[ciceror]

the lack of marketing or celebration events makes me think they are anticipating dispointment and so they don't want to hype it up

 

[youngblood]

(Officially) From the TTC website at https://www.ttc.ca/news/2026/February/TTC-to-begin-phased-start-to-service-on-Line-5-Eglinton

TTC to begin phased start to service on Line 5 Eglinton​

February 03, 2026​

​

The TTC will begin an introductory service period on Line 5 Eglinton starting Sunday, February 8, marking the final step toward launching full, regularly scheduled service once the new line demonstrates a high degree of reliability and performance.​

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This phased opening will allow customers to benefit from rapid transit along Eglinton Avenue while the TTC and Metrolinx fine-tune operations in live-service conditions to deliver consistent and dependable service. Riders may notice service adjustments as real‑world operating conditions emerge with public use. The TTC will continue to share updates as key milestones are achieved and will announce the start of full service once all partners are confident in the line’s performance. A celebratory event will be held at that time.​

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Phased openings for new LRT lines were a key recommendation in the 2022 final report of the public inquiry into the Ottawa LRT launch.​

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During the introductory service phase, Line 5 service will operate from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Mon-Sat and 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sun., arriving approximately every four minutes during the busiest periods, and every six to eight minutes at other times.​

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From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., Line 5 shuttle buses will operate every 10 minutes, serving on‑street LRT stops along the Eglinton corridor. The TTC’s Blue Night Network will operate from 1 a.m. until the scheduled start of daily train service.​

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When full service begins, trains are expected to run until 1:30 a.m. daily, with end‑to‑end travel times of approximately 50–55 minutes. A comparable trip by bus can take up to 105 minutes.​

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In the event of service disruptions during the introductory period, the TTC will deploy shuttle buses to keep customers moving.​

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Line 5 Eglinton includes 25 stations and stops between Mount Dennis (Weston Road) and Kennedy Station. It will connect with Lines 1 and 2, multiple TTC bus routes, and two GO Transit lines.​

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On Sun., Feb. 8, service on Line 5 Eglinton will be free of charge. The first westbound trains will depart Kennedy Station starting at 7:30 a.m., and the first eastbound services from Mount Dennis Station from 7:37 a.m. There will not be a grand opening event.​

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The TTC serves as the operator for Line 5 Eglinton, bringing more than a century of expertise as North America’s third busiest public transit agency. Under agreements with Metrolinx and the City of Toronto, the TTC is responsible for operating trains, providing security and revenue control, and staffing stations to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction. The line’s infrastructure and vehicles are maintained by Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS) under contract to Metrolinx. As operator, the TTC works in close partnership with Metrolinx, the City, and project partners to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient service, integrating Line 5 Eglinton into Toronto’s broader transit.​

So that first EB train will be at Cedarvale just after 8?

 

[urbanclient]

TTC: When full service begins, trains are expected to run until 1:30 a.m. daily, with end‑to‑end travel times of approximately 50–55 minutes.

the lack of marketing or celebration events makes me think they are anticipating dispointment and so they don't want to hype it up

Note how they write "When full service begins". How they also never clarified when end-to-end travel times would actually reach "55 to 59 minutes" during today's board meeting. All congruent with the "phased" opening. 50. 55. 59. They can't even get their story straight. When will they hit these times? Certainly not February 8th.

Don't get suckered by these non-promises.

Lali: so the runtime from end to end on LRT is around 55 to 59 minutes end to end. And on the busses from end to end it’s 105.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

Does this mean that Eglinton Station will fully open on the 8th as well? No more barriers and blockades, all entrances running? (Including the entrance in the mall?)

Yes as it's all apart of the Crosslinx contract.

 

[thettctransitfanatic]

When full service begins

That means once the phased opening is over after 6 months.

 

[urbanclient]

That means once the phased opening is over after 6 months.

Their numbers don't add up if you assume "35 minutes" Yonge-Eg to Kennedy and "55 to 59 minutes" end-to-end were applied to the same scenario. Mt. Dennis to Yonge-Eg should be much faster than 20-24 minutes, Yonge-Eg to Kennedy should be slower than 35 minutes. I genuinely don't know where they got 35 min from. Maybe they or I mixed up "full service" times with non-full service times? Or maybe 35 min is from Laird to Kennedy.

Either way, I don't see 35 min Yonge-Eg to Kennedy being possible on Feb 8th. And <60 min average end-to-end times are far from impossible, but highly unlikely on Feb 8th.

EDIT: I could be wrong, someone else posted the timetable for Line 5 based on this data

Open Data Dataset - City of Toronto Open Data Portal

open.toronto.ca

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

On February 8th...​

32 Eglinton West

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Service on the 32 Eglinton West will be adjusted to operate between Mount Dennis Station and Renforth Station.​

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Line 5 Eglinton and the new 34 Eglinton will replace service along the Eglinton corridor between Mount Dennis Station and Kennedy Station.​

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Service on the 158 Trethewey will begin, replacing service previously provided by the 32C Eglinton West.​

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Service on the 73B Royal York will continue to operate, replacing service previously provided by the 32D Eglinton West.​

34 Eglinton

Service on the new 34 Eglinton will begin, replacing service previously provided by the 32 Eglinton West and 34 Eglinton East between Mount Dennis Station and Kennedy Station.​

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Limited weekday peak period service on the 100B Flemingdon Park will also begin, replacing service previously provided by the 34C Eglinton East.​

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Service on Linkwood Lane will no longer operate during off peak periods or on weekends.​

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​

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334 Eglinton

Service on the new 334 Eglinton will begin to replace service previously provided by the 332 Eglinton West and 334 Eglinton East.​

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Service will also operate on 334A Eglinton and 334B Eglinton, with overlapping service provided on Eglinton Avenue between Mount Dennis Station and Kennedy Station. This change will reduce the number of transfers required for customers travelling along the Eglinton Avenue corridor.​

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Service will be added during the early morning period on Sundays to provide continuous service between Kennedy Station and Mount Dennis Station prior to the start of Line 5 Eglinton service.​

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​

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35 Jane

Service on the 35 Jane will be adjusted to operate between Mount Dennis Station and Pioneer Village Station.​

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Service on the new 27 Jane South will replace service previously provided by the 35 Jane between Jane Station and Eglinton Avenue West.​

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Service on the 935 Jane Express will remain unchanged.​

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​

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27 Jane South

Service on the new 27 Jane South will begin, replacing service previously provided by the 35 Jane between Jane Station and Eglinton Avenue West.​

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Service on the 35 Jane will be adjusted to operate between Mount Dennis Station and Pioneer Village Station.​

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Service on the 935 Jane Express will remain unchanged.​

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​

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158 Tretheway

Service on the new 158 Trethewey will begin, operating between Keelesdale Station, Weston Road and Oak Street, replacing service previously provided by the 32C Eglinton West on Trethewey Drive.​

 

[hw621]

That means once the phased opening is over after 6 months.

"if"

 

[Steve X]

I wonder how much of a ****show it will be on Monday morning when everything rolls out.

It’s going to be very confusing. I expect the general to be confuse for a few weeks, especially given the lack of notice. People might not have noticed one 5 opened.

All the 32 riders will be confused as the 158 isn’t at Mt Dennis.

The poor sole taking the 35 to Jane Station will arrive at Mt Dennis instead of getting off at Eglinton/Jane. People might not even take the 27 at Jane instead waiting for the 35.

Then we have the 18/47 split. This one isn’t that bad. Just wait for their next bus.

The 51/56 merger is going to be confusing. People will be waiting for the 56 on Eglinton and not have it arrive. It’s actually terrible if they are taking it from Leaside High School. They can either walk to Leaside Station and take it one stop and wait for the 51. Probably better to just wait to Laird.

The most confusing part is probably the 54. It no longer runs on Leslie. People will have to take the 51B to get to Lawrence but it doesn’t go to Don Mills and Laurence. It takes a loop around the Donway. The 954 no longer arriving at Kennedy Station will leave people looking for it. Also the turn from Lawrence to Don Mills is way worse than turning onto Leslie.

The 91 no longer run on running on Underhill will leave everyone waiting as they tend to skip the 191.

 

[Richard White]

The 51/56 merger is going to be confusing. People will be waiting for the 56 on Eglinton and not have it arrive. It’s actually terrible if they are talking it from Leaside High School. They can either walk to Leaside Station and take it one stop and wait for the 51. Probably better to just wait to Laird.

That's the bus I take regularly. It will be a mess.

 

[ThenWhat]

Bravo: How does the phased opening interplay with existing bus service on Eglinton? Will there be any plans to have or have there been consideration of having a sort of redundant or extra bus service? Particularly, I'm worried about the commute on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

Lali: So just to clarify, it will be a phased opening in respect to when we open, because it's reduced hours. And yes, we will have shuttle buses available. Should we require them. But I'd also take on board that two thirds of the line is below ground

Bravo: So the shuttle buses will be available if there is a disruption of line five, but not it will be operating alongside in the initial days?

Lali: We won't have a parallel service shadowing line five. We'll have the bus changes that we did back in October was as part of the full migration over to the schedules to interlink with line five, and the bus changes that happen on the 8th will solidify that. Like with any changes we do, we always have the ability to provide shuttles, and this will be no different.

[…]

So now I am confused. What is the new bus 34 if not a parallel service shadowing Line 5?

 

[anb]

They definitely waited way too late to announce all these changes happening in only 5 days from now. If it was at least 2 weeks notice then people would have time to adjust. But opening the most anticipated rail line ever in the province on top of multiple bus changes on the same day, let alone announcing this on the same week will 100% bring a lot of confusion throughout the entire Eglinton corridor.

On another note, at least Line 5 in its current phased state will run faster than the buses its replacing this time, although not by much. Its unfair to compare it to Finch as the underground section of Eglinton alone is roughly around 11 km which is the same length of the entirety of Line 6.

The better comparison would be the line between Kennedy and Laird, as this would be the section to really see if it suffers a similar fate to Finch right now.

 

[Steve X]

So now I am confused. What is the new bus 34 if not a parallel service shadowing Line 5?

It’s for those who need local stops as stations are too far away to walk to. The line 5 shuttle buses will only stop at line 5 stations when it runs.

 

[PL1]

That's the bus I take regularly. It will be a mess.

Same. Forced transfer at Laird for 1 stop, but that's ok. I'll figure out my best route

 

[smallspy]

Good luck finding a coffee shop open near either terminal at that hour. Connecting bus, either.

- Paul

I can't help you with your search for java, but there are and will be lots and lots of connecting buses. The Blue Night network is quite convenient. You just got to get up early to take them.

So now I am confused. What is the new bus 34 if not a parallel service shadowing Line 5?

The 34 will be the surface-running local bus that will run from Mount Dennis to Kennedy Stns. This will run all day, every day, and at limited frequencies.

The service starting at 10pm every night will be the 5 shuttle bus, which will only stop at stations.

Dan