Eglinton LRT Opening Date: Revenue Service Now Operational

The Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit line, officially known as Line 5 Eglinton, has officially opened to the public. After more than a decade of construction and multiple delays, the Ontario government and Metrolinx confirmed that revenue service began on December 5, 2025. The 19-kilometre line now connects Kennedy Station in the east to Mount Dennis in the west, operating daily with extended hours and connecting passengers to three TTC subway stations, UP Express, and multiple GO lines along the route.

The opening marked the end of one of the largest transit projects in Toronto’s recent history. The line traverses over 10 kilometres underground and includes 25 stations total, with 19 kilometres of surface and underground track combined. Passengers can now travel the full length of the line in approximately 52 to 54 minutes end to end. Officials described the launch as a milestone for the city’s transit network, though the journey to opening day was marked by years of setbacks, testing complications, and shifting timelines.

When Will the Eglinton LRT Open?

The Eglinton LRT officially opened on December 5, 2025, when the line achieved substantial completion following a successful Revenue Service Demonstration. The opening came after years of anticipation and multiple missed target dates. Originally, the line was slated to open in 2020, but construction challenges, vehicle reliability testing, and integration issues pushed the launch well beyond initial estimates. By the second half of 2025, Metrolinx had indicated that an official announcement would come with at least three months’ notice, though no firm date had been published publicly by November 2025. The eventual announcement arrived shortly before the December opening, confirming what riders had long awaited.

• Revenue service launched December 5, 2025, following a successful demonstration phase
• The line spans 19 kilometres from Kennedy to Mount Dennis with 25 stations
• More than 10 kilometres of the route runs underground through central Eglinton Avenue
• The project broke ground in 2011 with an original 2020 opening target
• Testing phase included vehicle reliability checks and integration with TTC and GO systems
• The line connects to 68 bus routes and multiple regional rail services

What Is the Current Status of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT?

As of April 2026, Line 5 operates under expanded service hours that reflect a fully functional transit line. On weekdays, the LRT runs from 5:30 in the morning until 1:20 at night. Saturday service begins at the same early time, with the last car departing at 12:30 in the morning. Sundays and statutory holidays see a slightly later start at 7:30 a.m., while maintaining the same late-night endpoint of 1:20 a.m. These hours represent a mature operational schedule rather than a limited or trial period, indicating that the line has moved beyond the initial soft-launch stage.

Line 5 Eglinton Service Hours and Shuttle Information

Late-night service is supplemented by dedicated shuttle buses operating between 10 p.m. and 1:20 a.m. These shuttle buses run parallel to the LRT during hours when the main line may have reduced capacity or maintenance windows. Additionally, the 334 Eglinton Blue Night bus provides coverage during the overnight period between 1 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, extending to 7:30 a.m. on Sundays and holidays. This layered approach to overnight service ensures that commuters retain transit options throughout the night, even when the LRT itself is not running.

Testing Phase Completion and Transition to Operations

The transition from a testing and demonstration environment to full revenue service followed an extensive period of validation. Vehicle reliability testing, system integration checks involving TTC operations, Metrolinx oversight, and contractor Crosslinx, and overall safety certification all formed part of the process that preceded the December opening. Officials described the Revenue Service Demonstration as the final verification step before the line was cleared for public use. Since the opening, Metrolinx and the TTC have continued to monitor performance metrics and have invited public feedback through official TTC channels to identify any areas requiring adjustment.

Why Has the Eglinton LRT Been Delayed?

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT faced delays that stretched the project’s timeline by more than five years beyond its original 2020 opening target. The reasons for these setbacks are multiple and interconnected. Construction on the 19-kilometre corridor began in 2011, with major above-ground and underground work proceeding simultaneously across dozens of work sites along Eglinton Avenue. The complexity of building a new transit line through an active urban corridor, combined with the need to coordinate with existing infrastructure, contributed to early scheduling pressures that intensified over time.

Key Factors Behind the Extended Timeline

A critical issue arose during the vehicle testing phase when a reliability problem was identified with the light rail vehicles themselves. This issue prompted Metrolinx to push back a previously suggested opening target of September 2025. The testing phase was further complicated by a collision involving a test vehicle in the fall of 2025, an incident that required investigation and additional safety reviews before testing could resume. Earlier in 2025, Metrolinx had stated that no firm opening date could be confirmed without first completing a comprehensive three-month testing and certification process.

The integration of the new LRT system with existing TTC infrastructure, GO rail services, and UP Express also required careful coordination. Establishing reliable communications between the LRT vehicles, station systems, and the broader transit network demanded extensive software and hardware testing. These integration challenges were compounded by the need to maintain transit service along Eglinton Avenue throughout construction, which limited the hours available for certain types of work.

What Is the Full Timeline for Eglinton LRT?

The history of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT stretches back more than a decade, with the project evolving through several distinct phases before reaching its current operational status. Understanding the sequence of major milestones helps contextualize why the line’s opening took the time it did and what steps were required to bring it to revenue service.

1. 2011 — Major construction begins along the Eglinton corridor, with work launching on what was then envisioned as a 2020 opening project.
2. 2020 — The original targeted opening year passes without service launch as construction and integration challenges mount.
3. 2023 — Major delays are publicly confirmed, with officials acknowledging that the 2020 target could not be met.
4. October 2024 — A formal 10-week testing phase commences, focusing on vehicle performance and system integration.
5. Early 2025 — Metrolinx states no firm opening date can be confirmed without completing the testing program, with a three-month notice commitment issued.
6. Fall 2025 — A testing collision occurs, prompting an investigation and additional review period.
7. November 2025 — Stations and vehicle testing near completion, though no official opening date has yet been published.
8. December 5, 2025 — Official opening is declared as the line achieves substantial completion and enters revenue service.

What Are the Next Steps for Eglinton Crosstown Opening?

With revenue service now established, the focus of Metrolinx and the TTC has shifted toward optimizing the line’s performance and expanding its connectivity. The current operational period represents a baseline from which service quality will be measured and refined based on actual passenger demand and system performance data. For updates on similar transit initiatives across Ontario, see our coverage of provincial transit developments.

Future integration points are already planned. The line will eventually connect to the Barrie GO line and the Eglinton West Extension, further broadening its role within the regional transit network. Connections to the Ontario Line and the Scarborough Subway Extension are also part of the long-term planning framework, ensuring that Line 5 Eglinton functions as a central artery rather than an isolated route. These expansions, however, remain in planning or early construction stages and do not affect current operations.

What Information Is Confirmed and What Remains Unclear?

Given the project’s long history of shifting timelines, distinguishing between confirmed facts and remaining uncertainties helps readers understand the current state of knowledge about the Eglinton Crosstown LRT.

What Does the Eglinton LRT Mean for Toronto’s Transit Network?

The opening of Line 5 Eglinton represents a substantial addition to Toronto’s transit infrastructure. By connecting Kennedy Station in the east with Mount Dennis in the west, the line provides a new east-west corridor through one of the city’s most densely travelled arteries. The route’s integration with existing subway lines, regional rail services, and an extensive bus network creates a multi-modal hub that extends the reach of the transit system well beyond the line itself.

The project’s completion also illustrates the scale of urban infrastructure challenges that large-scale transit expansions entail. Over 10 kilometres of tunnel excavation beneath an active city, coordination across multiple agencies, and the development of a new vehicle fleet all contributed to a timeline that extended far beyond initial projections. For transit planners and municipal authorities, the Eglinton Crosstown experience provides lessons in scope management, risk assessment, and stakeholder coordination for future projects. More details on Toronto’s transit planning initiatives are available through the City of Toronto.

Commuters along the Eglinton corridor now have access to a dedicated rapid transit service that was previously unavailable. The line’s ability to connect passengers directly to subway stations, regional rail, and airport rail access through UP Express addresses a long-identified gap in the city’s transit coverage. Ongoing monitoring by the TTC and Metrolinx will determine whether service levels, frequency, and reliability meet the demands of daily ridership as the line matures.

Sources and Official Statements

Information in this article draws on official statements from Metrolinx, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, and the Toronto Transit Commission. The following sources document the timeline, service details, and current operational status of Line 5 Eglinton.

Ontario Ministry of Transportation — Official Release Ontario marks the opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, confirming December 5, 2025 as the date of substantial completion and revenue service commencement.

Metrolinx — Line 5 Project Page Current operational information, network connections, and service parameters for Line 5 Eglinton as maintained by the provincial transit agency.

TTC — Line 5 Eglinton Service Guide Detailed service hours, shuttle bus schedules, and end-to-end travel times for Line 5 Eglinton as of April 2026.

Summary

Line 5 Eglinton officially opened on December 5, 2025, bringing revenue service to a 19-kilometre corridor with 25 stations stretching from Kennedy to Mount Dennis. The line operates daily with extended hours, offering connections to the TTC subway, UP Express, and GO rail services. The project followed a construction timeline that began in 2011, faced multiple delays including vehicle reliability testing and a 2025 testing collision, and ultimately reached full operational status in late 2025. Ongoing service monitoring continues as the TTC and Metrolinx assess performance and gather passenger feedback. For related updates on Ontario transit developments, see our coverage of regional transit planning and timelines.

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