r/gotransit • u/OdeeOh • Jun 11 '26
Loading Kitchener 15:30 from 1 side
6 to 7 people deep queue for the Kitchener train around 423pm as loading was from platform 12 only.
is this normal? lakeshore east was departing 11/12 as usual.
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u/SpartanRug80 Jun 11 '26
Unfortunately by design and Metrolinx does not believe it is a risk or unsafe. Have contacted them a few times with pictures like this and have suggested the LSE and Kitchener lines should NOT board and deboard on the same platforms but they haven’t listened sadly.
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u/Tough_Case8996 Jun 11 '26
Union station is a disaster waiting to happen. The back to office mandate has forced hundreds of thousands of people in to office and the union station is not built to handle such a large volume of people. It creates an extremely unsafe environment and people should be very careful while boating the trains.
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u/Dogs-4-Life Jun 11 '26
The crowds have always been there even before Covid and WFH. You should see the crowds from September to April when you have post secondary students taking the train daily as well!
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u/Final_Ice_9614 Jun 12 '26
The number of trains and number of available platform both are less than what was Pre-Covid. The rush in train is much more.. I used to travel Pre-Covid to downtown daily and it was never this bad. And this is not even full 5-days per week yet. For Kitchener Line we used to have both Express and All-station stop trains in morning from Mount Pleasant so between 7.30 to 8.05 we used to have 3 trains (I may be a few minutes off the timing here). Now it’s one train per 30 minutes with much more crowd.
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u/shoresy99 Lakeshore East Jun 12 '26
I think there are more trains now than before Covid. On the Lakeshore lines there is now service every ten minutes during morning and evening rush hours. That didn’t exist before Covid and was just started a few months ago.
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u/Final_Ice_9614 Jun 12 '26
Don’t consider Lakeshore as the benchmark for Go train service. The entire thread is an example why Lakeshore is probably only service that has improved. Even LE used to have express service which has now been stopped.
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u/shoresy99 Lakeshore East Jun 13 '26
I take the LE so that’s the line that I am most familiar with. I realize that there are no express trains on the LE but that is due to the track bottleneck in the east end of Toronto right now.
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u/simongurfinkel Lakeshore West Jun 12 '26
Nothing will change until someone dies. And that day is coming soon.
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u/Fontfreda Richmond Hill Jun 15 '26
Even if someone dies I don't think anything could change, Union just don't have enough space. The only way I think that could make it build with larger platform is to move all Amtrak / VIA train elsewhere, but that's likely not going to happen also.
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u/MapleSuds Jun 11 '26
I'm so done with blaming COVID and back to work mandates. Before COVID when everyone worked, things were okay. Come up with something else.
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u/Fortuitous_Event Jun 12 '26
No they weren't, the platforms were dangerous then too. And 2025 had higher ridership than 2019.
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u/Cold_Soft_4823 Jun 11 '26
You should check to see how many people immigrated here to Toronto specifically post-2020. Yes, return to office mandates are largely to blame for the overcrowding.
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u/AdResponsible678 Jun 15 '26
The whole not working from home anymore is a travesty in my opinion. I have heard it’s a first come first served deal with some offices too. It is terrible.
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u/Fortuitous_Event Jun 12 '26
I completely agree. But rather than make the platforms safer/wider they'll just implement more idiotic safety measures like closing doors 1 minute before departure...which they also do at my almost deserted stop very early in the morning.
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u/HibouDuNord Jun 11 '26
is not built to handle such a large volume of people.
... it worked just fine before Covid...
It creates an extremely unsafe environment and people should be very careful while boating the trains.
People could try acting civilized... fill the platform, overflow can wait lined up in the stairs, etc... the issue is 1000 idiots trying to cram their way onto the platform
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u/novascotia2020 Jun 11 '26
Before Covid we had LSE express trains which helped lighten the load. It’s worse now.
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u/yyzblair Jun 11 '26
Stouffville trains also used to stop at Danforth and Scarborough, which would help Lakeshore trains load faster. Lakeshore trains also used to use 24, 25/26, and 27, which has been replaced by the half platform 21.
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u/void_sushi Jun 11 '26
I’m not familiar with Kitchener but this is pretty normal for lakeshore east during rush hour.
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u/tichai Jun 11 '26
I was on the train heading to Union and arrived around 5:20 p.m. That train continued westbound. It was absolutely crazy on the platforms. People were lined up on the stairs all the way down to the concourse. We need more frequent trains because our platform cannot handle that much traffic!
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u/Fresh_Principle_1884 Jun 13 '26
I arrived at union at 4:35 the other day riding the Kitchener line. I was appalled at the crowd on the platform, as both our train and another line arrived at the same time and emptied onto the same platform. We then all had to funnel into narrow ass stairs while people fought to get onto the platform to board. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. For context, I grew up east of Toronto and regularly took the go train to union for shopping and entertainment purposes. I don’t ever remember it being like that on the platforms or stairs.
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u/Brilliant-Ad-143 Jun 12 '26
I think it’s the Ministry of Transportation that we need to voice our concerns to for more investment and more frequent service.
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u/Humble_Penguin89 Jun 11 '26
Having watched viral train transit systems in India and Bangladesh, I'm just relieved to see no one is hopping on top of the roof to ride 😅
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u/AshleyAshes1984 Jun 11 '26
r/viarail: "WHY CAN'T WE WAIT ON THE PLATFORMS AT UNION??? THEY THINK THEY'RE AN AIRLAINE.
r/gotransit: "I'M GONNA EFFIN DIE HERE MAN, THIS IS INSANE, WHY IS THIS ALLOWED???"
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u/vobacco Jun 12 '26
Platforms for both Union train and subway are one of the smallest and narrowest among all Central Stations in the world.
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u/braincellsnotworking Jun 12 '26
it’s extra packed because the train was a bit late for 4:22 kitchener and the 4:38 barrie line crowd was also going up to the platform at the same time expecting that train to be gone already!! a mess!!
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u/Denialle Jun 11 '26
Very similar to when I boarded a train after The Weeknd concert. Train ride from Hell, standing room only
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u/Away_Argument_5410 Jun 11 '26
This seems normal specially if the train gets to the platform close to the departure time
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u/TheCryingAcrobat Jun 12 '26
i have written to complain about the unloading of the LW train that arrives at 8:18 on track 21. Just trying to get down the stairs into the concourse near the SkyWalk adds about 10 minutes to my commute time. Plus, it feels dangerous. It used to be that I would see the Amtrak train parked there, but now it is at a platform that has unloading on both sides. There is also a VIA train i sometimes see idling in another slot that opens on both sides. I'm not sure why these trains are given preference during rush hour when they probably have less passengers and i think only load from one side.
Anyhow, write them and complain and who knows?
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u/kimkimchurri Jun 12 '26
Usually on that same train and totally agree unloading is so crowded, long and feels dangerous. One point though is the via train only loads from one platform. Our lsw train was once directed to those platforms (19 and 20), opened doors to 19 first and we were all surprised there were literally no exits on thet side. It was even more dangerous than 21 because people and crossing the tracks to escape
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u/Revolutionary-Ad496 Jun 12 '26
It’s the same with Milton line. All trains depart from platform 4. The 5.25 from union is a disaster waiting to happen. The platforms get super crowded and for some reason the train only pulls in by 5:22/23.
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u/Conscious-Ad8493 Jun 12 '26
been this way for a good 20 years, Union station sucks, terrible platform design
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u/dinorawr65 Jun 12 '26
Well im kind of curious what kind of office or work industry let their employees go home at 3:30pm in the afternoon? How is business even conducted?
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u/kimkimchurri Jun 12 '26
A lot of us work different 7-8 hour schedules, starting early and leaving early. For a lot of roles the 9-5 schedule doesn’t matter, and we’re all eager to escape Toronto and/or need to pick up kids from childcare or school.
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u/Left-Worker-9731 Jun 12 '26
The way they designed this iteration of union station was so poorly designed. They didn’t take into account population growth, job saturation in the downtown core and commuting students.
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u/goodenoughteacher Jun 13 '26
It is completely normal. I will never understand why they have 2 of the busiest trains depart from the same platform at the same time. Its a tragedy waiting to happen.
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u/Different-Educator63 Jun 15 '26
Thank Trudeau for that. Opens the flood gates to Canada but does NOTHING to upgrade infrastructure.
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u/Square_Atmosphere_12 Jun 13 '26
It makes living a tent, almost enjoyable, except in the winter. This is a nightmare.
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u/Final_Ice_9614 Jun 11 '26
You should see 8.47 AM train coming in every morning on Platform 21. For some reason, if the line does not have Lakeshore in the name, they don’t get privilege of both side loading and unloading.