Free rides on GO trains, buses and express service to Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga on the way

GO train riders in Mississauga, Toronto and elsewhere in the GTA as well as travellers who take the express train to and from Toronto Pearson Airport in Mississauga should be aware of several schedule changes in the next nine days, transit officials say.

For starters, Metrolinx officials said in an email update on Monday, GO trains along the Milton line, which make several stops in Mississauga, will make their final westbound trips out of Union Station in Toronto earlier on Christmas Eve.

Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency that runs GO, said the following service adjustments are in place on the Milton line on Tuesday:

• the 4:10 p.m. train departing Union Station will be adjusted and depart earlier, at 1:40 p.m., arriving at Milton GO at 2:40 p.m.
• the 4:40 p.m. train departing Union Station will be adjusted and depart earlier, at 2:40 p.m., arriving in Milton at 3:40 p.m.  

Meanwhile, for Richmond Hill commuters, the 5:15 p.m. train on Tuesday departing Union Station will be adjusted and depart earlier, at 2:45 p.m., arriving at Bloomington GO at 3:51 p.m. 

On Christmas Day and Boxing Day, which fall on Wednesday and Thursday, GO trains and buses will operate on a Saturday schedule, transit officials note.

UP Express trains, which take riders to and from Pearson Airport, will run on a weekend/holiday schedule for both days, according to Metrolinx.

Looking forward to next week, specifically New Year’s Eve, the provincial transit agency says free rides will be offered on all GO trains and buses in addition UP Express trains.

The free service runs from 7 p.m. on Dec. 31 until 8 a.m. the following morning.

Additionally on New Year’s Eve and into the wee hours the following morning, GO Transit will run extra late-evening trips into Union Station in Toronto as well as a number of special trains departing Union Station after midnight to get people home to areas west, east and north of Toronto.

Those service enhancements, heading west from Toronto, include:

• Lakeshore West line (stopping in west Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington and Hamilton) — there will be additional trips arriving and departing regularly at Union Station throughout Dec. 31
• Milton line (Toronto, Mississauga and Milton) — there will be additional late-night trips departing Union Station on Dec. 31, with the last train departing Union Station at 2:55 a.m.

Customers are also encouraged to visit gotransit.com to plan their trips and check schedules in advance.