In the quiet glow of dawn, when Toronto’s streets still carry the hush of early morning, anticipation hums gently along Eglinton Avenue. Like a long-awaited first bloom in spring, the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit is poised to welcome its first passengers. After years of watching steel rise from pavement and tracks settle into place, Sunday feels like the gentle turning of a page, an invitation to let the city’s pulse begin once more.
For many riders, Sunday’s opening of the Line 5 Eglinton Crosstown LRT will be a moment that blends curiosity with routine. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) has scheduled a soft, phased launch — new rhythms and spaces unfolding gradually, much like the slow first notes of a familiar song.
The day begins with the first trains slipping out of their stations in the early morning light. At Kennedy Station, westbound services will depart at about 7:30 a.m., followed moments later by the eastbound service from Mount Dennis Station at 7:37 a.m. From these bookends, the LRT will gently weave its way across the city, connecting a total of 25 stations.
As the morning flows forward, each station will see its first departures in sequence. Westbound stations — from Ionview through Oakwood and Fairbank — will see departures shortly after the initial trains begin their journey, gently spreading the promise of connection across east and west as the day warms. Eastbound, riders from stops such as Keelesdale, Caledonia, Eglinton, and further beyond will find trains leaving in orderly succession, marking the opening of each station as a quiet marker of movement and possibility.
The phased nature of this launch reflects a careful, reflective approach. Rather than a grand celebration, this opening feels more like the first tentative steps in exploring new ground — a way to let riders settle in, learn the rhythms of a new route, and give feedback for its continued improvement. Service will run from about 7:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Sunday, with trains running roughly every seven to eight minutes throughout the day.
For those climbing aboard on that first Sunday, the experience may feel like a gentle unfolding. Each stop will mark not just a geographical place on a map, but a moment in a larger story of connection — between neighborhoods, schedules, and the daily lives of riders.
As the Crosstown begins its journey into public service, it brings with it a blend of hope, expectation, and shared purpose — a new thread in the tapestry of a city always in motion.
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Source Check (Credible Media):
Global News NOW Toronto CityNews (Toronto) The Canadian Press (via Yahoo/CP24) TTC official schedule/announcement