Although there is no date for when LRT will be up and running in Ottawa, the city has outlined what riders need to know once it is.
The hours of operation
Trains will run:
Monday-Thursday: 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Friday: 5 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Saturday: 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The fares
Riders will use their Presto cards to pay for a ride.
You will pay the same set fare whether you travel two stops or the entire line.
Transfers
During peak times, trains will arrive every five minutes or less.
The city says about 2/3 of all trips on the system will include the train.
More than 100 bus routes will connect to the LRT.
Once you tap your Presto card and go through a fare gate, you don’t need to show or tap a fare again to board the train.
Orléans riders will transfer at Blair.
Riders from Alta Vista, Greenboro, Vanier, etc. will transfer at St. Laurent or Hurdman.
Stittsville, Kanata, Barrhaven, Nepean riders will transfer at Tunney’s Pasture.
Lyon Station will be the primary connection point between OC Transpo and STO to make it easy for riders going to/from Gatineau.
When LRT launches
Bus service will run as usual for about three weeks once LRT is up and running as an insurance policy. It will cost about $1 million per week.
Staff will be located at each station for riders who have questions or need assistance when LRT launches.
Contingency plans
In the event of a major service disruption a limited number of buses will be provided. OC Transpo’s general Manager John Manconi warns that solution won’t be able to “match the capacity, speed and reliability of the train service.”
Other facts
- The platforms are 100 m long
- Each two-vehicle train can carry 600 people
- The trains will have air-conditioning in the summer and heated floors in the winter
- There will be designated channels on staircases so riders can carry their bikes up and down
- Four of the 13 stations have public washrooms: Blair, Hurdman, Bayview and Tunney’s pasture
