Commuter students react to new TTC Line 1 extension

With the TTC’s Line 1 extension now open, students commuting from the York region are looking at shorter commutes and cheaper fares going into the winter semester. Opened on December 17, 2017, the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension (TYSSE) subway zone extends 8.6 kilometres between Sheppard West station to the new Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station, with five new stations in between.

The TYSSE allows students living in the York region a more affordable commute to the St. George campus.

The TYSSE has been in operation since the end of the fall semester.

Anne Boucher, the University of Toronto Students’ Union Vice-President External, is excited about the opportunities the extension offers students. She commented on the decreased travel time for many students, writing that “students travelling from Vaughan Metropolitan Centre can now get to campus in 40 minutes, compared to the usual 90+ minute commute.”

Benefits of the increased TTC services are not exclusive to students who live in the York region; the new stations open up easier access to places and activities north of downtown.

In addition, Downsview Park station allows much easier access to Downsview Park, a favourite summer spot for music festivals, than was previously possible.

Duke Ogunsuyi, a student who commutes from North York, had the opportunity to test the benefits of the subway extension. Ogunsuyi is pleased with the financial benefits of the new service, saying the extension offers “a cheaper mode of transportation to get to campus.” Students would likely have taken the GO Train otherwise, which is more expensive.

Ogunsuyi is also pleased with how the extension has managed to connect other methods of transport, such as certain York Regional Transit/Viva and Brampton’s Züm bus routes, which connect to the York University, Pioneer Village, and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre TTC stations.

Another student commuter, Danyal Uni, from Richmond Hill, explained that prior to the extension, his commute home took about two hours. While Uni has only had the opportunity to use the extended TTC services once over the holidays, he said that it will allow him to save money and optimize his travel time. “I am planning to use it everyday during the second semester.”