After nearly five years of construction and several months of testing, the O-Train south extension will be opening for public use on Jan. 6, 2025.
This will be part of a phased opening approach, City of Ottawa and OC Transpo staff told media at a technical briefing Friday morning. The Jan. 6 opening date aligns with the first day back to classes for Carleton University students.
“Launching a major system change in winter is not a common practice in the transit industry, as the inclement weather has extra complexity for the O-Train’s team and for customers,” said Renee Amilcar, general manager of transit services.
When the system meets performance standards, service will be extended to include Saturdays after a minimum of two weeks. Parallel bus service will continue to run seven days a week, and OC Transpo outreach staff will be on site throughout the process.
Once the system is extended to seven-day service, bus service will be gradually phased out.
The O-Train, formerly named the Trillium Line, closed in 2020 to allow for Stage 2 construction. The renamed O-Train Lines 2 and 4 is 23 kilometres long and connects 11 stations, including a new connection to the Ottawa International Airport with two stations, three Park and Ride lots, and additional passing tracks.
“I am proud of the work we’ve done, and I’m confident in the system,” said Amilcar.
Regulatory reviews have been completed, and system preparations are currently underway. This is the final step before Lines 2 and 4 open to the public.
A “dress rehearsal” was conducted on Nov. 30 and involved 500 volunteers and scenarios like a medical event, an elevator outage, or a lost child, to simulate how staff would respond.
“This week’s snow event was a great opportunity to experience the system in adverse conditions,” said Trooy Charter, director of transit services delivery and rail operations. “Overall, the system ran well. Trains launched on time, operated on schedule throughout the entire day without any disruptions, and all track and rail infrastructure functioned as intended.”
The City has also launched a communication campaign to inform customers about the phased opening, the changes in service and other announcements.
“I hope that, like me, you’re excited and proud of this accomplishment. The opening of Lines 2 and 4 marks a major milestone in this accomplishment,” said Amilcar. “This is a testament to the hard work of our teams.
“But our efforts don’t stop here,” she continued. “As the new lines open to the public, our team will continue to work to ensure the smooth and successful launch of Lines 2 and 4 in the coming years.”
