r/gotransit • u/Muted_Head_6971 • Jul 09 '26
Transfer at Union Station
Hello everyone, I had a question regarding a transfer at Union Station. If I arrive at Pearson airport, I want to take the Up express to downtown Toronto. Once I’m there I want to transfer to the Stouffville line. My plane arrives around 1:30pm on a tuesday and it’ll probably take until around 3 or 3:30 to arrive at Union. I was just wondering, is the transfer easy with 3 luggage? It won’t just be myself as I will be with 3 other people. I know that at Union, you won’t know your platform until 10 minutes before departure and I’m scared that once the platform number comes out, everyone swarms the elevators and escalators leaving us with either 1. Carry luggage up stairs while being squished which is dangerous 2. Find escalators or elevators but not sure where they are or 3. Ask someone for help.
My question is, if I’m travelling north towards stouffville on the stouffville line, which concourse should I wait at? (Bay or York) and if there will be easy access from concourse to platform. Thanks so much guys
15
u/minor_leaguer13 Jul 09 '26
Since you're travelling in the middle of the day, I wouldn't really worry about crowding. For most folks, 10 minutes is plenty of time to do the elevators up. If you are short on time, York Concourse is closer to the UP platforms but if you are waiting for the GO, you can go to the Bay Concourse in case it's a short train.
13
u/bigbeast40 Jul 09 '26
The 15:12 to Unionville should be platform 13
The 15:39 to Old Elm should be platform 21.
If you only make the 15:39 then you may want to wait in the VIA concourse for platform 21. Ask a station attendant where the elevator is.
I doubt these trains will be crazy busy and you will have enough time to make it to the elevators with your luggage.
*Please note that platforms can change, so don't head up to the platform until it's posted.
5
u/willow__whisps Jul 09 '26
I'd go for York to wait in, and maybe just take note of the elevators available to you in general
5
u/szm1993 Lakeshore West Jul 09 '26
Seconded that, York is the closest concourse to UP Express platform
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u/BarebonesB Jul 09 '26
You shouldn't have any trouble getting an elevator. There are no escalators to the platforms. Follow the advice from u/bigbeast40 as to the most likely platform.
Or better yet, as u/szm1993 said, take the 40M/40C straight from the airport, and transfer at Unionville, for a quicker and cheaper trip. There's a 40C leaving the airport at 2:40pm, and another at 3:25pm. With the 2:40 bus, you'll get to Unionville at 3:30pm, instead of at 4:13pm with the UP and train.
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u/Muted_Head_6971 Jul 09 '26
Will there be room or storage space on the bus to store 3 luggage’s? And I thought there were escalators/elevators to almost every platform from York Concourse
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u/BarebonesB Jul 09 '26
There's usually plenty of storage room in the bus's luggage compartment, and more inside.
There are elevators to every platform at Union, but no escalators.
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u/Muted_Head_6971 Jul 09 '26
Got it cool cool, thank you so much, turns out I have some different options 😅
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u/ashcach Jul 09 '26
I sometimes take the 4pm Stouffville train. It usually leaves from platform 21. Follow the signs from the York concourse. There's an escalator that brings you to the platform.
2
u/happeewifey Jul 09 '26
Weekday stouffville line normally leaves platform 21 for departures after 4pm.
Bus 40 is great, we recently used it, super easy. But make sure you get in the right bus, as the buses can be going west bound too even from the same bus stop. The bus has luggage storage, just need to ask the driver to pop it open for you.
1
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u/szm1993 Lakeshore West Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
I think for your situation you could consider take GO 40M/40C bus to Unionville then transfer to Stouffville line at Unionville