Weekend GO Transit is offering additional bike coaches on its weekend trains to Niagara Falls this summer, to allow more people to commute with their bikes without clogging up compartments.
In a news release this week, Metrolinx says the additional coaches are able to store up to 22 bikes, and will accommodate a growing number of people taking bicycles and e-bikes on GO Transit.
Bike coaches also provide seating for 10 passengers on the lower level, according to the release. Metrolinx didn’t specify how many bike coaches will be added to each train, but said there will be multiple coaches located through each train.
Normally, GO Trains offer limited bicycle storage on each coach, with designated bicycle zones only able to accommodate two bikes at a time.
The additional summer bike coaches are designed to allow passengers to easily move around the train, despite increased bicycle storage.
Increased demand for bike travel on GO Transit has led Metrolinx to offer additional bike coaches on other lines, and to update its bike policy this year.
Under the new policy, e-bike owners must stay with their bikes during their trip, and only certain types of e-bike batteries can be taken on trains and buses.
Under GO Transit’s bicycle policy, folding bicycles can be taken on as hand luggage, but bicycles and e-bikes must be parked in designated areas.
Weekend trains between Toronto’s Union Station and Niagara Falls run three times a day from both terminals on Saturdays and Sundays.
Bikes can also be taken on GO Buses to Niagara Falls, which run express every hour to and from Burlington, but Metrolinx is only offering additional bike storage on weekend GO Trains to and from Niagara Falls this summer.
Metrolinx is the Ontario government agency that operates GO Transit.