Wi-Fi Coming to GO Transit

Ontario is introducing Wi-Fi on GO trains and buses, and launching an improved GO Transit website and trip planner, making it easier and more convenient for commuters and families to use GO Transit.

As a first step towards introducing Wi-Fi service on all GO Transit vehicles, Metrolinx will test the service on two GO trains and four GO buses to examine service quality and collect feedback from transit users. Free Wi-Fi is already available at the majority of GO stations and bus terminals across the system.

This March, Metrolinx will also launch a new, easy-to-use GO Transit website. The website will provide a better customer experience through new features including an improved trip planner, updated fare calculator, and enhanced service and station information to help people plan their trips.

These improvements will make using public transit easier and more convenient for commuters and families. Increasing public transit ridership also plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and managing congestion on Ontario roads.

Making public transit more convenient is part of Ontario’s plan to create fairness and opportunity during this period of rapid economic change. The plan includes a higher minimum wage and better working conditions, free tuition for hundreds of thousands of students, easier access to affordable child care, and free prescription drugs for everyone under 25 through the biggest expansion of medicare in a generation.

QUOTES

“We are committed to making the entire GO experience even better for people. These enhancements are an example of how we are modernizing GO Transit and enhancing services for people across Ontario.”

— Kathryn McGarry, Minister of Transportation

“Adding Wi-Fi to GO vehicles and updating the GO Transit site so people can visit it on a smartphone or tablet makes transit easier to use for the people in my community that depend on public transit every day to get around the GTHA.”

— Han Dong, MPP for Trinity-Spadina

“Free Wi-Fi is a given as part of the customer experience. We have it in our stations, and this trial will lead us to bringing Wi-Fi to our buses and trains. This will move us toward our goal of making transit an easier, more convenient and more enjoyable experience for everyone. And more great improvements are on the way.”

— Phil Verster, President and Chief Executive Officer, Metrolinx

QUICK FACTS

• Signage will be used to identify which vehicles offer the Wi-Fi service.
• Ontario is investing $21.3 billion to transform GO Transit from a commuter transit service to a regional rapid transit system. Weekly trips across the entire GO rail network will grow from about 1,500 when the program began in 2015 to nearly 6,000 by 2024-25, with more all-day service across the system.