GO Rail Station Access

Get to GO! GO Rail Station Access

Metrolinx has a vision to help make access to GO stations easier for customers by exploring transportation options and station amenities. The GO Rail Station Access document explores enhanced GO station access and improved options for customers, both increasing the capacity of GO stations to accommodate ridership growth in a way that is sustainable and financially efficient to 2041.

Metrolinx planning is guided by the 2041 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), which plans access to fast, frequent and reliable transit to communities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe region, making it easier for you to use transit, or travel by bike or on foot. The RTP is the blueprint for an integrated multimodal regional transportation system that puts customer needs first.

GO Rail Station Access supports GO Expansion, which is bringing faster all-day, two-way rail service to communities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), andthe development of new stations throughout the GO rail network. GO rail ridership is expected to double over the next two decades even after accounting for the long-term COVID-19 pandemic impacts of remote work. Click here to view the entire GO Rail Station Access document - Full, English PDF (315 pages)

What's in the GO Rail Station Access document for you?

GO customers and GTHA residents – Provides an overview of the recommendations for your local GO station by 2041 to make the journey to GO easier.

• Biking: Adding bike parking spaces and multi-use pathways.
• Walking: Get your steps in! Improving walking environments at, and around, GO stations by planning for more pedestrian and multi-use pathways to enhance the walking connections to GO stations.
• Transit: Adding bus bays and other transit priority measures to accommodate increased bus service and other local transit connections at GO stations.
• Pick-Up and Drop-Off (PUDO): Safer and more efficient PUDO facilities for customers at GO stations.
• Drive-and-Park: Exploring the parking experience at GO stations, focused on future-looking transportation and access strategies.

Partner municipalities – Forecasts of future ridership by transportation mode to GO stations for aligning future investments and programs.

Municipal transit operators - Anticipated future ridership from local transit to GO stations to support the alignment of services, planned on-site bus facilities, recommendations for interchange stations for rapid-transit.

Other transportation professionals and researchers – Forecasts the evolution of getting to GO stations for new customers benefiting by GO Expansion service increases.

Components of the document

The GO Rail Station Access document provides a high-level vision and policy guidance for future planning, design, and delivery of multi-modal station access facilities, and includes station-by-station access requirement tables based on anticipated ridership and mode-share forecasts to 2041.

This report updates the 2016 GO Rail Station Access Plan, which emphasized the need for more options for customers and reduce dependence on single-occupancy vehicles by prioritizing other modes of GO station access including local transit, walking, and cycling by 2031.

Click the links below to view individual sections of the GO Rail Station Access document:

1. Land Acknowledgment
2. Executive Summary
3. Section 1: Introduction to GO Rail Station Access
4. Section 2: Station-specific requirements
1. Lakeshore West
2. Milton
3. Kitchener
4. Barrie
5. Richmond Hill
6. Stouffville
7. Lakeshore East

Supplementary chapters to understand individual components:

1. Opportunities next to GO stations
2. Foundations of Station Access
3. Grouping stations by Type
4. Making it Happen

Implementation Strategy

Metrolinx has a suggested implementation strategy in place to prepare for the future delivery of station access facilities to accommodate anticipated growth in ridership and mode choices. We also recognize the important role our partners will play in the planning and delivery of station access amenities. Metrolinx will continue to work with our partner municipalities, municipal service providers (MSPs), provincial ministries, and others. The following Pillars will guide the implementation and realize the vision of the Station Access document.