Tweaked GO train schedule will help Mississauga, Hamilton and Halton soccer fans get to the game

GO train service is being tweaked this Saturday (Aug. 13) in efforts to provide smoother trips for Mississauga, Hamilton and Halton residents who are planning to head downtown for the Toronto FC soccer match.

Metrolinx, the provincial agency that runs GO Transit, said in a news release today (Aug. 10) that in anticipation of greater attendance at Saturday night’s TFC game against the Portland Timbers at BMO Field, they’re taking steps with the GO trains to make travel easier for fans.

Game time is 7:30 p.m. and in the wake of significant recent player signings by the Toronto club, it’s expected that attendance will grow.

Pre-game changes to the GO train schedule on the Lakeshore West line include:

• all westbound trips from Union Station from 5:15 to 7:45 p.m. will depart five minutes earlier than regularly scheduled
• the 4:13 p.m., 5:13 and 6:13 eastbound trips from West Harbour GO in Hamilton will depart 10 minutes later and arrive at Exhibition GO and Union Station 15 minutes later than regularly scheduled
• the 4:55 p.m. and 5:55 eastbound trips from Aldershot GO in Burlington will depart 10 minutes later and arrive at Exhibition GO and Union Station 15 minutes later than regularly scheduled
• during these adjustments, eastbound trains will also make longer than normal scheduled stops at the most popular stations on the Lakeshore West line to give customers extra time to get on board
• the last two trips before kickoff will arrive at 6:36 p.m. and 7:06 p.m.

Metrolinx says trains coming from both directions on the Lakeshore line (from both east and west of Toronto) will arrive on the south platform before the game, giving westbound fans a shorter walk to the stadium.

After the game, trains are expected to depart from their usual platforms.

“These schedule changes are designed to improve the flow of people by spreading fans out among more trains and timing their arrival to reduce congestion at the stadium gates,” a Metrolinx spokesperson said.