GO train makes first trip through Stratford with launch of new line
Stratford residents now have a new way to travel to Kitchener and Union Station in Toronto.
The first GO train departed from Stratford just before 7 a.m. on Monday morning.
"Today is the start of a generational change for public transit," said Stratford Mayor Dan Mathieson.
The inaugural trip was delayed by about 20 minutes, but had a seamless journey afterwards and arrived at Union Station around 9:30 a.m. There were around 20 people on the train, with some travelers calling the new service a game-changer.
"I'm from Stratford and I am going into Toronto for work and I am pretty excited to be on the first one," said Stratford resident Sara-Jeanne Hosie.
The new line starts in London, making stops in St. Marys and Stratford before travelling to Kitchener and onto Toronto.
The full trip from London takes about four hours.
A trip from Stratford to Toronto costs $25 per ticket.
The return train leaves Toronto at 4:20 p.m.
Currently, the route is only operating on weekdays.
"If there needs to be a later train I wonder about that, whether the 4 o'clock is too early for people doing it every day, but I hope they track it and I hope people use it," Hosie said.
Stratford officials said the GO train service will help drive business and tourism to the city, along with offering a convenient option for people who don't want to drive on Highway 401.
The southwestern Ontario GO expansion is a pilot project.
Metrolinx's chief executive Phil Versters said the business case for the expansion makes sense and now they just need to see riders.
"We don’t have absolute targets, just evoking objects to make this area more exciting," he said. "Please use the service, the more we use it the more trains we can run."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
developing Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.