A new light rail line across Toronto could reduce commute times by nearly one hour for workers traveling between Kennedy Station and Mount Dennis Station.
The Ontario government reached substantial completion of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT on Dec. 5, with operational control now transferred to the Toronto Transit Commission.
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is delivering the largest transit expansion in Canadian history,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, minister of transportation. “Our $70 billion plan to build and upgrade transit is connecting millions of transit users across Ontario, helping fight gridlock so people can get around more conveniently.”
Second line opened Dec. 7
The Finch West LRT opened to passenger service on Dec. 7, serving 51,000 riders per weekday between Humber Polytechnic’s North Campus and Finch West Station. The line will run 18 stops along Finch Avenue West.
“Line 6 Finch West will connect northwest Toronto communities, support local businesses, and make it easier for people to get to work, school, and home,” said Mayor Olivia Chow.
The line will operate under “soft opening” conditions with trains running from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. until spring 2026, following recommendations from the Ottawa LRT public inquiry. The temporary early closing will provide maintainers with an extended maintenance window to monitor the line while in full revenue service. Bus service will operate between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.
Testing and preparation
The Eglinton Crosstown line underwent extensive testing to ensure safe and reliable service, including running at full capacity in weather conditions with 10 centimetres of snowfall. The fleet operated more than 11,000 kilometres per week to replicate customer service, maintaining service for 16 hours per day.
Service details
The Eglinton Crosstown will operate from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., with trains arriving every four minutes and 45 seconds during peak periods. After six months, hours will extend from 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., with peak frequency improving to every three minutes and 30 seconds.
The 19-kilometre line, also known as Line 5 Eglinton, features 25 stations and stops along Eglinton Avenue between Mount Dennis and Kennedy Station. More than 10 kilometres of the route runs underground.
The Finch West line will operate 15 fully accessible trains during weekday morning and afternoon rush hours, with service every six and a half minutes. At all other times, including weekends, trains will arrive approximately every 10 to 12 minutes.
Regional connectivity
The Eglinton Crosstown will link to 54 bus routes, three TTC subway stations and two GO lines. The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, currently under construction, will extend the line by nine kilometres west from Mount Dennis to Renforth Drive, with future plans to connect to Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The Finch West line will offer connections to TTC bus routes and regional transit services, including GO Transit, MiWay, York Region Transit and Brampton Züm.
The opening of Line 6 Finch West means two existing TTC stations will officially change names on Dec. 7. Eglinton West Station will become Cedarvale Station, while Dundas Station will become TMU Station.
