After months of delays and anticipation, the Region of Waterloo has announced service will begin on Grand River Transit‘s (GRT) ION LRT line next month.
On June 21, trains will begin servicing the 19-stop line that runs between Conestoga Mall and Fairway station.
According to the GRT website, riders will be able to ride the system fare-free for 11 days after the opening.
On June 24, changes to bus routes will be made across the GRT network. Waterloo regional council approved those changes back in February. The transit agency recently unveiled a trip planner on its website for riders.
For those curious about how the ION system will work, changes to the GRT network, and the EasyGO electronic fare card system, staff will be holding an education day for the public on Saturday. GRT staff will be at Conestoga station between 10 and 11:30 a.m., Laurier-Waterloo Park station between 12 and 1:30 p.m., Victoria Park station between 2 and 3:10 p.m., and Kitchener Market station between 3:30 and 5 p.m.
While planning for construction of stage two of the ION LRT system continues, which could see the line expanded to downtown Cambridge from Fairway station, GRT will operate an ION bus between those two areas.
GRT said each of its 14 32-metre trains has 60 seats, four priority seating areas, and the ability to carry more than 140 people.
Map by GRT of route changes: