Commuters traveling between the Durham Region and downtown Toronto are being advised to find alternative transportation as GO trains to be suspended on both the Lakeshore East and Stouffville lines. Metrolinx has announced that starting Saturday, April 11, and continuing through Sunday, April 12, 2026, rail service will be replaced by bus bridges to accommodate critical track work and progress on the future Ontario Line subway.
Impact on the Lakeshore East Line
For those relying on the Lakeshore East corridor, the suspension begins with late-night adjustments on Friday, April 10. For the duration of the weekend, there will be no train service between Durham College Oshawa and Union Station. To mitigate the impact, Metrolinx is implementing a comprehensive replacement plan using high-capacity buses.
GO buses will operate between the Durham College Oshawa and Pickering GO stations, running express to the Union Station Bus Terminal. However, there will be no GO Transit service at Rouge Hill, Guildwood, Eglinton, Scarborough, or Danforth stations. Residents in these areas are encouraged to utilize the TTC for their weekend travels. Commuters should be aware that because GO trains to be suspended, replacement buses will follow different schedules than the regular trains, and connections for GO bus route 88 may be delayed or altered throughout the weekend.
Infrastructure and Future Improvements
The decision for GO trains to be suspended is part of a broader strategy to facilitate “essential improvements for faster and more frequent trips.” Crews will be performing intensive track maintenance and advancing structural work required for the integration of the Ontario Line. These closures allow workers to access the rail corridor safely to perform tasks that are impossible during active train operation.
On the Stouffville Line, work will focus on the maintenance of retaining walls within the rail corridor. Bus service will replace trains between Old Elm and Unionville, skipping several stops including Milliken, Agincourt, and Kennedy. Metrolinx emphasizes that these short-term inconveniences are necessary to ensure the long-term reliability of the transit network.
Return to Regular Service
While the bulk of the work will conclude on Sunday night, the Monday morning commute may still feel the effects of the construction. On Monday, April 13, some trains will be required to run at slower speeds for safety reasons following the track work. Passengers traveling between Pickering and Oshawa should expect arrivals and departures to be delayed by several minutes.
Full, regular service on the Lakeshore East Line is expected to resume by Tuesday, April 14, 2026. Metrolinx urges all travelers to check the official GO Transit website before heading out to ensure they have the most current boarding times and bay assignments for replacement buses. By planning ahead, Durham residents can minimize the disruption caused by having GO trains to be suspended during this critical infrastructure window.
