The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) will begin an introductory service period on Line 5, the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit line, starting Sunday, Feb. 8, “marking the final step toward launching full, regularly scheduled service once the new line demonstrates a high degree of reliability and performance.” The Ontario government on Dec. 5 said the long-delayed Line 5 attained Substantial Completion status following “successful testing, with independent engineers verifying the line is ready for service.” This development occurred just prior to the Dec. 7 opening of the also-delayed Finch West LRT, Line 6.
“This phased opening will allow customers to benefit from rapid transit along Eglinton Avenue while the TTC and Metrolinx fine-tune operations in live service conditions to deliver consistent and dependable service,” TTC said. “Riders may notice service adjustments as real‑world operating conditions emerge with public use. The TTC will continue to share updates as key milestones are achieved and will announce the start of full service once all partners are confident in the line’s performance. A celebratory event will be held at that time.”
The TTC now serves as the operator for Line 5 Eglinton, “bringing more than a century of expertise as North America’s third busiest public transit agency,” the agency said. Under agreements with Metrolinx and the City of Toronto, the TTC is responsible for operating trains, providing security and revenue control, and staffing stations to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction. The line’s infrastructure and vehicles are maintained by Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS) under contract to Metrolinx. As operator, the TTC “works in close partnership with Metrolinx, the City and project partners to deliver safe, reliable and efficient service, integrating Line 5 Eglinton into Toronto’s broader transit.”
“To achieve Substantial Completion, extensive testing was conducted to ensure the line is prepared for safe and reliable service,” the Province said. “This testing included running the line at full capacity in a variety of weather conditions, including 10 centimeters (approximately 4 inches) of snowfall; operating the fleet more than 11,000 kilometers (roughly 6,800 miles) per week to replicate customer service; maintaining service for 16 hours per day; and ensuring a full complement of staff to proactively manage and mitigate any problems that arise during testing. With this rigorous testing complete and final preparatory works under way, it is expected the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open to the public in the coming weeks. To ensure a smooth launch, service levels on the line will gradually increase over the first six months.”
During the introductory service phase, Line 5 service will operate from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunda., on four-minute headways during peak periods, and every six to eight minutes at other times. From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., Line 5 shuttle buses will operate every 10 minutes, serving on‑street LRT stops along the Eglinton corridor. The TTC’s Blue Night Network will operate from 1 a.m. until the scheduled start of daily train service. When full service begins, trains are expected to run until 1:30 a.m. daily, with end‑to‑end travel times of approximately 50–55 minutes. A comparable trip by bus can take up to 105 minutes. In the event of service disruptions during the introductory period, the TTC will deploy shuttle buses to keep customers moving.
On Sun., Feb. 8, service on Line 5 Eglinton will be free of charge. The first westbound trains will depart Kennedy Station starting at 7:30 a.m., and the first eastbound services from Mount Dennis Station from 7:37 a.m. There will not be a grand opening event.
The Eglinton Crosstown LRT is a 19-kilometer (11.8-mile) light rail line with 25 stations and stops along Eglinton Avenue. It runs between Mount Dennis (Weston Road) and Kennedy Station, with more than 10 kilometers (6 miles) of the route underground. The LRT will link to 54 bus routes, three TTC subway stations and two GO Transit regional/commuter rail lines.
