Toronto Eglinton Crosstown LRT Opens Sunday

Toronto's long-awaited Eglinton Crosstown light rail line is set to open to the public on Sunday, marking the end of 15 years of construction and multiple delays for the 19-kilometre transit route spanning 25 stations from Mount Dennis in the city's west end to Kennedy in the east.

The Toronto Transit Commission announced a phased soft launch for Line 5, beginning with shorter operating hours to allow staff to monitor operations and refine schedules based on real-world conditions. Trains will run from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays and holidays. During peak periods, service will arrive every four minutes and 45 seconds. Shuttle buses will connect the endpoints from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., followed by the TTC's Blue Night Network buses until morning service resumes. Riders can board for free on opening day from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., though fares will apply to connections with other TTC services to avoid fines.

Construction on the project began in 2011, with an initial target completion date of 2020. Delays pushed the timeline back six years, inflating costs to $12.6 billion, more than a billion dollars over the original...