Burlington GO Station

Burlington
General information
Location2101 Fairview St.
Burlington, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates43°20′27″N 79°48′34″W / 43.34083°N 79.80944°W / 43.34083; -79.80944
Owned byMetrolinx
Platforms2 island platforms
Tracks4
ConnectionsBurlington Transit
Construction
Structure typeStation building
Parking2,273 spaces
Bicycle facilitiesRack
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeGO Transit: BU
Fare zone16
History
Opened1854 (GWR)
Rebuilt1980 (relocation)
Services
Preceding station GO Transit Following station
Aldershot
towards West Harbour
Lakeshore West Appleby
Aldershot Lakeshore West
(peak express)
Aldershot Lakeshore West
(off-peak express)
Oakville
Former services
Preceding station Via Rail Following station
Hamilton
toward New York
Maple Leaf
1989–1993
Oakville
toward Toronto
Former services at Burlington West
Preceding station Via Rail Following station
Hamilton
toward New York
Maple Leaf
1981–1989
Oakville
toward Toronto
Preceding station Amtrak Following station
Dundas
toward Chicago
International
1982–1990
Oakville
toward Toronto
Preceding station Canadian National Railway Following station
Aldershot Niagara FallsToronto
Local stops
Bronte
toward Toronto
Aldershot
toward Hamilton
HamiltonAllandale Tansley
toward Allandale

Burlington GO Station is a railway station and bus station in the GO Transit network at 2101 Fairview Street in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, just south of Queen Elizabeth Way between Guelph Line and Brant Street.

Overview

[edit]

It is a stop on the Lakeshore West line train service, and was, for a time, the western terminus of the rail services. Most peak-hour and off-peak trains now terminate service at Aldershot or West Harbour, and a few trains link Hamilton GO further to the west.

There are extensive parking facilities on both the north and south of the station. A large multi-level parking structure opened in 2008, significantly expanding the parking capacity of the station. During weekdays, Burlington Transit serves the south side of the station, connected by wheelchair accessible tunnels under the tracks.

History

[edit]

The original Great Western Railway station was built in 1855,[1] just west of Brant Street, about half a mile west of the current GO Station. With the building of the Hamilton & Northwestern Railway in 1877, this location became a connection[2] known as Burlington Junction. Coords:43°20′11″N 79°48′59″W / 43.33639°N 79.81639°W / 43.33639; -79.81639

The Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) purchased the Great Western Railway in 1882 and the Hamilton & Northwestern Railway/Northern Railway in 1888, and in turn was absorbed into the Canadian National Railway in 1923

That first station building burnt down in 1904 and was rebuilt in 1906.[3]

GO Transit rush hour service was launched in 1967 and the new station location opened in 1980, with the old station renamed Burlington West.[1] Via Rail service, which followed to the GO Station in 1988,[3] was discontinued in 1990. All day GO Transit service commenced in 1992.

The City of Burlington acquired the 1906 historic station building in 2005. Renamed Freeman Station it had to be moved off site to allow for track improvements and with the purpose of having it restored.[4]

Construction of a new 20,300 square feet (1,890 m2) station building began in September 2012, and was completed in Fall 2017.

Transit connections

[edit]

Burlington Transit routes:

  • 1 Plains (board at Fairview Street-outside of station)
  • 2 Brant
  • 6 Headon
  • 10 New–Maple
  • 12 Upper Middle
  • 50 Burlington South (Late Night Service only)
  • 51 Burlington Northeast (Late Night Service only)
  • 52 Burlington Northwest (Late Night Service only)
  • 80 Harvester
  • 81 North Service (peak service only)
  • 87 North Service–Aldershot (peak service only)
  • 101 Plains Express (peak service only)

GO Transit bus routes:

  • 12 Niagara Falls
  • 18 Lakeshore West

Future

[edit]

According to Metrolinx documentation, the station is the planned end of electrification. [5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Analytica Associates. "Via Rail Station, Burlington Ontario" (PDF). Railway Station Report. Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  2. ^ "Hamilton and Northwestern Railway". The Canada Year Book, 1879. Statistics Canada. 31 March 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2015. Connections made at Burlington with G't Western R'y (Toronto Branch)
  3. ^ a b "History & Architecture". Freeman Station. Friends of Freeman Station. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  4. ^ "Freeman Station Relocation". City of Burlington. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  5. ^ "Lakeshore West Line GO Expansion".
[edit]