43°44′21″N 79°27′16″W / 43.73917°N 79.45444°W / 43.73917; -79.45444
103-562: Wilson Yard (also known as the Wilson Complex ) is the largest of the Toronto Transit Commission 's subway yards and bus garages . The subway yard services subway trains on Line 1 Yonge–University . The facility is located on Transit Road north of Wilson Avenue, in the former city of North York (now part of Toronto), between Wilson and Sheppard West stations. The site is on a large parcel of land first
206-465: A 505 Dundas streetcar heading eastbound collided with a Greyhound bus at Dundas and River Streets. Based on 2013 statistics, the TTC operated 304.6 kilometres (189.3 mi) of routes on 82 kilometres (51 mi) streetcar network (double or single track) throughout Toronto. As of July 28, 2024 , there are eleven active daytime streetcar routes plus seven overnight streetcar routes (part of
309-520: A Presto reader as they enter a TTC station or vehicle. Either their fare is automatically paid through stored value, verifies if the Presto user has a valid TTC transit pass on it, or validates the TTC's two-hour Presto transfer. Their card or ticket then acts as proof-of-payment (POP) to present to TTC staff such as fare inspectors, who carry hand-held devices to verify Presto fare payments, upon request. As of June 2018 , Presto readers are available at
412-414: A backup plan in the event there were not enough Flexity streetcars. On June 19, 2016, the TTC launched the 514 Cherry streetcar route to supplement 504 King service along King Street between Dufferin and Sumach streets. The new route operated every 15 minutes or better and initially used some and later only the commission's then-new accessible Flexity streetcars. The eastern end of the 514 route ran on
515-722: A decade of service reductions and only minor improvements. In addition to buses, streetcars, and subways, the TTC also operated the Toronto Island ferry service from 1927 to 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department (now Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation ). The TTC also operated a suburban and regional intercity bus operator, Gray Coach Lines, from 1927 to 1990. Gray Coach used interurban coaches to link Toronto to points throughout southern Ontario. In addition, Gray Coach operated tour buses in association with Gray Line Tours . The main terminal
618-528: A dedicated right-of-way lane from Finch West station on Line 1 Yonge–University to the Humber College's North Campus in Etobicoke. The line is forecast to provide approximately 14.6 million rides a year, or 40,000 a day, by 2031. It is scheduled for completion at the end of 2024, with an estimated cost of $ 1.2 billion. The Ontario Line , which is a rapid transit line and successor to
721-502: A link to a proposed northerly expansion of the yard to the mainline just south of Downsview station, though track was not laid and it was left dormant until the yard expansion project was completed in 2018. When it finally opened, this new link provided an entry/exit to the new northern section of the yard for trains servicing the Toronto–York Spadina Subway Extension . Since May 2018, trains going out of service at
824-615: A newly constructed branch, originally named the Cherry Street streetcar line , which is located in a reserved side-of-street right-of-way. On September 12, 2017, 509 Harbourfront became the first streetcar route in Toronto to operate Flexity streetcars with electrical pickup by pantograph instead of trolley pole . That November, the King Street Transit Priority Corridor , a transit mall ,
927-409: A partial right-of-way, and six operate on street trackage shared with vehicular traffic with streetcars stopping on demand at frequent stops like buses. Since 2019, the network has used low-floor streetcars , making it fully accessible. Toronto's streetcars provide most of the downtown core's surface transit service. Four of the TTC's five most heavily used surface routes are streetcar routes. In 2023,
1030-588: A route identifier (route name until the 1980s and later route number) and destination on two separate front rollsigns. The dot-matrix display destination signs on the Flexity streetcars show route number, route name and destination. Before 2018, streetcar-replacement bus services indicated route number and destination but not route name, like the CLRVs. The streetcar-operated Blue Night Network routes have been assigned 300-series route numbers. The other exception to
1133-408: A separated right-of-way similar to that of the 510 on Spadina Avenue, to increase service reliability and was completed on June 30, 2010. On December 19, 2010, 504 King streetcar service returned to Roncesvalles Avenue after the street was rebuilt to a new design, which provided a widened sidewalk " bumpout " at each stop to allow riders to board a streetcar directly from the curb. When no streetcar
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#17328024676941236-586: A streetcar operation, with the bulk of the routes acquired from the private TRC and merged with the publicly operated Toronto Civic Railways. In 1923, the TTC took over the Lambton, Davenport and Weston routes of the Toronto Suburban Railway (TSR) and integrated them into the streetcar system. In 1925, routes were operated on behalf of the Township of York (as Township of York Railway), but
1339-594: A surface rail connection there. In the early 1980s, a streetcar line was planned to connect Kennedy station to Scarborough Town Centre . However, as that line was being built, the Province of Ontario persuaded the TTC to switch to using a new technology called the Intermediate Capacity Transit System (now Bombardier Innovia Metro) by promising to pay for any cost overruns (which eventually amounted to over $ 100 million). Thus,
1442-951: A total of 2,031 buses, the TTC is the third-largest transit bus operator in North America, behind the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City (more than 5,600) and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (2,911). The TTC also runs Wheel-Trans , a paratransit service for the physically disabled with special low-floor buses designed to accommodate wheelchairs and to make boarding easier for ambulatory customers with limited mobility. The TTC ordered 153 articulated buses with all newly ordered buses in service by January 2015. At 18 metres (60 ft) long,
1545-569: A validated TTC senior, youth or student ticket; a single-ride ticket; a paper transfer; or a tapped-in Presto card while riding. At the same time, the TTC also activated the option for customers to purchase single-ride tickets using debit or credit cards on the fare vending machines on Flexity streetcars. With the January 3, 2016, service changes, 510 Spadina became the first wheelchair-accessible streetcar route using mainly Flexity streetcars. However, CLRV and ALRV streetcars were used in some cases as
1648-412: Is a 7.8-kilometre (4.8 mi) subway extension, which will continue Line 2 east towards McCowan Road and north towards Scarborough City Centre and to a new terminal at the intersection of McCowan Road and Sheppard Avenue . The $ 5.5-billion extension will replace the defunct Line 3 Scarborough and is expected to be complete in 2030 at the earliest. The Eglinton Crosstown West extension will extend
1751-560: Is a network of eleven streetcar routes in Toronto , Ontario, Canada, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It is the third busiest light-rail system in North America . The network is concentrated primarily in Downtown Toronto and in proximity to the city's waterfront . Much of the streetcar route network dates from the second half of the 19th century. Three streetcar routes operate in their own right-of-way, one in
1854-450: Is available to customers of Rogers and Freedom Mobile ; however, customers of other carriers (such as Bell and Telus) can make 911 calls. 5G wireless service is available between Bloor–Yonge and Dupont stations on Line 1, and between Castle Frank and Keele stations on Line 2. The stations and tunnels between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station and Sheppard West station on Line 1 have a non-5G service. The TTC offers Wi-Fi to connect to
1957-672: Is being added to all the TTC's heavy rail routes. Automatic Train Control was functional within the 60 acre Wilson Yard in 2019. Spokesmen said robot control of trains, within the yard, would increase safety and decrease delays. Wilson Yard is home to approximately half the commission's fleet of trains and work cars. The yard regularly houses most of the Toronto Rocket subway trains. It also houses some disused and outdated equipment. Bus facilities include: Toronto Transit Commission The Toronto Transit Commission ( TTC )
2060-464: Is circulated by "What's On" and "Rocket Rider / TTC Customer News" pamphlets on some vehicles. Information can be accessed in person at the TTC head office ( Davisville station at 1900 Yonge Street), as well as at a TTC Info Centre, which opened in 2018, at Union station . Twitter users can communicate with TTCHelps for inquiries. Most subway stations are equipped with OneStop media screens that display
2163-424: Is held during the summer. By 2003, two-thirds of the city's streetcar tracks were in poor condition as the older track was poorly built using unwelded rail attached to untreated wooden ties lying on loose gravel. The result was street trackage falling apart quickly requiring digging up everything after 10 to 15 years. Thus, the TTC started to rebuild tracks using a different technique. With the new technique, concrete
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#17328024676942266-444: Is north of downtown. Short sections of the track also operate in a tunnel (to connect with Spadina, Union, and St. Clair West subway stations). The most significant section of underground streetcar trackage is a tunnel underneath Bay Street connecting Queens Quay with Union station; this section, which is approximately 700 m (2,300 ft) long, includes one intermediate underground station at Bay Street and Queens Quay. During
2369-416: Is poured over compacted gravel, and the ties are placed in another bed of concrete, which is topped by more concrete to embed rail clips and rubber-encased rails. The resulting rail is more stable and quieter with less vibration. The new tracks are expected to last 25 years after which only the top concrete layer needs to be removed in order to replace worn rails. Route 512 St. Clair was rebuilt to restore
2472-699: Is present, cyclists may ride over the bumpout as it doubles as part of a bike lane. On October 12, 2014, streetcar service resumed on 509 Harbourfront route after the street was rebuilt to a new design that replaced the eastbound auto lanes with parkland from Spadina Avenue to York Street. Thus, streetcars since then run on a roadside right-of-way immediately adjacent to a park on its southern edge. The Toronto Transit Commission eliminated all Sunday-only stops on June 7, 2015, as these stops slowed down streetcars making it more difficult to meet scheduled stops. Sunday stops, which served Christian churches, were deemed unfair to non-Christian places of worship, which never had
2575-425: Is required (e.g., for construction, special events, emergencies), replacement buses bear the same route number and name as the corresponding streetcar route. Until 1980, streetcar routes had names but not numbers. When the CLRVs were introduced, the TTC assigned route numbers in the 500 series. CLRVs have a single front rollsign showing various combinations of route number and destination, while PCC streetcars showed
2678-667: Is the primary public transport agency in Toronto , Ontario, Canada, operating the majority of the city's bus and rail services. It is the oldest and largest of the urban transit service providers in the Greater Toronto Area , with numerous connections to systems serving its surrounding municipalities . Established as the Toronto Transportation Commission in 1921, the TTC owns and operates three rapid transit lines with 70 stations , over 150 bus routes , and 9 streetcar lines . In 2023,
2781-714: The Blue Night Network ) on the TTC network. The following table does not reflect temporary diversions and bus substitutions. Part of the Blue Night Network service, operating as 301 Queen between Neville Park and Long Branch Loops. Part of the Blue Night Network service, operating as 303 Kingston Rd between Bingham Loop and Roncesvalles Avenue. Part of the Blue Night Network service, operating as 304 King between Dundas West station and Broadview stations, bypassing Dufferin Gate and Distillery Loops. Part of
2884-684: The Great Depression and World War II , it accumulated reserves that allowed it to expand considerably after the war, both with subways and major steady growth of its bus services into the suburbs. It was not until 1971 that the Metro Toronto government and the province started to provide operational funding, required primarily due to rising costs of delivering transit to low-density suburbs in Metro Toronto and large wage increases. Deficits and government funding soared throughout
2987-471: The Relief Line , is expected to be completed by 2030. The Ontario government estimates the line's cost at $ 10.9 billion for the 15-kilometre (9.3 mi) stretch from Ontario Place to Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue East at Science Centre station (part of the under-construction Line 5). It is the largest single expansion in Toronto subway history. The Line 2 Bloor–Danforth extension
3090-593: The University of Toronto Scarborough campus, though this has since been replaced with plans for a separate Eglinton East LRT . Metrolinx is studying an extension of Line 4 Sheppard , to replace the former Sheppard East LRT project, which would likely connect with the Line 2 Bloor–Danforth extension at McCowan Road and Sheppard Avenue. Toronto's streetcar system is one of the few in North America still operating along street-running tracks. It has been operating since
3193-424: The 1950s, the TTC continued to invest in streetcars and the TTC took advantage of other cities' streetcar removals by purchasing extra PCC cars from Cleveland , Birmingham , Kansas City , and Cincinnati . In 1966, the TTC announced plans to eliminate all streetcar routes by 1980. Streetcars were considered out of date, and their elimination in almost all other cities made it hard to buy new vehicles and maintain
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3296-582: The 1970s and 1980s, followed by service cuts and a period of ridership decline in the 1990s, partly attributable to recession. In 1997, the Progressive Conservative government under Premier Mike Harris implemented the " Common Sense Revolution " which, among other things, cut CA$ 42 million in provincial financing support for the Eglinton West subway line , and cut $ 718 million in municipal transit support, placing
3399-570: The 500 series numbering was the Harbourfront LRT streetcar. When introduced in 1990, this route was numbered 604, which was intended to group it with the old (albeit unposted) numbering scheme for Toronto subway routes. In 1996, the TTC overhauled its rapid transit route numbers and stopped trying to market the Harbourfront route as "rapid transit". The number was changed to 510. The tracks were later extended in two directions to form
3502-465: The 510 Spadina and 509 Harbourfront routes. There are underground connections between streetcars and the subway at St. Clair West , Spadina, and Union stations, and streetcars enter St. Clair , Dundas West , Bathurst , Broadview , and Main Street stations at street level. At the eight downtown stations, excepting Union, from Queen's Park to College on Line 1 Yonge–University, streetcars stop on
3605-485: The 512 St. Clair streetcar route, and another on Lake Shore Boulevard (the western portion of 501 Queen), which runs through the Etobicoke district nearly to the city limits with Mississauga at Etobicoke Creek . Up until 1995, the TTC operated a fleet of 765 PCC-type streetcars , 540 of which it purchased new. The rest were purchased as other cities sold their PCC streetcar fleets. From 1987 until September 2019,
3708-456: The Blue Night Network service, operating as 305 Dundas. Part of the Blue Night Network, operating as 306 Carlton. Replaced by 501 Queen after 10 p.m. Weekday rush-hour service in peak direction only. Part of the Blue Night Network service, operating as 310 Spadina. Part of the Blue Night Network, operating as 312 St. Clair. All streetcar routes are served by low-floor, accessible Flexity Outlook vehicles. When replacement bus service
3811-492: The City of Toronto. Therefore, YRT, DRT and MiWay buses can only drop off passengers inbound and pick up passengers outbound while within the boundaries of Toronto. Originally, there were no free or discounted transfers between suburban agencies (which still have separate fare structures) and the TTC. But on February 26, 2024, Ontario's One Fare Program, a GTA-wide fare integration program allowing free or discounted transfers between
3914-420: The Flexity cars was introduced on November 30, 2014. On November 22, 2015, the TTC started to operate its new fleet of Flexity Outlook streetcars from its new Leslie Barns maintenance and storage facility. On December 14, 2015, the TTC expanded Presto , POP and all-door loading to include all streetcars on all routes. All streetcar passengers are required to carry proof that they have paid their fares such as
4017-461: The Flexity streetcars due to reliability issues with the fare vending machines. On September 2, 2019, the TTC retired the last of its ALRV streetcars. The next day, due to the construction work at the Queen, Kingston Road, Eastern Avenue intersection, the TTC eliminated the 502 Downtowner service indefinitely. Concordantly, the 503 Kingston Rd service, which used to operate during rush hours only,
4120-706: The Internet at all stations but not in tunnels; this service is ad-supported. However, the Wi-Fi service will be discontinued at the end of 2024. The Wheel-Trans door-to-door service has been available since the mid-1970s. Since the 1990s, the TTC has focused on providing accessible services on conventional bus routes, the RT and subway. 56 of the 75 stations on Lines 1, 2, and 3 are wheel-chair accessible are equipped with elevators, and all stations on Line 4 are fully accessible. In December 2011, all bus routes became accessible with
4223-578: The Nova LFS Artics hold about 112 passengers, compared with 65 on a standard 12-metre (40 ft) bus. The Toronto subway system consists of three lines: From 1985 until 2023 Line 3 Scarborough , a partly elevated light metro line served the district of Scarborough . The three subway lines are served by 678 cars grouped in trains of four cars on Line 4 Sheppard, and six cars on Line 1 Yonge–University and Line 2 Bloor–Danforth. The three subway lines share non-revenue track connections and use
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4326-460: The Province of Ontario promised $ 404 million for TTC operations to compensate for reduced ridership and revenue loss during the COVID-19 pandemic , with more funding to come later. The TTC projected a shortfall of $ 700 million in 2020. Buses are a large part of TTC operations today. However, before about 1960, they played a minor role compared to streetcars. Buses began to operate in
4429-483: The Scarborough RT (later renamed Line 3 Scarborough ) was born, and streetcar service did not return to Scarborough, instead stopping at the limits. The TTC returned to building new streetcar routes in 1989. The first new line was route 604 Harbourfront, starting from Union station , travelling underneath Bay Street and rising to a dedicated centre median on Queen's Quay (along the edge of Lake Ontario ) to
4532-565: The TRC to serve these areas, the City created its own street railway operation, the Toronto Civic Railways (TCR) to do so, and built several routes. Repeated court battles forced the TRC to build new cars, but they were of old design. When the TRC franchise ended in 1921, the Toronto Transportation Commission was created, combining the city-operated Toronto Civic Railways lines into its new network. The TTC began in 1921 as solely
4635-475: The TTC and other GTA transit systems (within either a two-hour or three-hour window), was implemented. However, the policy only applies to fare payments made via Presto, credit, or debit card; customers ineligible to receive free or discounted transfers are still required to pay a double fare. Via Rail and Amtrak connect with the TTC at Union Station , while Ontario Northland , Megabus , TOK Coachlines and US-bound Greyhound intercity coaches connect with
4738-535: The TTC at the Union Station , Scarborough Centre , Highway 407 , and Yorkdale bus terminals. The communication system used by surface vehicles is called the Communications and Information System. It was piloted in the 1970s, implemented in 1991, and is now deployed on all TTC surface vehicles. In August 2023, Rogers implemented 5G wireless service at all the TTC's downtown stations and within
4841-544: The TTC for free year-round. As of August 15, 2023, the TTC's fare payment system consists of cash fares, Presto cards and Presto tickets. Customers also have the option to pay the equailvent of the adult single-ride TTC Presto card fare prices by tapping a contactless credit or debit card on TTC Presto fare readers. Although legacy fare media products, such as concession tickets (for youths ages 13 to 19 and seniors 65 or older), tokens, and physical day passes (including weekend family and group day passes) are no longer available for
4944-576: The TTC operated two-car Articulated Light Rail Vehicle (ALRV) streetcars, a longer version of the Canadian Light Rail Vehicle (CLRV) streetcars. Following the retirement of the TTC's CLRV streetcars on December 29, 2019, the entire TTC streetcar fleet consists of the low-floor Flexity Outlook vehicles from Bombardier Transportation , the first of which entered service on the 510 Spadina route on August 31, 2014. Since March 1, 2015, children 12 and under have been able to ride
5047-428: The TTC retired the last of its high-floor streetcars, the CLRVs. The final day for the CLRVs included a ceremonial farewell voyage along Queen Street, although the TTC plans to retain two CLRVs in Toronto for special events and charters. Since the retirement of the CLRVs, all TTC surface routes have been served by accessible low-floor vehicles. On August 15, 2023, the credit and debit card single-ride fare payment option
5150-619: The TTC transit network, along with several other transit service providers throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) including the Metrolinx-owned GO Transit , Union Pearson Express services and on OC Transpo in Ottawa . The TTC also provides limited-use paper Presto tickets, mainly for occasional riders, which come in 1-ride, 2-ride and day pass varieties. Users tap their Presto card or ticket on
5253-866: The TTC via some of Toronto's subway stations, GO Transit's commuter rail stations, and other hubs like Toronto Pearson International Airport . In addition to Union Station, there are 6 other stations where the TTC subway network and GO Transit commuter rail lines intersect. Some bus routes of the surrounding local transit agencies run on Toronto streets along with TTC buses, mainly to reach TTC subway stations. Examples of this include YRT buses travelling on Yonge Street en route to Finch Bus Terminal , MiWay buses travelling on various streets in Etobicoke en route to Kipling Bus Terminal and DRT buses travelling on various streets in Scarborough en route to Scarborough Centre station . However, by law, other local transit agencies are prohibited from carrying passengers wholly within
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#17328024676945356-472: The TTC was contracted to operate them. One of these routes was the former TSR Weston route and the others were the TTC Oakwood and Rogers Road streetcar routes. The Weston streetcar route was replaced by electric trolley buses in 1948, while Rogers Road route was replaced by the 63 Ossington trolley bus route in 1974; ultimately diesel bus routes replaced the trolley buses in 1992. In 1927, the TTC became
5459-533: The TTC. As a result, since 2011, the TTC became the largest transit operator in Anglo-America not to receive provincial or state funding. The TTC has received federal funding for capital projects from as early as 2009. The TTC is also considered one of the costliest transit systems per fare price in North America. For the 2011 operating year, the TTC had a projected operating budget of $ 1.45 billion. Revenue from fares covered approximately 70 percent of
5562-649: The Wilson Yard do so by deadheading southbound from Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station , instead of northbound from Wilson station . This avoids northbound trains going out of service after the evening rush hour having to cross the southbound track, which was the practice prior to this time. Modifications to the Wilson Yard were made to accommodate the new Toronto Rocket trains, the Toronto–York Spadina Subway Extension and increased demand on Line 1 Yonge–University. Work included expansion of
5665-575: The adult cash fare and single-ride Presto tickets has been $ 3.35 for a single trip. Since April 3, 2023, the cost of adult single fares using a Presto card has been $ 3.30. The Fair Pass program allows those eligible for the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or Ontario Works to receive a discount when using a Presto card. The Presto card is an electronic unified contactless smart card –based fare payment system, owned and managed by Metrolinx , for use across
5768-628: The budget, whereas the remaining 30 percent originated from the City. From 2009 through 2011, provincial and federal funding amounted to 0 percent of the budget. In contrast to this, the Société de transport de Montréal receives approximately 10 percent of its operating budget from the Quebec provincial government, and OC Transpo receives 9 percent of its funding from the province. The fairness of preferentially funding transit in specific Canadian cities has been questioned by citizens. On August 12, 2020,
5871-455: The bulk of the service. In 1954, the TTC adopted its present name, opened the first subway line, and greatly expanded its service area to cover the newly formed municipality of Metropolitan Toronto (which eventually amalgamated into the present City of Toronto ). The system has evolved to feature a wide network of surface routes with the subway lines as the backbone. On February 17, 2008, the TTC made many service improvements, reversing more than
5974-547: The carhouse, a new hostler platform to support the new north-end entry/exit track, a new north-end runaround track connecting 8 new storage tracks in the west yard, a new power substation and a new training building with a simulator for TR trains. Opened in September 2018, the new hostler platform and north-end entry/exit track helps to reduce traffic delays by 44% in the early morning when work cars return from their night shift and service trains depart. Automatic train control
6077-506: The central part of the line from west of Keele Street to Laird Drive, with most of the remainder of the route travelling at grade, though Science Centre station will be underground. The full first phase of the route will span 19 kilometres (12 mi) across the city, from Mount Dennis in York to Kennedy station in Scarborough. Line 6 Finch West is an 11-kilometre (6.8 mi), 18-stop light rail line under construction, extending west in
6180-668: The city and construction resumed in mid-2006. One-third of the St. Clair right-of-way was completed by the end of 2006 and streetcars began using it on February 18, 2007. The portion finished was from St. Clair station (Yonge Street) to Vaughan Road . The second phase started construction in mid-2007 from Dufferin Street to Caledonia Road. Service resumed using the second and third phases on December 20, 2009, extending streetcar service from St. Clair to Earlscourt Loop located just south and west of Lansdowne Avenue. The fourth and final phase from Earlscourt Loop to Gunns Loop (just west of Keele Street)
6283-401: The city in 1921, and became necessary for areas without streetcar service. After an earlier experiment in the 1920s, trolley buses were used on a number of routes starting in 1947, but all trolley bus routes were converted to bus operation between 1991 and 1993. The TTC always used the term "trolley coach" to refer to its trackless electric vehicles. Hundreds of old buses have been replaced with
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#17328024676946386-598: The decision of the TTC board. The busiest north–south and east–west routes were replaced respectively by the Yonge–University and the Bloor–Danforth subway lines, and the northernmost streetcar lines, including the North Yonge and Oakwood routes, were replaced by trolley buses (and later by diesel buses). Two lines that operated north of St. Clair Avenue were abandoned for other reasons. The Rogers Road route
6489-406: The earliest. All subway lines provide service seven days a week from approximately 5:45 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. the following day (last train runs at approximately 1:45 a.m. in each direction) except for Sundays, when start of service is delayed until approximately 8:00 a.m. During the overnight periods, the subway and its stations are closed to enable maintenance at track level and in
6592-436: The entire burden of financing the system on municipalities and leaving the TTC with a $ 95.8 million/year funding shortfall. The TTC cut back service with a significant curtailment put into effect on February 18, 1996. Since then, the TTC has consistently been in financial difficulties. Service cuts were averted in 2007, though, when Toronto City Council voted to introduce new taxes to help pay for city services, including
6695-420: The entrances of all subway stations and on all buses and streetcars. Unlike the Presto card, Presto tickets can only be used on TTC services (subway and surface vehicles within the City of Toronto). They are not reloadable and cannot be used on any other transit service providers that use Presto. On December 15, 2008, the TTC launched a new Next Vehicle Arrival System (NVAS) to indicate the time of arrival of
6798-424: The equivalent of a Sunday stop. Toronto originally created Sunday stops in the 1920s along its streetcar routes to help worshippers get to church on Sunday for religious services. The first two Flexity Outlook streetcars entered service on route 510 Spadina, on August 31, 2014; at the same time, all-door boarding and proof-of-payment (POP) was introduced on all 510 Spadina streetcars. Fare payments by Presto on
6901-463: The existing ones. Metro Toronto chair William Allen claimed in 1966 that "streetcars are as obsolete as the horse and buggy". Many streetcars were removed from service when Line 2 Bloor–Danforth opened in February 1966. The plan to abolish the streetcar system was strongly opposed by many people in the city, and a group named "Streetcars for Toronto" was formed to work against the plan. The group
7004-418: The first CLRV entering service in 1979. It also continued to rebuild and maintain the existing fleet of PCC (Presidents' Conference Committee) streetcars until they were no longer roadworthy. When Kipling station opened in 1980 as the new western terminus of Line 2 Bloor–Danforth, it had provision for a future streetcar or LRT platform opposite the bus platforms. However, there was no further development for
7107-654: The first street railway line in Canada on September 11, 1861, operating from Yorkville Town Hall to the St. Lawrence Market . At the end of the TSR franchise, the City government ran the railway for eight months but ended up granting a new thirty-year franchise to the Toronto Railway Company (TRC) in 1891. The TRC was the first operator of horseless streetcars in Toronto. The first electric car ran on August 15, 1892, and
7210-445: The foot of Spadina Avenue . This route was lengthened northward along Spadina Avenue in 1997, continuing to travel in a dedicated right-of-way in the centre of the street, and ending in an underground terminal at Spadina station . At this time, the route was renamed 510 Spadina to fit with the numbering scheme of the other streetcar routes. This new streetcar service replaced the former route 77 Spadina bus and, since 1997, has provided
7313-462: The general public to purchase from the TTC, they are still accepted as valid fare payments until December 31, 2024, after this date, they will no longer be accepted as valid fare on the TTC. As of January 1, 2019, TTC monthly passes and the 12-month pass are only available on Presto, following the phase-out of the TTC's own monthly Metropass and the Metropass discount plan (MDP). Since April 3, 2023,
7416-561: The increasing difficulty of performing critical maintenance work on the S-series trains, the existing Line 3 Scarborough service was initially scheduled to be decommissioned permanently in November 2023; instead, the line closed four months ahead of schedule after a derailment on July 24, 2023. The line has been replaced by TTC bus service until the Line 2 Scarborough subway extension to Sheppard and McCowan opens for revenue service in 2030 at
7519-419: The last horse car ran on August 31, 1894, to meet franchise requirements. There came to be problems with interpretation of the franchise terms for the City. By 1912, the city limits had extended significantly, with the annexation of communities to the north (1912: North Toronto ) and the east (1908: Town of East Toronto ) and the west (1909: the City of West Toronto— The Junction ). After many attempts to force
7622-528: The late 2000s, the TTC reinstated a separated right-of-way, which had been removed between 1928 and 1935, on St. Clair Avenue for the entire 512 St. Clair route. A court decision obtained by local merchants in October 2005 had brought construction to a halt and put the project in doubt; the judicial panel then recused themselves, and the delay for a new decision adversely affected the construction schedule. A new judicial panel decided in February 2006 in favour of
7725-480: The low-floor Orion VII, and the TTC has acquired many hybrid electric buses . The TTC's hybrid buses were first put on the road in 2006; these were followed by the newer 500 Orion VII Next Generation Hybrids in 2008. A new order brought the total number of hybrids to over 500, second only to New York City . Older TTC Orion VIIs from 2001 to 2006 feature the standard "breadbox" style, whereas newer buses, from 2007 onwards, feature Orion's new, more stylish body. With
7828-484: The main north–south transit service through Toronto's Chinatown and the western boundary of University of Toronto 's main campus. The tracks along Queen's Quay were extended to Bathurst Street in 2000 to connect to the existing Bathurst route , providing for a new 509 Harbourfront route from Union station to the refurbished Exhibition Loop at the Exhibition grounds , where the annual Canadian National Exhibition
7931-463: The mid-19th century. Horsecar service started in 1861, and 600 V DC overhead electric service began in 1892. New TTC routes since the 1940s have generally been operated by other modes of transportation, and the less busy streetcar routes have also been converted. Streetcar routes are now focused on the downtown area, although two run farther from the core: one being on St. Clair Avenue , 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from Lake Ontario on average, served by
8034-401: The names of some express buses, and the new " Toronto Rocket " subway cars, which began revenue operation on July 21, 2011. Another common slogan is "The Better Way". The TTC recovered 69.6 percent of its operating costs from the fare box in 2017. From its creation in 1921 until 1971, the TTC was self-supporting both for capital and operations (it had to pay property taxes until 1967). Through
8137-615: The next vehicle along a given route. All TTC streetcars have been upgraded with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and now operate with NVIS. Real-time route information can be accessed from the Next Vehicle Arrival System (NVAS) from the City of Toronto Open Data initiative via SMS by texting the stop number displayed on the bus/streetcar stop pole, or with an app that uses NVAS data. Route information can also be accessed by phone. Individual route schedules are available online. Additional TTC information
8240-434: The on-board Automatic Next Stop Announcement System since February 2008. It operates over speakers indicating the next stop. A digital orange LED destination sign on streetcars and buses as well as the Toronto Rocket subway trains display the name of the upcoming streets/stations as the vehicle progresses on its route. All TTC revenue service vehicles are equipped with external speakers that play automated announcements of
8343-496: The operation between Greyhound Canada and the government of Ontario three years later. The Gloucester subway cars , the first version of TTC subway cars, known as "red rockets" because of their bright red exterior, have been retired. The current T-series trains also have a red interior color scheme. The name lives on as the TTC uses the phrase to advertise the service, such as "Ride the Rocket" in advertising material, "Rocket" in
8446-571: The operator of three radial lines of the former Toronto and York Radial Railway . The TTC connected these lines to the streetcar system in order to share equipment and facilities, such as carhouses, but the radials had their own separate management within the TTC's Radial Department. The last TTC-operated radial ( North Yonge Railways ) closed in 1948. After the Second World War , many cities across North America and Europe began to eliminate their streetcar systems in favour of buses. During
8549-512: The retirement of the commission's last inaccessible buses. On August 31, 2014, the commission launched its new fleet of low-floor Bombardier's Flexity Outlook streetcars. With the decommissioning of the last of the commission's non-accessible high-floor CLRV vehicles on December 29, 2019, all TTC streetcar routes are now served by low-floor Flexity vehicles. As per Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) guidelines, all surface vehicles and subway trains have been equipped with
8652-520: The route and destination of vehicle travel. Most TTC surface routes terminate at loops, side streets, or subway stations. The TTC is one of the few mass transit systems in Canada where many surface routes can be accessed inside a paid-fare zone common to other routes or subway lines. This feature allows boarding via the back doors at terminals, reduces the usage of paper transfers, and the need of operators to check for proof-of-payment. However, if people are caught entering fare-paid terminals illegally from
8755-504: The same technology. The rolling stock in use consists of the Toronto Rocket trains on Lines 1 and 4 and the T-series trains on Line 2. Line 3 Scarborough had a fleet of 28 S-series cars grouped into trains of four cars each and was not compatible with other subway lines, given that the S-series cars used 1,435 mm ( 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ) standard gauge . It shared no track connections or equipment. Due to
8858-417: The stations themselves. Overnight service is provided by buses and streetcars operating above ground. These overnight routes are issued numbers in the 300-series and are referred to as Blue Night routes, indicated by a typical TTC bus stop sign with a blue band added. Line 5 Eglinton , which uses light rail vehicles, is under construction and scheduled to open for service in 2025. It will run underground in
8961-590: The street outside the station entrances. Union station serves as the hub for both the TTC and the GO Transit systems. The majority of streetcar routes in Toronto operate in mixed traffic, generally reflecting the original track configurations of the streetcar system, a system that dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, newer trackage has largely been established within dedicated rights-of-way to allow streetcars to operate with fewer disruptions due to delays caused by automobile traffic. Most of
9064-680: The street, they could be fined $ 500 for fare evasion. With the exception of Greenwood , High Park , Jane , Old Mill , and Runnymede , all subway stations' off-street terminals are within the fare-paid area. The shelters in the system are installed and maintained under contracts with Astral Media (later became a part of by Bell Media ) (with CBS Outdoor since 2006 and previously Viacom Media) and Toronto Transportation Services . Approximately 4,100 shelters are managed by Toronto Transportation. Some shelters are solar powered and include next vehicle arrival displays. Toronto streetcar system [REDACTED] The Toronto streetcar system
9167-530: The system had a ridership of 69,106,000, or about 223,300 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. The main predecessors of the TTC were: In 1861, the City of Toronto issued a thirty-year transit franchise (Resolution 14, By-law 353) for a horse-drawn street railway , after the Williams Omnibus Bus Line had become heavily loaded. Alexander Easton's Toronto Street Railway (TSR) opened
9270-466: The system had a ridership of 736,712,000, or about 2,449,800 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024. The TTC is the most heavily used urban mass transit system in Canada . Public transit in Toronto started in 1849 with a privately operated transit service. In later years, the city operated some routes, but in 1921 assumed control over all routes and formed the Toronto Transportation Commission to operate them. During this period, streetcars provided
9373-542: The system's dedicated rights-of-way operate within the median of existing streets, separated from general traffic by raised curbs and controlled by specialized traffic signals at intersections. Queen streetcars have operated on such a right-of-way along the Queensway between Humber and Sunnyside loops since 1957. Since the 1990s, dedicated rights-of-way have been opened downtown along Queens Quay , Spadina Avenue , and Fleet Street, as well as St. Clair Avenue West, which
9476-424: The time until the next train, and other information. The next vehicle feature is available on LCD screens in all stations. Since mid-2011, all buses and streetcars have had the tracking feature enabled, accessible free online and by SMS for commuters. On February 3, 2010, the TTC launched an online trip planner, which allows commuters to plan their routes and transfers on the TTC's website. However, since its launch,
9579-619: The trip planner has remained in beta mode with many bugs remaining to be fixed. In October 2010, the TTC integrated its trip planner with Google Maps . Transit information in Toronto has been available in Apple Maps since the release of iOS 9 in September 2015, when Apple Inc. first launched support for public transit data. The TTC connects with other transit systems of the Greater Toronto Area . GO Transit , Union Pearson Express , MiWay , York Region Transit (YRT), Brampton Transit , and Durham Region Transit (DRT) are connected to
9682-460: The tunnels between them. In September 2023, the federal government imposed new licence conditions requiring that cellphone and data services be available on the entire subway network by the end of 2026 and that all mobile wireless carriers, including Telus and Bell, have access to it. As of September 2023 , all downtown subway stations and some west-end stations, as well as the tunnels connecting them, have Rogers 5G wireless service. The service
9785-406: The under-construction Line 5 Eglinton west to Renforth station and Pearson International Airport by 2030 or 2031 and will be mostly underground. The line will travel through all six of Toronto's districts that were amalgamated in 1998 and bring the subway to Mississauga . There is currently one priority TTC expansion plan: Previous plans called for a second, eastward extension of Line 5 to
9888-485: Was abandoned to free up streetcars for expanded service on other routes. The Mount Pleasant route was removed because of complaints that streetcars slowed automobile traffic. Earlier, the TTC had contemplated abandonment because replacement by trolley buses was cheaper than replacing the aging tracks. However, the TTC maintained most of its existing network, purchasing new custom-designed Canadian Light Rail Vehicles (CLRV) and Articulated Light Rail Vehicles (ALRV), with
9991-400: Was completed in 1976 and began operations in 1977. The facility also houses a bus barn and maintenance facilities for subway cars. When Downsview (the original name of Sheppard West) station opened in 1996, a northern yard entry track to the extended mainline was constructed to provide better train access to the station, situated north of the yard. By 2010, a tunnel was constructed to provide
10094-521: Was established along King Street between Bathurst and Jarvis streets. On October 7, 2018, the 514 Cherry route was permanently cancelled. The service it provided was replaced by the 504 King, which was divided into two overlapping branches, each to one of the termini ( Dufferin Gate Loop and Distillery Loop ) of the former 514 route. That December, the TTC eliminated the option for passengers to purchase single-ride tickets by credit and debit cards on
10197-426: Was led by Professor Andrew Biemiller and transit advocate Steve Munro . It had the support of city councillors William Kilbourn and Paul Pickett, and urban advocate Jane Jacobs . Streetcars for Toronto presented the TTC board with a report that found retaining the streetcar fleet would, in the long run, be cheaper than converting to buses. This combined with a strong public preference for streetcars over buses changed
10300-457: Was once part of Downsview Airport , built in 1936. During World War II the airport was turned into a military facility, most often known as Canadian Forces Base Downsview . The site became available to the TTC around the 1970s, after the federal government sold off part of the base lands as surplus. In 1974 the TTC considered interim expedients for storage of subway vehicles, until the Wilson Yard became available. The 60-acre (24 ha) yard
10403-543: Was reintroduced as part of a system-wide TTC rollout. Customers can tap a credit or debit card (including those loaded in a digital wallet ) on a TTC Presto fare reader to pay their fares or validate transfers. The customer's tapped-in credit or debit card acts as POP while riding. On December 16, 2010, the TTC suffered its worst accident since the Russell Hill subway crash in 1995 . Up to 17 people were sent to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries after
10506-562: Was the Metropolitan Toronto Bus Terminal on Elizabeth Street north of Dundas Street, downtown. In 1954, Gray Coach expanded further when it acquired suburban routes from independent bus operators not merged with the TTC as it expanded to cover Metro Toronto. By the 1980s, Gray Coach faced fierce competition in the interurban service in the GTA. The TTC sold Gray Coach Lines in 1990 to Stagecoach Holdings , which split
10609-447: Was upgraded to operate during all daytime hours Monday through Friday. This change also affected the 501 Queen service, with buses replacing streetcars east of Queen Street and Greenwood Avenue. The construction projects ended that November. While the 501 Queen resumed full streetcar service, the 502 remained eliminated and the consolidation of Kingston Road service into the 503 Kingston Rd route remained in effect. On December 29, 2019,
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