I love that the new frequent weekend Lakeshore GO service means that TBN can run new routes that leave from those GO stations. However, the ride descriptions often suggest that one should "take the train from downtown and leave the car at home". As I've just discovered, this unfortunately doesn't work for 9am starts, since the first train doesn't arrive until 9:44am, as shown by the schedule here:
https://assets.metrolinx.com/image/upload/v1687261513/Documents/GO/full-schedules/FS24062023/TABLE01.pdf
One *can* take an earlier GO bus to arrive on time, but as this only carries two bicycles on a first come first serve basis it is pretty risky. As I don't have a car this is a real shame. (I'm also not the fastest rider, so a 9:44 start from Burlington to make the Niagara GO station for the 4:05pm train back home is cutting it a little closer than I'd like... no leisurely post-ride beer for me).
They change the GO train schedule all the time. Last year Lake Shore West line has the earliest GO train as early as 7:00 o'clock and we took them all the time instead of driving. But this year they change it to about 9:00 as the earliest. Even the other departure time are all changed too that is why we have to check the current schedule all the time. Hopeful they will bring back the early GO train again in the future because it is very convenient. All you have to do is get up a bit early. And that is ok because we really enjoy the sunrise!
I just checked this Saturday's (Jul 8th) GO train departure out of Union and they have a train leaving Union 8:15AM and arriving in Burlington 09:17. I used the trip planner where you can chose the day and it will give you all the departure times between the two stations. I use the GO train stops often as remote starting points.
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