Transit Briefs: Northlander, MARTA, New River Valley Passenger Rail, OKC Streetcar

Northlander

Ontario’s passenger train service, the Northlander, is making its return with service stops between Toronto’s Union Station and Timmins, with a rail connection to Cochrane.

According to Metroland, the train’s return comes with several enhancements on board and at service station, including comfortable seats, Wi-Fi and charging outlets, storage space above seats, wider aisles and adjustable tray tables, E-readers, and standard and accessible toilets.

According to Ontario Northland’s proposed service schedule, northbound and southbound stops will be made in Timmins, Huntsville, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Washago and Gormley, among several others.

The Northlander is set to travel a total of approximately 740 kilometers (460 miles) between Toronto and Timmins, with 16 stops in between communities that will now be back on a passenger rail corridor.

While the date of the train’s first trip hasn’t been set yet, the passenger rail service’s return is anticipated in 2026, according to Metroland. Northlander passenger rail service will operate four to seven days a week, based on seasonal travel demands.

MARTA

MARTA will welcome a new era of transit in 2026 with a slate of major capital projects and service enhancements scheduled for completion and implementation. These projects, the agency says, “will improve safety and reliability, modernize the customer experience and attract new riders, and ensure MARTA reflects the world-class region it serves.”

“This year is one of the most consequential and exciting in our history,” said MARTA Interim General Manager and CEO Jonathan Hunt. “As we work to go from a good transit system to a great one, we are advancing an unprecedented number of high-impact projects that respond directly to customer feedback. Whether you are a daily commuter, special events rider, or a visitor arriving for the World Cup, you will experience a safer, cleaner, and more reliable MARTA beginning in 2026.”

MARTA is targeting spring/summer 2026 for implementation of the following projects:

• New Railcars: MARTA is transitioning from its legacy fleet to the new CQ400 railcars, the most technologically advanced trains in the country. The new trains provide a safer, smoother ride, have open gangways with front- and center-facing seats, and technological upgrades including charging stations and real-time service information. Four train sets are undergoing testing, and multiple train sets will be in service by the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer.
• Better Breeze: A new, contactless fare payment system is currently being installed systemwide. The better Breeze system has a new payment feature that allows customers to tap a bank card or mobile wallet at the faregate or farebox to ride and new faregates that can be monitored and adjusted remotely, reducing incidents of fare evasion, resulting in a more secure transit system. The customer transition period runs from March 28 – May 2, 2026.
• Station Rehabilitation: As part of an ongoing $1 billion systemwide Station Rehabilitation Program, Five Points Station will have safer, cleaner platforms by spring 2026. The renovations, including new lighting, flooring, and ceilings will be completed prior to the World Cup. The street-level Five Points Transformation Project that includes the removal and replacement of the station canopy is ongoing. The station will remain open, safe, and welcoming during the World Cup.
• World Cup Readiness: MARTA has developed a comprehensive plan focused on providing safe, clean, reliable, and sustained operations throughout the month-long period of World Cup matches and events. MARTA is prioritizing visible improvements to cleanliness, lighting, and wayfinding, supported by multilingual messaging and enhanced service to accommodate heightened and diverse ridership. Throughout the tournament, an increased presence of police officers, transit ambassadors, and safety teams will be deployed to ensure a safe and welcoming experience for soccer fans from around the globe.

In addition to these infrastructure and service improvements, MARTA will also begin to overhaul its digital tools in 2026 to make the customer experience more intuitive.

New rider tools designed to streamline trip planning and provide real-time tracking for buses and trains will be incorporated into itsmarta.com. Riders can also look forward to a newly updated mobile app. This unified platform will consolidate features from the current MARTA On the Go and See & Say apps, providing a single, seamless destination for trip tracking and safety reporting.

New River Valley Passenger Rail

Construction is advancing on Christiansburg’s new train station, marking a significant step toward restoring passenger rail service to the New River Valley after a nearly 50-year absence, according to a WSLS report.

According to the report, VPRA says it expects service to begin in 2027, returning passenger trains to an area that hasn’t seen rail service since the Cambria Yard Station closed in 1979.

“There’s always been excitement about getting the train down to the Blacksburg, Cambria, Christiansburg area because there’s such a great market there with the college students, with the beautiful scenery that you see along the 81 corridor,” said VPRA Executive Director DJ Stadtler. “There was a huge demand for that.”

The project, WSLS reports, comes as Virginia experiences record-breaking rail ridership. According to Stadler, 2025 saw unprecedented passenger numbers, with most months setting new ridership records.

The new station will offer an alternative to driving on Interstate 81, a route notorious for heavy truck traffic and challenging mountain terrain, according to the WSLS report.

“I-81, it’s just a tough road to drive,” Stadtler said. “You’ve got a lot of trucks on that road, and when it goes uphill, everything slows down. This just gives folks another way to get to Southwest Virginia and from Southwest Virginia up to where they want to go.”

Initial plans include daily morning and evening train service, allowing for day trips between Christiansburg and Roanoke.

OKC Streetcar

Officials with EMBARK on Jan. 5 launched a six-month pilot program for free fares on the OKC Streetcar now through July 5. EMBARK plans to use the free fare pilot program to help “boost ridership demand and support local economic activity.”

“During our fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2025, OKC Streetcar saw a new record high ridership totaling 288,517 annual riders,” said Jesse Rush, Director of EMBARK. “While this growth is encouraging, peer cities, such as Kansas City, Milwaukee and Cincinnati, have demonstrated that fare-free downtown circulator streetcar service can significantly increase ridership and year over year growth. Oklahoma City is launching this six-month pilot to test whether removing fares further reduces barriers, increases usage, and enhances downtown mobility. The results of this pilot will directly inform whether a permanent fare-free service is the right long-term strategy for the OKC Streetcar.”

Rush added that ridership on the OKC Streetcar increases during periods when the OKC Streetcar is free, most recently during the Downtown in December promotion.

The free fare pilot, EMBARK says, will give Oklahoma City residents and visitors an opportunity to try the OKC Streetcar for free to help them more easily move around downtown for tasks that may include dining out, traveling to downtown events or shopping.

“As Oklahoma City adds more housing and attractions within the downtown area, the OKC Streetcar can help ease traffic congestion,” said Kharlie Barnaby, Assistant Director of EMBARK. “Whether someone lives downtown or travels downtown for an event, they can use the OKC Streetcar to complement or replace a pedestrian trip, which is particularly useful during inclement weather or for events held later at night.”

The OKC Streetcar system consists of seven modern streetcars and two loops that consist of 22 stops and operate seven days a week.