1974, becoming the second line in the GO Transit rail network. Peak-direction train service operated between Georgetown and Union Station, replacing a commuter service previously operated by Canadian National Railway (CN).<ref name=transittoronto>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Service was extended beyond Georgetown to Guelph on October 29, 1990, but was again cut back to Georgetown on July 2, 1993.<ref name=transittoronto/>

Limited weekday midday service was introduced in April 2002, with four trains in each direction between Union and Bramalea. These trains were discontinued in 2011 to facilitate construction of the Georgetown South Expansion project.

On December 19, 2011, the Georgetown Line was renamed the Kitchener Line as service was extended to Kitchener, making one intermediate stop at Guelph. Another intermediate stop, Acton, opened on January 7, 2013.<ref name=transittoronto/>

Weekday midday service was re-introduced in September 2015, with hourly service between Mount Pleasant and Union.<ref name=TheStar-2015-08-19>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In September 2019, GO Transit introduced limited off-peak train service along the entire length of the line, with two new weekday round trips operating between Toronto and Kitchener outside of peak periods.<ref name=Schedule/><ref name="SteveMunro-2019-08-16">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="TrainChgs201909">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On October 18, 2021, service to London, Ontario began as a pilot project; one train per weekday in each direction runs as an extension of Kitchener line service, with intermediate stops in Stratford and St. Marys. The existing Via Rail station in each community served as each stop.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Service beyond Kitchener was discontinued following the end of the project, on October 13, 2023.<ref name="London-end">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On April 8, 2023, hourly weekend service was introduced between Mount Pleasant and Union, with Kitchener express bus connections at Bramalea.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Since the weekend service was introduced, passengers have complained about overcrowding on the new express buses between Bramalea and Kitchener, which at certain times resulted in some passengers being unable to board the buses.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On November 23, 2025, GO Transit will introduce weekend service to Acton, Guelph and Kitchener with four trains in the schedule.<ref name="CBC-2025-10-16">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Infrastructure

As a part of the GO Transit Rail Improvement Program, the West Toronto Diamond was grade separated. The Metrolinx Weston Subdivision, which carries the Kitchener Line as well as Union Pearson Express and Via trains, was lowered into a trench to pass under CP's North Toronto Subdivision.<ref name="gradesep">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref> Trains began using the new grade separation in May 2014.<ref name="GO_WTDgradesep"> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} </ref>

The Georgetown South railway expansion project was initiated in 2009 with Metrolinx now as its proponent.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Dead link</ref> The project represented a significant increase in railway capacity, with the former one- to two-track<ref>http://www.mapleleaftracks.com/Store/Free/Greater%20Toronto%20Area%20Documentation.pdf Template:Bare URL PDF</ref> railway being widened to 4 tracks within Toronto, with a total of 8 tracks where the Milton line and Barrie line share the corridor. All level crossings along the corridor were eliminated using railway or roadway underpasses. The plan would allow for an increased frequency of trains on the route, increasing service from approximately 50 per day to about 300.<ref name="weston">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It drew criticism from Weston community groups, which opposed the increased use of diesel locomotives on the basis of air pollution. They preferred instead that the corridor be electrified.<ref name="weston" /> The group has also requested more stations along the route.<ref name="weston" />

The Georgetown South project was later reduced in scope due to cost overruns: the corridor was expanded to three tracks, with the fourth track as well as the dedicated Barrie line tracks deferred to future projects. Construction on the Weston subdivision itself finished in 2015,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> allowing Union Pearson Express to begin operating, while additional track work in the Union Station Rail Corridor continued into 2016.<ref name="MSP-appendix">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2009 Metrolinx purchased Template:Convert of track along the corridor from Toronto to Bramalea for $160 million.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Rp In September 2014, it purchased the Template:Convert of track from Georgetown to Kitchener from CN for $76 million.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2019, Metrolinx conducted a series of public forums on electrification of the Kitchener line from Georgetown to Kitchener, in a change from its earlier Regional Express Rail plan, which had called for continuation of diesel train service on the western portion of the line. Electrification plans reaffirmed overall Metrolinx goals of track bed and bridge improvements, quad-tracking sections of the line, and the addition of a station at Breslau.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2021, the second of two tunnels under Highways 401 and 409 was completed to allow two more tracks to be installed to increase Kitchener line capacity and support future all-day, two-way service.<ref name="Ont-2021-02-11">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On November 16, 2025, Mount Dennis station opened in the Mount Dennis neighbourhood of Toronto. The station will provide a direct transfer to the Toronto subway's Line 5 Eglinton once completed.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Station list

Station	Municipality	Connections	Notes
Template:Stl	Kitchener	Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint GRT	To be replaced by Kitchener Central Station<ref name="TransitHub"/>
Template:Stl	Woolwich		Planned station
Template:Stl	Guelph	Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Guelph Transit
Template:Stl	Halton Hills	Template:Rint Template:Rint
Template:Stl		Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint
Template:Stl	Brampton	Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Brampton Transit Template:Rint Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox
Template:Stl		Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Brampton Transit Template:Rint Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox Template:RouteBox
Template:Stl		Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Brampton Transit Template:Rint Template:RouteBox
Template:Stl	Mississauga	Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint MiWay Template:Rint Template:RouteBox
Template:Stl	Toronto	Template:Rint TTC	Under construction
Template:Stl		Template:Rint TTC
Template:Stl		Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint TTC
Template:Stl		Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint (future) Template:Rint TTC
Template:Stl		Template:Rint TTC	Planned station
Template:Stl		Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint TTC
Template:Stl		Template:Rint TTC	Planned station for Liberty Village
Template:Stl		Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint Template:Rint TTC

Current service

GO Transit train service previously operated on weekdays only. Weekend bi-directional hourly service was introduced on April 8, 2023, with all trains terminating at Mount Pleasant GO.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the times that trains do not operate, corresponding GO bus service is provided.

On weekdays during peak periods in the peak direction, approximately two trains per hour operate the full route between Toronto and Kitchener, while additional trips operate shorter segments to and from Toronto. Express trains typically serve all stations between Kitchener and Bramalea, and operate non-stop between Bramalea and Union.

Outside of peak periods, service operates hourly between Mount Pleasant and Union, of which two off-peak in each direction also cover the entire route from Kitchener to Toronto.<ref name=Schedule>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="SteveMunro-2019-08-16"/><ref name="TrainChgs201909"/>

Future expansion

Future stations

The Region of Waterloo is planning to build Kitchener Central Station, a transit hub, at the north-east corner of King and Victoria streets in Kitchener. The hub would serve GO Transit trains and buses as well as other local and intercity public transit services and would directly replace the existing Kitchener station.<ref name="TransitHub">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

A Breslau GO Station was proposed in 2008,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was included in an official expansion plan in June 2016.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2024, the Region of Waterloo purchased land for the future station.<ref name="CBC-2024-06-20">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2025, construction began on a station near Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. Upon the opening of Woodbine GO Station, Metrolinx plans to close Etobicoke North GO Station, which is located about two kilometres to the east.<ref name="TheStar-2018-12-03">Template:Cite news</ref>

As part of Toronto mayor John Tory's SmartTrack initiative, two new stations are planned along the Kitchener line within Toronto: St. Clair–Old Weston GO Station at St. Clair Avenue West and King–Liberty GO Station near Liberty Village.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Future track improvements

The provincial initiative known as GO Expansion proposes upgrading the Kitchener line to increase service frequency, with the eventual goal of two-way, all-day hourly service to Kitchener, and two-way all-day 30-minute service to Mt. Pleasant, seven days a week.<ref name="Kitchener-Expansion">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2021, the Province of Ontario predicted that with two-way, all-day service, ridership on the line would be about 11 million boardings annually by 2041.<ref name="Ont-2021-04-30">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Achieving the desired frequencies would require separate tracks for freight and passenger trains. CN Rail owns a Template:Convert segment of the line between Georgetown and Bramalea that would be bypassed by a proposed Template:Convert track to which freight traffic would be shunted. Once completed, Metrolinx will acquire the track segment between Bramalea and Georgetown.<ref name="Vrbanac">Template:Cite news</ref> Between Georgetown and Kitchener, GO trains and CN freight trains share a single track line, which would need to be double-tracked.<ref name="CBC-2025-10-16" />

In May 2022, Metrolinx announced that the construction contract was awarded to Dagmar Construction Inc. The work would include:<ref name="Metrolinx-2022/05/03">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• a second platform at Guelph Central GO Station
• an extension of the north platform at Guelph Central GO Station
• a new storage track for maintenance vehicles west of Guelph
• a new passing track Template:Convert long in Breslau (Woolwich Township)
• a new passing track at Acton GO Station
• a new storage track for maintenance vehicles near Rockwood
• track re-alignments between Kitchener and Georgetown

By October 2025, Metrolinx had reached an agreement with CN in order to upgrade the line west of Georgetown for all-day, two-way hourly service to Kitchener. The planned work includes adding Template:Convert of new track, signal upgrades, bridge work, track re-alignments and platform expansions. There would be dedicated tracks for GO trains.<ref name="CBC-2025-10-16" />

See also

• Halton Subdivision – Canadian National rail line between Brampton and Georgetown partially used by Kitchener line trains
• Quebec City–Windsor Corridor (Via Rail) – larger trans-provincial rail corridor which includes the Kitchener line route
• Rail transport in Ontario

External links

• Kitchener Line: Train and Bus Schedule on GO Transit Template:Webarchive updated January 5, 2019
• GO Transit's Kitchener Line on Transit Toronto
• Template:Cite news