New Union Station bus terminal opens in Toronto

After more than three years of construction, the new state-of-the-art GO bus hub has opened at Union Station in Toronto.

The new 23,000 square foot Union Station Bus Terminal is located on the north-east corner of Bay Street and Lake Shore Boulevard and has the look and feel of an airport terminal.

The terminal offers transit riders easy access to and from the downtown core with direct connections to GO trains, TTC, VIA Rail and UP Express. A new indoor glass pedestrian bridge connects the terminal to Scotiabank Arena’s galleria and the PATH, sheltering customers from the elements.

Bus platforms and customer waiting areas now occupy two floors instead of the single-level terminal at the old station. While the terminal will operate on a fixed platform model, meaning the same bus routes always depart from the same platforms, there is also the ability to dynamically assign buses to an available platform to prevent backlogs and minimize delays.

The new terminal also features a two-stage departure process which will see customers directed to the relevant zone first where gate information is then shown on digital screens.

Glass gate doors will physically separate customers in the waiting area from the platform and will only be opened and closed during boarding and to de-board buses, providing enhanced safety while preventing unauthorized access.