Setting things up
JackInTransit

(GO-R) Ontario Regional Transit System

Map is Public
created 6 weeks ago
updated 2 weeks ago
It has always irked me that Ontario doesn't really have a cohesive regional transit system, we have "Government of Ontario Transit" that doesn't serve most of the province of Ontario. I understand the focus on the Golden Horseshoe but like London? The tourist beach towns? There's local operators that serve some of these places (TOK, Flixbus, etc.) but it's not really anything cohesive. These towns aren't tiny, like Saugeen Shores is almost twenty thousand people and has like 2 busses total. So this is a plan to create a regional system. The bulk of the system is regional busses along the rural highways, but there are some freight rail activations as well. The rail routes would be served by DMUs such as the FLIRTs used in Ottawa (or the LINTs), which can provide a minimum service of once or twice a day in both directions. The idea is something like Ontario Northland but for the south. I’m calling this system “GO-R” because that is what it factually is. Bus routes are marked by R-#, and rail routes by R-PlaceName, with the R standing for regional. The whole thing would be PRESTO integrated so yay to free and reduced transfers. Although we’ll see how Québec feels about that. I’m probably slightly biased because I’ve lived in some of these small towns and always been annoyed about having to drive everywhere. Maybe we can finally get the mainline double tracked from Stratford to Kitchener. There is a plan for actual proper GO Train service to Bolton, the R-Simcoe line replaces this plan and extends it north. This line could have two units linked together for additional capacity and also have short turning trains that only go as far as Bolton. If track capacity along the shared section into Union becomes an issue, the line could be cut short to Weston and passengers can transfer to the Kitchener line/UPX to continue onwards. Half of the right of way out to Collingwood has been turned into a multi-use trail. I am a fan of multi-use trails, but this one is in the way. Hopefully it can be rebuilt out of the way. Bruce Power is a major employer in the region, unfortunately it is a detour that I don't think is worth it. Thankfully, I know for a fact they own a fleet of old school busses that could be used as a shuttle between the "Bruce Power Transfer Station" and the actual plant. It could even be used as a park and ride station for both the R2 and the shuttle busses. R7 is designed to connect Ottawa to Montreal's commuter network, so yay interprovincial bus line!
Branch History
  1. MetroDreamin' by JackInTransit
  2. Built from scratch

Comments

Score
0
Ridership
12.8M
Cost
$ 11.1B
Stations
138
Lines
11
Modes
2
Length
1,734 km
Where do these numbers come from?
(GO-R) Ontario Regional Transit System by
created at
updated at 2025-11-01T17:36:57.305Z
It has always irked me that Ontario doesn't really have a cohesive regional transit system, we have "Government of Ontario Transit" that doesn't serve most of the province of Ontario. I understand the focus on the Golden Horseshoe but like London? The tourist beach towns? There's local operators that serve some of these places (TOK, Flixbus, etc.) but it's not really anything cohesive. These towns aren't tiny, like Saugeen Shores is almost twenty thousand people and has like 2 busses total. So this is a plan to create a regional system. The bulk of the system is regional busses along the rural highways, but there are some freight rail activations as well. The rail routes would be served by DMUs such as the FLIRTs used in Ottawa (or the LINTs), which can provide a minimum service of once or twice a day in both directions. The idea is something like Ontario Northland but for the south. I’m calling this system “GO-R” because that is what it factually is. Bus routes are marked by R-#, and rail routes by R-PlaceName, with the R standing for regional. The whole thing would be PRESTO integrated so yay to free and reduced transfers. Although we’ll see how Québec feels about that. I’m probably slightly biased because I’ve lived in some of these small towns and always been annoyed about having to drive everywhere. Maybe we can finally get the mainline double tracked from Stratford to Kitchener. There is a plan for actual proper GO Train service to Bolton, the R-Simcoe line replaces this plan and extends it north. This line could have two units linked together for additional capacity and also have short turning trains that only go as far as Bolton. If track capacity along the shared section into Union becomes an issue, the line could be cut short to Weston and passengers can transfer to the Kitchener line/UPX to continue onwards. Half of the right of way out to Collingwood has been turned into a multi-use trail. I am a fan of multi-use trails, but this one is in the way. Hopefully it can be rebuilt out of the way. Bruce Power is a major employer in the region, unfortunately it is a detour that I don't think is worth it. Thankfully, I know for a fact they own a fleet of old school busses that could be used as a shuttle between the "Bruce Power Transfer Station" and the actual plant. It could even be used as a park and ride station for both the R2 and the shuttle busses. R7 is designed to connect Ottawa to Montreal's commuter network, so yay interprovincial bus line!
Map type: regional | Total track length: 1077 miles | Center coordinate: 43.866, -79.9718 | * R-Goderich: (Medium/long distance rail, 9 stations) Kitchener Central, Ira Needles, Baden, Wilmot/New Hamburg, Stratford, Mitchell, Seaforth, Clinton, Goderich * R-Simcoe: (Medium/long distance rail, 11 stations) Allandale Waterfront/Barrie, Alliston, Tottenham, Bolton, Major Mackenzie, Highway 7, Finch, Weston, Mount Dennis, Bloor, Union * R-Collingwood: (Medium/long distance rail, 4 stations) Collingwood, Stayner, Angus, Allandale Waterfront/Barrie * R1: (Bus rapid transit, 16 stations) Goderich, Goderich South, Bayfield, Grand Bend, Forest, Sarnia Downtown, Sarnia Train Station, Petrolia Lane/Corunna, Wallaceburg, Pioneer Line, Chatham Downtown, Chatham Train Station, Tilbury, Cabana Road, Windsor Intermoda, Windsor Train Station * R2: (Bus rapid transit, 20 stations) Owen Sound Transit Terminal, Sunset Strip, Allenford, Saugeen First Nation, Southamptom, Devonshire Road/Port Elgin, Port Elgin, Bruce Power Transfer Station, Tiverton, Kincardine, Kincardine, Goderich, Clinton, Hensall, Exeter, Exeter, Centralia, Lucan, Masonville Place, London Central * R3: (Bus rapid transit, 21 stations) West Harbour GO, Hamilton Main Street, Rymal Road, Rymal Road, Mount Hope/YHM, Caledonia North, Caledonia North, Caledonia South, Hagersville, Jarvis, Port Dover, Simcoe, Delhi, Tilsonburg, Aylmer, St Thomas East, St Thomas Downtown, Ford Road, London South, Victoria Hospital, London Central * R4: (Bus rapid transit, 12 stations) Mitchell Train Station, Mitchell Centre, Monkton, Listowel, Harriston, Mount Forest, Shelburne, Alliston Train Station, Alliston Downtown, Cookstown, Bradford West, Bradford GO * R5: (Bus rapid transit, 13 stations) Tobermory, Lion's Head, Wiarton, Hepworth, Shallow Lake, Sunset Strip, Owen Sound Transit Terminal, Heritage Place, Meaford, Thornbury, Blue Mountain, Balsam Road, Collingwood Train Station * R6: (Bus rapid transit, 13 stations) Sauble Beach, Hepworth, Shallow Lake, Sunset Strip, Owen Sound Transit Terminal, Chatsworth, Dornoch, Durham, Mount Forest, Arthur, Fergus, Speedvale Avenue, Guelph Central GO * R7: (Bus rapid transit, 6 stations) Vaudreuil EXO, Rigaud, Hawkesbury, Alfred, Rockland, Trim O-Train/Ottawa * R8: (Bus rapid transit, 12 stations) Leitrim O-Train/Ottawa, Leitrim O-Train/Ottawa, Blais Road, Greely, Metcalfe, Winchester, South Dundas, Morrisburg, Ingleside, Long Sault, Cornwall Riverfront, Cornwall Train Station
go, r, ontario, regional, transit, system, ca, on, canada, map maker, metro map maker, subway map maker, transit map maker, rail map maker, bus map maker, map creator, metro map creator, subway map creator, transit map creator, rail map creator, bus map creator, dream map, fantasy map, fantasy metro, fantasy subway, map sketch, map tool, transit tool, public transportation map