Metrolinx
Construction of the new Confederation GO Station in Hamilton is complete and train service will begin Oct. 27, the Office of the Premier reported Sept. 29. Located near the intersection of Queen Elizabeth Way and Centennial Parkway North, it is on the Lakeshore West route linking Union Station in downtown Toronto and Niagara Falls (see map below). The site has already been serving riders using GO bus route 12 since 2019 and route 11 since 2021.
Confederation GO Station, which is expected to generate nearly half a million more rides annually, features a fully accessible platform with canopies, bicycle racks, a pick-up/drop-off area, and 148 parking spots.
The province of Ontario ”broke ground on the station in 2018, with officials from Metrolinx and Queen’s Park saying it would open the next year,” according to CBC/Radio Canada. “But progress was delayed by negotiations between officials and the Canadian National Railway (CN), which controls many of the rails [tracks] that run into Hamilton, including the one that runs between the city centre and Confederation Station. The opening of the completed station comes just a few months after service was expanded to and from Hamilton’s West Harbour station.”
The Confederation GO Station is part of GO Transit’s Niagara Extension project, expanding GO train service to Hamilton and the Niagara Region.
“The opening of Confederation GO Station marks an important milestone—it’s the first new GO station to open in four years, with more stations soon to follow,” Metrolinx President and CEO Michael Lindsay said. “These investments are part of a broader transformation across the region, with major construction also under way at key future hubs like East Harbour and Woodbine GO. With new stations and expanded rush hour GO rail service, we’re connecting people with faster, more reliable access to work, school and opportunity. People across our region rely on GO Transit every day to reliably connect them to the places that matter most—and these service enhancements make those journeys even easier.”
According to the Office of the Premier, Ontario is also increasing train service across the GO network with enhanced service on the Lakeshore East, Lakeshore West, Barrie, and Stouffville lines, starting Oct. 27.
BART
BART has started running longer trains on most of its lines in response to a recent surge in ridership, the transit agency reported Sept. 29 (see map below). All trains on the Yellow Line, which is BART’s busiest and extends from Antioch to SFO, will increase from eight cars to nine.
BART said it is also extending some trains on the Red, Blue, and Green lines. Each line will now feature four eight-car trains in the morning peak and afternoon peak. The longer trains will expand capacity as more riders take BART. BART’s ridership in August increased by 10% compared with a year ago. BART’s strongest ridership days of 2025 have come in September, including the highest daily total of the year when 219,918 riders took BART on Sept. 10, according to the transit agency.
Ridership numbers are increasing as BART has delivered on a series of changes to improve safety, cleanliness, and the overall rider experience, the agency said. “Big wins” for riders in 2025 include the earlier than promised installation of Next Generation Fare Gates at all 50 stations, a drop in BART’s overall crime rate, an increased visible safety presence, a boost in cleaning for trains and stations, customer on-time performance increasing to 94% for the latest quarter, and BART becoming the first transit system in the Bay Area to offer riders the convenience of Tap and Ride.
NYCT
Starting Dec. 8, NYCT will swap F and M train service between Manhattan and Queens, eliminating a merge at Queens Plaza that has caused delays to Queens Boulevard. This swap will improve service on the E, F, M, and R lines by providing consistent running times and better on-time performance for the 1.2 million riders who use these lines every day, the transit agency reported Sept. 29 (download map below). Under the current service plan, approximately 15%-20% of rush hour trains are delayed at Queens Plaza.
The new service pattern between the Queens Boulevard corridor and Manhattan will be in effect weekdays from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. During those times, the F will run via the 53 St line and Queens Plaza, alongside the E. During this time F trains will now make stops at the following stations: Queens Plaza; Court Sq; Lexington–53 St; and 5 Av–53 St.
The M will run via the 63 St line and Roosevelt Island on weekdays from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and will now make stops at the following stations: 21 St Queensbridge; Roosevelt Island; Lexington–63 St; and 57 St.
According to NYCT, there will be no change from current service late evenings, nights, and weekends.
When the swap goes into effect, E trains will share a track with two lines (down from three) and M trains will share tracks with three lines (down from four).
According to NYCT, the F-M swap will also enable it to make improvements at the 21 St-Queensbridge F station including installing additional light fixtures and new signage both outside and inside the station; painting; placing ADA tactile strips on the platform; resurfacing and polishing glass surfaces; repairing broken floor tiles; renewing old and installing new drainage; and fabricating and installing new canopies over two staircases to protect riders from inclement weather.
“NYCT is implementing smart changes that will enhance reliability and operational resilience, which ultimately results in better service that customers can count on,” NYCT President Demetrius Crichlow said. “Running the F via the 53 St line and the M via the 63 St line between Manhattan and Queens will make for faster, less crowded, and more direct trips between the 63 St line and Queens Boulevard local stations.”
“We’ve received a lot of customer feedback regarding delays on the F line,” NYCT Senior Vice President of Subways Bill Amarosa noted. “Swapping the F and M lines will increase reliability, reduce delays, and create a more comfortable ride for everyone.”
