🚇 Next Stop: The Eglinton Crosstown Is Open

Eglinton Crosstown LRT opens, cutting cross-city travel times by nearly an hour

TORONTO — After years of construction, testing, and anticipation, Toronto’s long-awaited Eglinton Crosstown LRT is officially open to the public.

The new 19-kilometre light rail line, now operating as TTC Line 5 Eglinton, begins service today, linking Kennedy Station in Scarborough with Mount Dennis in the city’s west end. On opening day, riders can travel the full length of the corridor for free, as Ontario marks one of the most significant transit milestones in the city’s modern history.

Once fully ramped up, the Crosstown is expected to carry more than 123,000 riders each weekday, cutting travel times across midtown Toronto by nearly one hour.

A New East–West Spine for Toronto

Running beneath and along Eglinton Avenue, Line 5 includes 25 stations and stops, with more than 10 kilometres underground through Toronto’s busiest corridor. The line directly connects to:

• Three TTC subway stations

• Two GO Transit lines

• 68 surface transit routes

For riders, that means faster, more predictable travel across the city — without relying on congested roads or slow surface routes.

Ontario officials say the Crosstown is a critical piece of the province’s broader transit expansion strategy.

“Completion of the Eglinton Crosstown is a major milestone for commuters in the GTA,” Premier Doug Ford said, calling the line a key link in connecting communities to “fast, affordable and reliable public transit.”

Service Launch and What Riders Can Expect

The Crosstown officially entered revenue service following a successful Revenue Service Demonstration, with operational control transferred to the TTC in December 2025.

Service will be phased in gradually, a standard approach for new LRT systems worldwide:

• Opening day (Feb. 8):

  • 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

  • Trains every 4 minutes and 45 seconds during peak periods

• After six months:

  • 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.

  • Trains every 3 minutes and 30 seconds during peak periods

Riders can also take advantage of Ontario’s One Fare program, allowing seamless transfers between the Crosstown, GO Transit, and participating transit agencies on a single fare.

A Foundation for What Comes Next

The opening of Line 5 also sets the stage for future expansion.

Construction is already underway on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, which will extend the line nine kilometres west from Mount Dennis to Renforth Drive, further strengthening regional connections between Toronto and Mississauga.

Together with projects like the Scarborough Subway Extension, Ontario Line, Caledonia GO Station, and GO Expansion, the Crosstown forms part of Ontario’s nearly $70-billion transit investment — the largest expansion of public transit in North America.

Mayor Olivia Chow said the line will improve daily life for thousands of residents who rely on transit.

“The Eglinton LRT will connect people and communities across the city, helping thousands commute each day and reducing congestion on our roads,” Chow said, noting that service levels will continue to increase over time.

More Than a Transit Line

Beyond shorter trips and new connections, the Crosstown represents a long-term shift in how Toronto grows.

With rapid transit now embedded across midtown, the corridor is expected to support new housing, job access, and transit-oriented development — a central theme in GTA Weekly’s Next Stop series.

After years of disruption along Eglinton Avenue, February 8 marks a turning point: when construction finally gives way to service, and a city begins to move differently.

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