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{{Short description|Principal intercity bus terminal for Toronto, Ontario, Canada}}{{About|the bus terminal|the adjacent train station|Union Station (Toronto)|the adjacent subway station|Union station (TTC)}}{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}

factoids

torontotorontocausUnion Station (Toronto)>Union Station{{rail-interchangesubwayUnion station (TTC)>Union{{rintstreetcar}} {{RouteBox|310||#0000f2|white}} {{RouteBox|509||#ee1d23|white}} {{RouteBox|510||#ee1d23|white}}| platform = 14 bus bays| bus_stands =

• {{rint|gotransit|bus{edih} GO Transit
• {{rint|bus|1}} FlixBus
• {{rint|us|megabus}} Megabus
• {{rint|ca|ontcbus}} Ontario Northland
• {{rint|us|greyhound}} Greyhound Lines
• {{rint|bus|1}} Rider Express
• {{rint|bus|1}} Red Arrow

}}| routes = | levels = 2| parking = | bicycle = Yes| baggage_check = 02300}}| owned = Metrolinx| zone = 02| former = | passengers = | pass_year = | pass_percent = | pass_system = | mpassengers = | services = | map_locator = }}The Union Station Bus Terminal is the central intercity bus terminal in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in Downtown Toronto on the second floor of the south tower of CIBC Square, on the northeast corner of Bay Street and Lake Shore Boulevard. The terminal currently serves GO Transit regional buses as well as Coach Canada, Greyhound Lines and Ontario Northland long-distance bus services, among others.WEB, New Union Station Bus Terminal at CIBC Square,weblink December 7, 2020, GO Transit, December 5, 2020,weblink live, WEB,weblink New milestone reached for growing service at Union Station Bus Terminal, Metrolinx, May 31, 2023,weblink May 31, 2023, live, Owned by the provincial Crown agency Metrolinx, the terminal is connected by pedestrian walkways to the adjacent Union Station, Canada's busiest transportation hub.WEB, Union Station {{!, Where Toronto is Going|url=https://torontounion.ca/|access-date=December 7, 2020|website=Union|archive-date=December 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203052345weblink|url-status=live}} The terminal opened on December 5, 2020, replacing both an outdoor terminal that was located on the north side of the rail corridor and the Toronto Coach Terminal.WEB, GO opening new Union Station Bus Terminal, December 5,weblink December 6, 2020, Transit Toronto, December 5, 2020,weblink live, WEB, December 4, 2020, New Union Station Bus Terminal to Officially Open,weblink December 6, 2020, Government of Ontario, December 4, 2020,weblink live,

History

(File:GOTransit_USBT_temp.JPG|right|thumb|Entrance of the former Union Station bus terminal at 141 Bay Street (2003–2020))(File:USBT platforms.JPG|thumb|right|Platforms at the former Union Station bus terminal (now demolished))

Previous terminals

From the 1970s to the 1990s, the Toronto hub for GO Transit bus services was the Elizabeth Street annex to the Toronto Coach Terminal at Bay and Dundas Streets, with some routes also stopping curb-side at the Union Station train terminal, or the Royal York Hotel opposite it, from the inception of the GO Bus service on September 8, 1970.WEB, 50 YEARS OF GO TRANSIT BUS OPERATIONS,weblink Transit Toronto, June 10, 2021, June 9, 2021,weblink live, After most operations moved out of that terminal in the mid-1990s, GO buses used a curb-side facility on Front Street in front of the railway station that could hold up to seven buses. However, taxis, delivery trucks and other private vehicles would compete for space in the area reserved for buses. GO staff had to organize lines of waiting passengers so as not to obstruct the sidewalk in front of the station.Given the traffic congestion and subsequent delays to service, a dedicated bus terminal close to Union Station was required. In 2003, GO Transit officially opened a dedicated Union Station bus terminal at 141 Bay Street at a cost of $9{{Nbsp}}million on December 5.WEB, March 17, 2003, Riders' eyes are smiling about their new Union Station GO Bus Terminal - Transit Toronto - Newspaper Archive,weblink December 6, 2020, transittoronto.ca, December 22, 2022,weblink live, WEB, November 23, 2020, Goodbye old and reliable bus hub: Remembering Toronto's current Union Station Bus Terminal as GO riders prepare to move into new digs,weblink December 3, 2020, Metrolinx News, December 2, 2020,weblink live, The terminal unofficially commenced service the Labour Day weekend in 2002, when GO's Hamilton Express service, which was the last GO route still using the Elizabeth Street Terminal, relocated to Union. Non-GO intercity bus operators such as Greyhound and Coach Canada continued to operate out of the Toronto Coach Terminal.The terminal was built on the site of a small passenger depot and a former CP Express & Transport building. Most of the old structure was demolished, with a dock door retained and its limestone fascia stored for future use.WEB, Lea Consulting Ltd., July 20, 2011, CP Express Building Demolition – Union Station,weblink live,weblink March 24, 2012, Lea Group, The bus terminal was located on the east side of Bay Street directly across from the railway terminal, behind and south of the Dominion Public Building on Front Street, with an enclosed walkway above Bay Street directly connecting the terminal to the railway station concourse. There was also direct stairway access from the bus terminal to railway platforms 4 through 13 via the Bay East Teamway under the railway tracks.WEB, October 19, 2020, Union Station Revitalization,weblinkweblink September 25, 2020, December 3, 2020, GO Transit, The terminal had 7 platforms with fixed platform assignments.WEB, June 10, 2020, First GO buses enter Union Station Bus Terminal as part of testing – See the images here,weblink December 3, 2020, Metrolinx News, December 5, 2020,weblink live, Every GO bus route departed from the same platform, a practice that would result in backlogs and delays. Due to height restrictions on the approaches to the terminal, all buses that served the terminal were single-decker buses or special low-height double-decker buses.WEB, New Low-Height Buses,weblinkweblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20180118091619weblink">weblink January 18, 2018, January 7, 2017, GOTransit.com, GO Transit, "Low-height double-decker buses will ease crowding on some of our busier trips and will be able to serve four terminals that can only currently be served by single-level buses due to height restrictions — Hamilton, Yorkdale, York Mills and Union Station.", Per weekday, the bus terminal hosted 485 bus trips and served 13,600 riders. According to Metrolinx, it was estimated more than 100{{Nbsp}}million customers had used the terminal while it was in operation.WEB, GO Transit officially begins operating out of new Union Station Bus Terminal,weblink December 6, 2020, Global News, December 5, 2020,weblink live, The bus terminal's last day of service was December 4, 2020, when it relocated to its current location under CIBC Square. The 2003 terminal was demolished shortly after. The north tower of CIBC Square will be built on the site, with completion scheduled for 2024.WEB, November 16, 2020, CIBC SQUARE Community Updates,weblink December 6, 2020, CIBC Square,

Relocation of operators from Toronto Coach Terminal

The terminal took over as Toronto's principal hub for intercity bus services from the Toronto Coach Terminal at Bay and Edward Street, {{Convert|2|km|spell=in}} away. Negotiations with intercity coach services first began in 2012, when the relocation of the Union Station Bus Terminal to the future CIBC Square was being planned.NEWS, Planners struggle to fix Toronto's 'third-world' bus station,weblink December 6, 2020, National Post, February 19, 2012, Hopper, Tristin, April 9, 2024,weblink live, WEB, April 20, 2017, Toronto Coach Terminal Inc. (TCTI) – 610 Bay Street and 130 Elizabeth Street, Toronto – Lease Disposition,weblink April 16, 2017, City of Toronto, April 17, 2017,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20170417155042weblink">weblink live, Intercity bus operators stated that they were in favour of moving from the Toronto Coach Terminal, as a location closer to the Gardiner Expressway would reduce journey times. The Toronto Coach Terminal was leased by intercity bus operators from the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) until July 7, 2021.WEB, April 20, 2017, Toronto Coach Terminal Inc. (TCTI) – 610 Bay Street and 130 Elizabeth Street, Toronto – Lease Disposition,weblink Toronto Transit Commission, December 7, 2020, December 10, 2020,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20201210000316weblink">weblink dead, Coach Canada / Megabus relocated to the new terminal on June 8, 2021.WEB,weblink Megabus expands service to Ottawa from Toronto, Kingston after Greyhound Canada cuts, May 14, 2021, May 15, 2021, Global News, May 14, 2021,weblink live, The Toronto Coach Terminal's last remaining tenant, Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services, transferred its operations to the Union Station Bus Terminal effective July 4, 2021.WEB,weblink Toronto (Downtown) Bus Stop Change - July 4, 2021 | Ontario Northland, June 9, 2021, June 9, 2021,weblink dead, Greyhound Canada never moved to the Union Station terminal as it permanently ceased operations in May 2021. US-based Greyhound Lines began cross-border Toronto–Buffalo routes in November 2021, after COVID-19 pandemic–related Canada–United States border restrictions were relaxed.WEB,weblink Greyhound Canada News, Greyhound Canada News, June 13, 2021, May 13, 2021,weblink dead, NEWS, End of an era for Bay and Dundas bus terminal building,weblink June 21, 2021, Toronto Sun, June 10, 2021, June 19, 2021,weblink live, The TTC declared the Toronto Coach Terminal site surplus effective July 8, 2021, and transferred ownership of it to the City of Toronto for redevelopment.NEWS, Spurr, Ben, The art deco Toronto Coach Terminal opened in 1931 and initially housed the TTC's now defunct intercity bus service. GTA Toronto's Bay Street bus terminal reaches the end of the line,weblink June 10, 2021, Toronto Star, June 10, 2021, June 10, 2021,weblink live, WEB, June 16, 2021, GACCTO Lease Expiry and Proposed Transfer of 610 Bay Street and 130 Elizabeth Street,weblink August 13, 2021, ttc.ca, September 17, 2021,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20210917231148weblink">weblink live, File:CIBC Square from Harbour Street - 20210314 (cropped).jpg|thumb|CIBC SquareCIBC Square

Planning, construction and opening

In 2007, the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority (today's Metrolinx) recommended relocating the outdated Toronto Coach Terminal and the Union Station bus terminal into one integrated bus terminal.NEWS, Kalinowski, Tess, August 22, 2007, Study may spur bus terminal move,weblink December 6, 2020, Toronto Star, February 16, 2022,weblink live, NEWS, Kalinowski, Tess, August 23, 2007, New – or renewed – bus terminal on the horizon,weblink December 6, 2020, Toronto Star, September 27, 2022,weblink live, Planning work continued over the next few years, with Metrolinx stating in 2012 that they were "contemplating building a new bus terminal at 45 Bay St."NEWS, Allen, Kate, January 7, 2012, Landmark bus depot loses its lustre,weblink December 6, 2020, Toronto Star, December 22, 2022,weblink live, Intercity bus operators were in favour of moving from the Toronto Coach Terminal, as a location closer to the Gardiner Expressway would reduce journey times.In 2014, Metrolinx announced plans to move the Union Station Bus Terminal to the south tower of the then-proposed Bay Park Centre, located at the northeast corner of Bay Street and Lake Shore Boulevard.PRESS RELEASE, Ivanhoé Cambridge and Hines acquire 141 Bay Street from Metrolinx, April 12, 2017, Ivanhoé Cambridge,weblink September 12, 2018, September 13, 2018,weblink live, WEB, Matanis, Marc, 30 September 2014, New GO Bus Terminal Slated for Massive 45-141 Bay Development,weblink 2023-08-15, urbantoronto.ca, August 15, 2023,weblink live, Bay Park Centre was later renamed CIBC Square when the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) became the lead tenant. As part of the deal for the new terminal, Metrolinx sold the site of the old bus terminal at 141 Bay Street to Ivanhoé Cambridge and, in exchange, acquired a 99-year lease for the new terminal. Construction on the new terminal began in 2017 and opened in 2020.NEWS, Wright, Lisa, April 12, 2017, CIBC to move head offices to new Bay Park Centre,weblink May 19, 2017, Toronto Star, August 4, 2017,weblink live, The terminal was developed through a partnership between Metrolinx and real estate firms Ivanhoé Cambridge and Hines. The architects for CIBC Square were WilkinsonEyre and Adamson Associates.As part of the construction of the new terminal, the East Bay Teamway was closed temporarily. It gave direct access to GO trains on tracks 4 to 13 and provided a convenient way for riders to transfer between GO trains and GO buses at the old bus terminal. Once reopened, the East Bay Teamway will connect the new bus terminal to a future commercial development at the site of the old terminal. By mid-2020, the new bus terminal was complete, and being tested for public use. The terminal opened on December 5, 2020. In late May 2021, the East Bay Teamway reopened, providing a direct indoor connection between the new bus terminal and GO Transit rail services on tracks 4 to 13.The streets surrounding the terminal do not have dedicated bus lanes. Since 2021, congestion on these streets has caused buses to be delayed and diverted away from the bus terminal.WEB, Callan, Isaac, 11 September 2022, Several GO bus routes rerouted away from downtown Toronto due to congestion,weblink 2023-07-04, Global News, en-US, July 4, 2023,weblink live, WEB, Feinstein, Clarrie, 2022-08-31, Dozens of GO buses cancelled over the weekend as Toronto car traffic mounts,weblink 2023-07-04, thestar.com, en, July 4, 2023,weblink live, In 2023, a GO bus route was withdrawn due to this congestion.WEB, Harvey, Lex, 2023-05-08, GO stopped a direct bus to Union due to downtown traffic jams. The impact has been ‘just disastrous’ on GTA commuters,weblink 2023-07-04, thestar.com, en, July 4, 2023,weblink live, Politicians and transit advocates have called for bus lanes and dedicated turning lanes to be installed on streets around the terminal, such as on Lake Shore Boulevard.WEB, 2022-07-05, A front row seat to Toronto’s Carmaggedon,weblink 2023-07-04, Sean Marshall, en, April 9, 2024,weblink live,

Location and features

(File:Union Station Bus Terminal Drop Off Area 2021.jpg|thumb|Bus terminal drop-off area)The bus terminal is located at 81 Bay Street, northwest of Lake Shore Boulevard and southeast of Union Station, on the south side of the Union Station Rail Corridor. The terminal is housed within the 48-storey south tower of the CIBC Square office development and is directly connected to Union Station via Scotiabank Arena (accessed through an enclosed walkway above Bay Street which is part of the city's PATH indoor pedestrian network), which lies adjacent to Union Station itself.There are two street-level entrances, one on Bay Street opposite Scotiabank Arena, and the other on Lake Shore Boulevard just east of Bay Street. There is a pickup and dropoff area and bicycle parking on the P1 level.The terminal's bus platforms and waiting areas occupy two floors within CIBC Square. The terminal area is climate controlled, with glass doors separating the waiting area from the bus platforms. Other facilities include free Wi-Fi, charging points and washrooms. The terminal is also fully accessible, with elevators, braille and help points throughout the terminal.WEB, Here's how to navigate Toronto's new Union Station bus terminal {{!, Urbanized|url=https://dailyhive.com/toronto/toronto-union-station-bus-terminal|access-date=December 3, 2020|website=dailyhive.com|archive-date=December 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202222016weblink|url-status=live}}Boarding procedures are similar to those for an airport terminal. Digital screens direct riders to the appropriate zone to wait for boarding. Gate assignments appear on digital screens 10 minutes before bus departure, followed by an audio announcement on the PA system. Glass gate doors separating the waiting area from the platform open only when buses are ready to load passengers.The {{convert|10000|m2|adj=on|abbr=on}}, bi-level terminal has fourteen bus bays – twice as many as the previous terminal – and can accommodate GO Transit's fleet of double-decker buses. Unlike the old terminal, bus routes are not permanently assigned platforms in the terminal; this allows for reduced delays in bus unloading and departures. For safety and to prevent unauthorized access, passengers are allowed on the platforms only when buses are loading or unloading.WEB, Union Station's fancy new GO bus terminal is finally opening next month,weblink December 6, 2020, www.blogto.com, November 26, 2020,weblink live, WEB, November 16, 2020, Toronto's new Union Station bus terminal will open its doors next month,weblink December 3, 2020, CP24, December 1, 2020,weblink live, A Second Cup cafe and a convenience store kiosk are amenities to be added to the terminal in 2023.WEB,weblink Archived copy, May 31, 2023, May 31, 2023,weblink live,

Services

Union Station Bus Terminal provides regional and long-distance bus services. As of 2023, seven carriers were using the terminal: GO Transit, Ontario Northland, FlixBus, Greyhound USA, Megabus/Coach Canada, Red Arrow and Rider Express, with GO Transit accounting for approximately 60% of trips arriving or departing from the station.

GO Transit

GO Transit provides bus routes connecting to various cities and towns across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. One bus route, 16 Hamilton/Toronto Express, runs between Union Station Bus Terminal and Hamilton GO Centre in both directions throughout the day. All other GO Transit bus routes complement a namesake GO rail line, providing transit service in directions or periods when GO trains do not run.GO buses serve the following routes and rail corridors:WEB,weblink Union Station Bus Terminal, Google Maps, December 10, 2020, WEB,weblink Full Schedules, GO Transit, December 10, 2020, December 10, 2020, November 17, 2020,weblink live,

• 16 Hamilton/Toronto ExpressWEB,weblink Metrolinx cuts GO services in Hamilton and Niagara, expecting reduced ridership, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, March 15, 2020, December 10, 2020, March 20, 2020,weblink live,
• 18 Lakeshore West
• 21 Milton
• 31 Kitchener
• 61 Richmond Hill
• 65 Barrie
• 71 Stouffville
• 90 Lakeshore East

Long distance

File:Union Station Bus Terminal (Toronto).jpg|alt=Indoor entrance to the bus terminal|thumb|The entrance to the bus terminal as seen approaching from inside Scotiabank ArenaScotiabank Arena{| class="wikitable"! Bus company! Main destinationsFlixBusHTTPS://TORONTOSUN.COM/NEWS/PROVINCIAL/FLIXBUS-WILL-NOW-OPERATE-THROUGH-UNION-STATION-IN-TORONTO ACCESS-DATE=OCTOBER 27, 2022 ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20221026210206/HTTPS://TORONTOSUN.COM/NEWS/PROVINCIAL/FLIXBUS-WILL-NOW-OPERATE-THROUGH-UNION-STATION-IN-TORONTO, live,

• Whitby
• Kingston
• Ottawa

{edih}{hide}flatlist|

• Whitby
• Peterborough
• Ottawa

{edih}{{flatlist|

• St. Catharines
• Niagara Falls
• Cortland
• New York City

}}{{flatlist|

• St. Catharines
• Niagara Falls
• Welland
• Port Colborne

}}{hide}flatlist|

• Hamilton
• Brantford
• London
• Chatham-Kent
• Windsor
• Detroit

{edih}{hide}flatlist|

• Kitchener
• London

{edih}{hide}flatlist|

• Barrie
• Parry Sound
• Sudbury

{edih}|Greyhound Lines

• Buffalo
• Batavia
• Rochester
• Syracuse
• Cortland
• Binghamton
• Gouldsboro
• New York City

{edih}Megabus (North America)>MegabusHTTPS://BLOG.METROLINX.COM/2021/05/27/MEGABUS-STARTS-TO-ROLL-INTO-NEW-UNION-STATION-BUS-TERMINAL/ >TITLE=MEGABUS STARTS TO ROLL INTO NEW UNION STATION BUS TERMINAL WEBSITE=METROLINX NEWS ARCHIVE-DATE=MAY 30, 2021 URL-STATUS=LIVE,

• Grimsby
• St. Catharines
• Niagara Falls

}}{{flatlist|

• Hamilton Airport

}}{hide}flatlist|

• Kingston
• Brockville
• Cornwall
• Kirkland
• Montreal

{edih}{hide}flatlist|

• Kingston
• Ottawa

{edih}{hide}flatlist|

• London

{edih}{hide}flatlist|

• Buffalo
• Ridgewood
• New York City

{edih}{{flatlist|

• Buffalo
• State College
• Harrisburg
• King of Prussia
• Philadelphia
• Baltimore
• Washington, D.C.

}}{hide}flatlist|

• London
• Windsor
• Detroit

{edih} (in partnership with Trailways of New York)NEWS, Megabus offers travel from Detroit to Toronto starting in April,weblink 2023-03-07, 2023-03-09, Detroit Free Press, March 9, 2023,weblink live, Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services>Ontario NorthlandHTTPS://WWW.ONTARIONORTHLAND.CA/EN/SCHEDULES >TITLE=SCHEDULES | ONTARIO NORTHLAND ACCESS-DATE=JUNE 12, 2021 ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20210613170613/HTTPS://WWW.ONTARIONORTHLAND.CA/EN/SCHEDULES, live,

• Barrie
• Bracebridge
• Huntsville
• North Bay

{edih}{hide}flatlist|

• Barrie
• Parry Sound
• Sudbury

{edih}Red Arrow Motorcoach>Red Arrow

• Kingston
• Ottawa

{edih}|Rider Express

• Belleville
• Kingston
• Ottawa

{edih}{hide}flatlist|

• Peterborough
• Ottawa

{edih}

Connections

The bus terminal is connected to Union Station by pedestrian walkways, providing access to connecting suburban and long-distance train services by GO Transit, Via Rail and Amtrak. Union Pearson Express connects the terminal to Toronto Pearson International Airport. The Bay East Teamway provides a direct indoor connection to tracks 4 to 13 used by GO Transit rail services. The terminal is also connected to the TTC subway and streetcar system at Union subway station{{Snd}}served by subway Line 1 Yonge–University and streetcar routes 509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina. Toronto Transit Commission bus routes 19 Bay, 72 Pape and 121 Fort York–Esplanade also connect to Union Station at bus stops at the intersection of Front and Bay Streets.WEB, TTC Union Station,weblink February 20, 2020, www.ttc.ca, February 20, 2020,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20200220202529weblink">weblink live, Porter Airlines operates a shuttle bus service to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport from the intersection of Front and York Streets, northwest of Union Station.

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline|Union Station Bus Terminal}}{{GO Station|02300}}

• TOK Coachlines: Southern Ontario bus schedule

{{GO Transit}}