Veterans can ride free of fare on several transit systems in the Greater Toronto area this Saturday, August 22.

On that day, the Canadian National Exhibition hosts its annual Warriors Day events, including a parade, and vets and companions can enter the CNE for free.

The free transit service for veterans is available on vehicles serving all routes that the transit systems operate Saturday, not just those operating to and from the “Ex”. In most cases, the families of deceased veterans may also ride buses, streetcars and trains free of fare.

Generally, transit systems ask veterans to wear their uniforms, medals or something else that would clearly identify them as veterans, so they don’t have to pay a fare, like other passengers. Families of deceased veterans riding transit vehicles should also bring some form of identification.

Transit systems that offer free rides for vets this Saturday include:

• Brampton Transit;
• GO Transit;
• MiWay;
• the TTC;
• UP Express; and
• York Region Transit.

Military parades and demonstrations have been an important tradition of the Canadian National Exhibition since it started in 1879. This year marks the 105th anniversary of the Warriors’ Day Parade at the CNE. In 1921, the “Ex” board of governors decided that the parades would formally salute veterans of World War I. The board formed the Warriors’ Day Parade Council to make sure that Torontonians paid ongoing tribute to former and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

The parade starts at the Princes’ Gates and continues westward along Princes’ Boulevard.

01 Lakeshore West

• An extra eastbound train starts in Exhibition GO Station at 11:36 p.m., ending in Union Station at 11:45 p.m.
• The westbound train that usually starts in Union at 11:04 p.m. starts, instead, 13 minutes later at 11:17 p.m.

09 Lakeshore East

• An extra eastbound train starts in Union at 11:35 p.m., dropping off and picking up passengers in all stations. It ends in Durham College Oshawa GO Station at 12:37 a.m.

09 Lakeshore East

^ A shot of Exhibition loop at the east end of the Exhibition grounds, looking northeast from the Shell Oil Tower in September 1975. This photo originally comes from the Charles Houser collection and was donated by Pete Coulman.

On September 9, 1881, two horses pulling a Toronto Street Railway car full of passengers arrived at Strachan Avenue and Wellington Street, the new end of the line for the TSR’s King route. The passengers stepped off the car and into the history books as they walked down Strachan to the entrance of the local fairgrounds and introduced Torontonians and visitors alike to the idea that travelling by transit was a safe, convenient — and, often, fun — way to get to the exhibition.

Nearly 145 years later, as the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) gets ready for its next season at Exhibition Place, transit still plays an important role in the success of the annual fair. This year, the “Ex” starts Friday, August 21 and continues until Labour Day, Monday, September 7.

As usual, the TTC is revising and increasing its services to help fair-going crowds head to the “Ex”.

GO Transit is providing extra train service along various train lines.

Since those first passengers in 1881, Toronto’s public transit vehicles — horse cars, streetcars, buses and trains — have been carrying passengers to and from the Canadian National Exhibition — and the various fairs that preceded it. From 1883 until 1885, Toronto’s and Canada’s first electric-powered streetcar carried passengers through the exhibition grounds from the end of the horse car line at Strachan Avenue and Wellington Street — then the main entrance to the fair — to the area of the current Dufferin Gate. (The city as a whole had to wait until August 16, 1892 before an electric streetcar entered regular service along city streets.)

All four of Toronto’s public transit agencies — the Toronto Street Railway, the Toronto Railway Company, the Toronto Transportation Commission and the Toronto Transit Commission — have traditionally dedicated extra human and equipment resources in making sure that everyone gets happily, safely and efficiently to and from the great fairs. And, Canada’s railways and interurban bus companies have also played their parts in the history of the Exhibition, especially the TTC’s former interurban subsidiary company, Gray Coach Lines, the forerunner of today’s GO Transit.

Starting in the 1930s, Gray Coach operated buses directly to a terminal on the Exhibition grounds — immediately west of the Automotive Building — from various cities and towns in Southern Ontario, including Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Galt (Cambridge), Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kitchener, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Oshawa, Preston (Cambridge) and St. Catharines. For those who lived in other towns, GCL operated special flag buses from the downtown bus terminal on Bay Street to the CNE. (They were “flag” buses, because you could wave at, or “flag”, the driver to stop and pick you up.) Your Gray Coach ticket from elsewhere in Ontario let you ride the flag bus from the downtown terminal for free. The downtown flag buses also served major downtown hotels, including the Royal York and the King Edward.

In the 1960s and 70s, the TTC also got into the flag-bus business, operating express buses from suburban points to the same Exhibition bus terminal near the Automotive Building. In 1961, buses operated from Yonge Street and Finch Avenue, Jane Street and Wilson Avenue, Royal York Road and Anglesey Boulevard, Don Mills Road and Lawrence Avenue East and Eglinton Avenue East and Pharmacy Avenue. In 1982, the last year of this service, the buses still operated from Jane and Wilson and Eglinton and Pharmacy, but also ran from Yonge and Steeles Avenue, Bloor Street West and the East Mall, Islington Avenue and Elmhurst Drive and Ellesmere and McCowan Roads.

Meanwhile, GO trains have been stopping at Exhibition GO Station since the very first day of service, May 23, 1967.

^ During the 1968 Exhibition season, GO Transit set up a temporary ticket booth and provided service for CNE patrons. This image is courtesy the Government of Ontario.

The Transit Toronto archives contain several informative articles by James Bow describing the history of transit services to the Canadian National Exhibition.

You can read about:

• the history of transit service to Exhibition Place here (with John F. Bromley).
• the history of the 509 Harbourfront streetcar route here.
• the history of the present 511 Bathurst and the former Fort streetcar routes here.
• the history of the 514 Cherry streetcar route here.
• the history of Exhibition East and Fleet loops here.
• the history of the Dufferin streetcar here (with John F. Bromley).
• the history of GO Transit’s Lakeshore lines here (with Daniel Garcia).

Other relevant history articles on our site:

• the history of the 29 Dufferin bus route by Jeffrey Kay, here.
• the history of the 93 Exhibition West express route (1988 - 2002) by Jeffrey Kay, here.
• the history of the 193 Exhibition rocket route by Jeffrey Kay, here.
• the history of the 307 / 310 Bathurst night route by Jeffrey Kay with Pete Coulman, here.
• the history of the 314 Dufferin - Bathurst overnight route (1987 - 1996) by James Bow, here.
• the history of the 329 Dufferin overnight route by Jeffrey Kay, here.
• the history of the 929 Dufferin express route by Jelo Guttierez Cantos, here.

The TTC is closing Line 1 Yonge - University subway between Lawrence West and St George stations earlier than usually Monday, August 17 until Friday, August 21. Line 1 subway trains operate only between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Lawrence West stations and between Finch and St George stations after 11:59 p.m. those evenings.

Shuttle buses partially replace subway service. The buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops near each station on that part of the line. TTC staff are available in each station to direct you to the shuttle-bus boarding and offloading locations.

(Or, consider a shuttle-bus alternative.)

Most stations on this section of Line 1 remain open, so you can pay fares, load PRESTO fare cards, buy PRESTO tickets and connect to TTC buses, streetcars or Line 2 Bloor - Danforth and Line 5 Eglinton trains. However, Glencairn and Dupont stations are closed. Note that the TTC is also closing the Heath Street West access to and from St Clair West Station and the Kendal Avenue access to and from Spadina Station after 11:59 p.m.

While this part of Line 1 is closed, TTC crews are maintaining the tracks.

According to a TTC news release, “While the TTC does most subway maintenance after service each night, it continues to require weekend and early weeknight closures to complete critical infrastructure and state-of-good-repair work.”

Metrolinx continues building the Ontario Line subway between Exhibition Place / Ontario Place and the area near the former Ontario Science Centre, through downtown Toronto.

Starting Sunday, August 16, the City of Toronto is closing:

• Gerrard Street East east of Carlaw Avenue

to accommodate Metrolinx construction of the new subway line near the future Gerrard Station.

The City is first closing the westbound lanes and the north sidewalk, then eastbound lanes and the south sidewalk.

The TTC is detouring streetcars along these routes, while the traffic lanes are closed:

• 306 Carlton overnight; and
• 506 Carlton.

Shuttle buses replace the cars between Coxwell Avenue and Jarvis Street.

Note that the TTC is already detouring the cars during construction on College and Carlton streets between Bay and Church streets. Shuttle buses along a separate route replace streetcars between Bay Street and Broadview Avenue to accommodate that separate construction project.

Metrolinx construction on Gerrard Street East near the future Gerrard Station and the resulting TTC detours continue until August 23 (4 a.m.)

• on Warden Avenue north of Hollis Avenue / Clonmore Drive

restricts buses from turning right from southbound Warden onto westbound Clonmore.

The TTC is detouring buses along this route, while turns are restricted:

• 135 Gerrard.

The construction also affects service along this route:

• 69 Warden South.

Construction at Warden / Clonmore and the resulting TTC service changes continue until August 20.

Aside from bikes, Amsterdam is also known for its extensive streetcar network. Alongside the regular network, the Electric Tramway Museum of Amsterdam offers heritage streetcar tours through the heart of the city, aboard some of their vintage collection. So, follow along as our Internationalk Correspondent Richard YS takes this city tour on a 1959 ‘Bolkoppen’ articulated streetcar, experiencing the sights and sounds of this beautiful city as we rumble along onboard this vintage vehicle.

The TTC is closing Line 1 Yonge - University subway between Sheppard West and St Clair West stations earlier than usually Friday, August 14. It’s also closing the same section of Line 1 all day Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 15. Line 1 subway trains operate only **between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Sheppard West stations and between Finch and St Clair West stations after 11:59 p.m. Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday.

Shuttle buses partially replace subway service. The buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops near each station on that part of the line. TTC staff are available in each station to direct you to the shuttle-bus boarding and offloading locations.

(Or, consider a shuttle-bus alternative.)

Most stations on this section of Line 1 remain open, so you can pay fares, load PRESTO fare cards, buy PRESTO tickets and connect to TTC buses, streetcars or Line 2 Bloor - Danforth and Line 5 Eglinton trains. However, Glencairn Station is closed. Note that the TTC is also closing the Ranee Avenue access to and from Yorkdale Station late Friday and all Saturday and Sunday.

While this part of Line 1 is closed, TTC crews are maintaining the tracks, it says, “to address reduced speed zones in the area. Work includes replacing sections of track and repairing areas that have shifted or worn over time. This work will help remove speed restrictions, improve travel times, and enhance service reliability for [passengers].”

Note that this weekend, passengers won’t have the option of travelling aboard GO Transit trains to and from Downsview Park GO Station to avoid the subway closure. GO is replacing trains with buses along the 65 Barrie line this weekend to accommodate construction — but the buses don’t serve Downsview Park.

The TTC is closing this part of Line 1 at least once more during August:

• Monday, August 17 until Friday, August 21 — Lawrence West to St George — close early — track work.

According to a TTC news release, “While the TTC does most subway maintenance after service each night, it continues to require weekend and early weeknight closures to complete critical infrastructure and state-of-good-repair work.”

Friday, August 14

• The train that starts its trip in Pearson Airport Terminal 1 to Union Station at 11:39 p.m. is the last eastbound train.
• UP is cancelling the eastbound trains that usually start in Pearson at 11:54 p.m. and 12:09, 12:24, 12:39 and 12:54 a.m.
• The train that starts its trip in Union at 11 p.m. to Pearson is the last westbound train.
• UP is cancelling the westbound trains that usually start in Union at 11:15, 11:30, 11:45 and 11:59 p.m. and 12:15, 12:30, 12:45 and 1 a.m.

Saturday, August 15
Sunday, August 16

• No UP Express trains operate.
• GO buses along temporary route 35 operate express — without stopping — between Pearson Airport Terminal 1 and Union Station Bus Terminal.
• GO replacement buses don’t drop off or pick up passengers at Weston, Mount Dennis or Bloor stations.
• Board TTC buses, streetcars or trains to travel to and from those stations.

Metrolinx confirms that it’s working on the GO Expansion Program this weekend and that work impacts UP Express service. But it also says it’s preparing for construction of the future Stockyards and Woodbine stations. The projects also require GO “to temporarily suspend service” along parts of the Kitchener line “so that construction can be performed safely.”

(The future Stockyards GO Station was formerly known as St. Clair - Old Weston Road GO Station.)

As we explained, GO is revising service along the 31 Kitchener line due to the construction this weekend.

And, GO buses also replace trains along the 65 Barrie line this weekend.

On the other hand, passengers travelling aboard trains along the 01 Lakeshore West and 71 Stouffville lines can expect extra service to help them travel to and from the Honda Indy in Markham.

Metrolinx continues upgrading the 31 Kitchener line as part of the GO Expansion Program.

This Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16, Metrolinx construction affects service along GO Transit’s 31 Kitchener line.

GO buses replace trains between Stratford or Kitchener and Mount Pleasant GO stations.

GO trains operate hourly between Mount Pleasant and Mount Dennis GO stations. GO is not providing bus or train service between Mount Dennis and Union Station.

And, some GO buses operate between Stratford or Kitchener and Highway 407 Bus Terminal.

Construction also impacts some late-night service Friday evening.

Friday, August 14

• The westbound train that usually starts its trip in Union at 9:34 p.m. ends in Georgetown GO Station at 10:35 p.m.
• The westbound train that usually starts in Union at 10:34 p.m. ends in Kitchener five minutes later than usually at 12:31 a.m.
• GO is cancelling the westbound train that usually starts in Union at 11:34 p.m.

Saturday, August 15
Sunday, August 16

If you’re travelling from Stratford or Kitchener GO stations, board regular GO buses along the 30 Waterloo / Brampton route GO buses between Kitchener and Bramalea GO stations to connect with trains or stay on the bus to Highway 407 Bus Terminal to connect to the TTC’s Line 1 Yonge - University subway to Union Station. (Note, however, that buses replace Line 1 service between Sheppard West and St Clair West stations this Saturday and Sunday.)

If you’re travelling from Guelph Central, Acton or Georgetown GO stations, board regular GO buses along the 31 Guelph / Georgetown / Toronto or 33 Guelph / Georgetown / North York routes to connect with trains in Mount Pleasant. Note that trains end their trips in Mount Dennis. If you’re travelling to Union Station, board a replacement bus to Highway 407 Bus Terminal and connect to the TTC’s Line 1 Yonge - University subway.

If you’re travelling from Bramalea to Union, board regular GO buses along the 47 Hamilton / Vaughan route to Highway 407 Bus Terminal and connect to the TTC’s Line 1 southward to Union Station.

If you’re travelling to Union Station from all other stations, board the train to Mount Dennis and:

• board TTC trains along Line 5 Eglinton to connect to the TTC’s Line 1 at Cedarvale Station and then travel southward to Union Station (55 minutes).

GO isn’t providing any service at Bloor GO station. If you are travelling from Bloor to Union:

• board TTC trains along Line 2 Bloor - Danforth to connect to TTC Line 1 at St. George station (11 minutes).

GO is adjusting some schedules for trains along the line Monday, August 17 and Tuesday, August 18, with all eastbound trains from Stratford or Kitchener GO starting their trips two minutes earlier than usually, and all westbound trains from Union ending in Kitchener or Stratford two minutes later.

Metrolinx confirms that is working on the GO Expansion Program this weekend. But it also says it’s preparing for construction of the future Stockyards and Woodbine stations. The projects require it “to temporarily suspend service along the Kitchener line so that construction can be performed safely.”

(The future Stockyards GO Station was formerly known as St. Clair - Old Weston Road GO Station.)

Construction on the Kitchener line also affects UP Express service this weekend.

And, GO buses replace trains along the 65 Barrie line this weekend.

On the other hand, passengers travelling aboard trains along the 01 Lakeshore West and 71 Stouffville lines can expect extra service to help them travel to and from the Honda Indy in Markham.

Metrolinx and GO plan to accommodate more passengers and increase service along the Kitchener line, as part of their GO Expansion Program (formerly “regional express rail”).

Metrolinx and its contractors continue upgrading GO Transit’s Barrie line as part of the GO Expansion Program.

Due to GO Expansion construction this weekend, GO is cancelling train service along the 65 Barrie line Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16. GO buses replace the trains.

• All replacement GO buses start and end their trips in Highway 407 Bus Terminal.
• During previous occasions when buses replaced trains along the line:

• GO buses along route 65G served Aurora, King City, Maple and Rutherford GO stations and Highway 407 terminal.
• GO buses along route 65H operated express between Aurora and Highway 407 terminal.
• GO buses along route 65J served passengers at all stops, including East Gwillimbury, Newmarket, Aurora, King City, Maple, Rutherford and Highway 407 terminal.
• GO buses along route 68F dropped off or picked up passengers at Barrie Bus Terminal, Allandale Waterfront GO Station, Barrie South GO Station and then operated express — without stopping — to Highway 407 terminal.

• GO buses along route 68G served passengers at all stops, including Barrie Bus Terminal, Allandale Waterfront, Barrie South, Bradford GO Station, East Gwillimbury GO Station, Newmarket GO Station, Aurora GO Station, King City GO Station, Maple GO Station, Rutherford GO Station and Highway 407 terminal.

• GO buses along route 68H operated northbound only and serve Aurora, Newmarket, East Gwillimbury and Bradford.

• Southbound passengers aboard regular buses along the 68 Barrie / Newmarket / Aurora route wishing to connect with buses along routes 65H and 65G had to wait 15 to 20 minutes in Aurora.

• Northbound passengers aboard regular buses along the 65 East Gwillimbury / Newmarket / Toronto route wishing to connect with buses along route 68 had to wait seven to 12 minutes in Aurora.

Note that GO bus schedules differ from regular train schedules due to longer travel times.

This Saturday and Sunday, no Barrie-line trains or buses operate to and from Downsview Park GO Station. Board or exit TTC subway trains along Line 1 Yonge - University at Highway 407 Station to travel to and from Downsview Park or Union Station. Note, however, that buses replace subway trains along Line 1 between Sheppard West and St Clair West stations this weekend.

GO will further adjust service along the line Monday, August 17 and from Tuesday, August 18 until Thursday, August 20 due to residual effects of this weekend’s construction. Regular service resumes Friday, August 21.

Metrolinx is expanding key areas of the Barrie-Line corridor to support improving service by adding a second track in the future. It’s also significantly upgrading:

• Maple GO Station;
• King City GO Station; and
• Aurora GO Station.

GO is also revising service along the 31 Kitchener line this weekend. And, GO buses replace UP Express trains.

On the other hand, passengers travelling aboard trains along the 01 Lakeshore West and 71 Stouffville lines can expect extra service to help them travel to and from the Honda Indy in Markham.

Metrolinx and GO plan to accommodate more passengers and increase service along the Barrie line, as part of their GO Expansion Program (formerly “regional express rail”).

The City of Markham is hosting the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy for the first time from Friday, August 14 until Sunday, August 16. The new venue for the event is the area around Unionville GO Station, significantly impacting GO Transit and York Region Transit services.

To accommodate event organizers while they build the race track, the Region of York is closing

• Kennedy Road [Regional Road 3] between Unionville Gate / South Unionville Avenue and YMCA Boulevard / Helen Avenue

from 9 p.m. Wednesday, August 12 until 6 a.m. Monday, August 17.

During and after the event, while the race team tears down the event infrastructure, the Region is also closing

• Kennedy between north of Duffield Drive and Unionville / South Unionville

from 9 p.m. Wednesday, August 12 until 6 a.m. Monday, August 17.

Before, during and after the event, the City is closing

• Enterprise Boulevard between Main Street Unionville and east of Andre de Grasse Street and
• University Boulevard between Enterprise and YMCA boulevards

from 9 p.m. Wednesday, August 5 until Friday, August 21.

The City is also closing:

• YMCA Boulevard between University Boulevard and the Unionville GO Station access route

from 9 p.m. Monday, August 10 until 6 a.m. Monday, August 17.

And, the City is closing:

• Main Street Unionville south of Highway 7,
• Unionville Gate and
• other streets near Unionville GO Station

from 9 p.m. Wednesday, August 12 until 6 a.m. Tuesday, **August 18.

As preparations continue for the race, GO Transit passengers can expect impacts to parking, station access and bus service at Unionville GO Station, including a temporary full station access closure starting 8 p.m. Wednesday, August 12.

York Region Transit has already started detouring some of its buses to accommodate event preparations. It will detour buses along more routes, starting August 12.

The TTC is closing Line 1 Yonge - University subway between Lawrence West and St George stations earlier than usually Monday, August 10 until Thursday, August 13. Line 1 subway trains operate only between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Lawrence West stations and between Finch and St George stations after 11:59 p.m. those evenings.

Shuttle buses partially replace subway service. The buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops near each station on that part of the line. TTC staff are available in each station to direct you to the shuttle-bus boarding and offloading locations.

(Or, consider a shuttle-bus alternative.)

Most stations on this section of Line 1 remain open, so you can pay fares, load PRESTO fare cards, buy PRESTO tickets and connect to TTC buses, streetcars or Line 2 Bloor - Danforth and Line 5 Eglinton trains. However, Glencairn and Dupont stations are closed. Note that the TTC is also closing the Heath Street West access to and from St Clair West Station and the Kendal Avenue access to and from Spadina Station after 11:59 p.m.

While this part of Line 1 is closed, TTC crews are maintaining the tracks.

The TTC is closing this part of Line 1 at least twice more during August:

• Friday, August 14 — Sheppard West to St Clair West — close early — track work.
• Saturday, August 15 and Sunday, August 16 — Sheppard West to St Clair West — track work.

According to a TTC news release, “While the TTC does most subway maintenance after service each night, it continues to require weekend and early weeknight closures to complete critical infrastructure and state-of-good-repair work.”

GO’s route 18 is one of the system’s oldest bus routes, launched in September 1970 to connect the west end of the Lakeshore GO Train to Hamilton. Now that train the line has been extended to Hamilton, and the route 11 has been launched extending service to Brock University, the route 18 has become much less frequent, though it still serves to connect some Aldershot-bound GO trains to the Hamilton GO Centre and vice versa.

But that’s during the day. Late at night, or early in the morning, branches of the 18 run the full Lakeshore West line, providing a nominal owl service for the western half of GO Transit’s busiest train line. On the morning of Sunday, June 7, 2026, Transit Toronto editor James Bow woke up really early to head to West Harbour GO Station to ride one of the few 18J branches, serving Hamilton GO Centre, and most of the stations on the Lakeshore West train line. This timelapse video is the result. Check it out, and enjoy the backing music by Luke Holizna.

This Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9, trains start trips in Durham College Oshawa GO Station two minutes earlier than usually.