Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown LRT Extends Service Hours and Adds Signal Priority: What Commuters Need to Know

What This Means for You

Toronto's Line 5 Eglinton — the long-awaited Crosstown LRT that finally opened on February 8, 2026, after years of construction delays — is taking a major step toward becoming a fully operational rapid transit line. Starting Sunday, April 5, service hours are being extended significantly, and signal priority upgrades along the surface portion of the route are already cutting trip times by up to 10 minutes each way. Based on our analysis of the new schedules, the signal changes, and the practical implications for riders, here is what you need to know to plan your commute.

If You Commute Along Eglinton Avenue

The extended hours are the headline change, but the signal priority improvements may have an even bigger day-to-day impact on your travel time.

New operating hours (effective Sunday, April 5):

Monday to Friday: 5:30 a.m. to 1:20 a.m.
Saturday: 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Sunday and holidays: 7:30 a.m. to 1:20 a.m.

Previously, service ended at approximately 11:00 p.m. — meaning the line was not available for anyone working evening shifts, attending events downtown, or returning from dinner. The extension to 1:20 a.m. on most nights adds more than two hours of service.

How frequently trains run:

Peak hours (7–10 a.m. and 3–7 p.m., Monday to Friday): Every 4 minutes
Off-peak weekdays and Sundays: Every 6 to 9 minutes
Saturdays: Every 7 to 8 minutes

What signal priority means for your trip time:

The City of Toronto has adjusted traffic signals at nine intersections between Kennedy Station and Don Valley Station to give Line 5 trains priority over left-turning vehicle traffic. According to CP24, this means trains no longer wait behind turning cars at these intersections. The result, according to the TTC, is trips that are roughly 10 minutes faster in each direction — or about 20 minutes saved on a round trip. On a line where end-to-end travel from Mount Dennis to Kennedy was clocking in at 50 to 55 minutes on opening day, a 10-minute reduction is a meaningful improvement.

Example scenario: If you commute from Mount Dennis to Kennedy Station five days a week, the signal priority improvements alone could save you approximately 200 minutes per week — more than three hours of commuting time reclaimed every week, or roughly 150 hours per year. At Ontario's minimum wage of $17.20 per hour, that recovered time has an equivalent value of over $2,500 annually.

If You Work Evening or Night Shifts

This is where the extended hours make the biggest practical difference. Until now, anyone finishing a shift after 10:30 p.m. along the Eglinton corridor had to rely on the 34 Eglinton East bus or the 32 Eglinton West bus, both of which are slower than the LRT and less frequent at night.

What changes for you:

Shifts ending before 12:45 a.m. (weeknights): You can now take Line 5 home. Board at any station along the route before the last train
Shifts ending before 12:00 a.m. (Saturdays): Saturday service ends slightly earlier at 12:30 a.m.
Late-night coverage after Line 5 stops: The TTC's Blue Night bus service continues to operate from 1:00 a.m. until the start of train service (6:00 a.m. on weekdays, 7:30 a.m. on Sundays)

We recommend: Check the TTC's trip planner or the Rocketman app before heading to the station on the first few nights of extended service. New schedules sometimes take a few days to stabilize, and you do not want to be stranded if there is an early adjustment.

If You Connect to Other TTC Lines

Line 5 Eglinton connects to the subway system at two key points: Eglinton Station (Line 1 Yonge-University) and Kennedy Station (Line 2 Bloor-Danforth and future Line 3 replacement service). Understanding how the extended hours align with the rest of the network is critical for seamless transfers.

Connection timing analysis:

Line 1 (Yonge-University): Subway service runs until approximately 1:30 a.m. on weeknights. Line 5's new 1:20 a.m. end time means you can transfer at Eglinton Station with a comfortable margin — but only if you are heading southbound. Northbound riders terminating at Eglinton have no issue
Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth): Subway service also runs until approximately 1:30 a.m. Transfers at Kennedy Station should work smoothly, though we recommend allowing at least 10 minutes of buffer for last-train connections
Blue Night network: The 300 Bloor-Danforth and 320 Yonge Blue Night buses provide overnight coverage after both subway lines close. If you are arriving at Kennedy or Eglinton on one of Line 5's last trains, you should be able to connect to the Blue Night network

Practical tip: The TTC does not currently guarantee timed connections between Line 5 and the subway for last trains. If your commute depends on a late-night transfer, build in a buffer of at least 15 minutes until the schedule stabilizes.

If You Live Along the Eglinton Corridor

The signal priority changes are good news for LRT riders but may affect your driving experience along surface-level sections of Eglinton Avenue.

What to expect:

At the nine intersections where signal priority is active (between Kennedy and Don Valley stations), left-turning vehicles may experience slightly longer wait times as signals are held to allow LRT trains to pass
Through traffic on Eglinton is unlikely to be significantly affected, as the signal priority primarily targets left-turn phases
If you drive along this stretch regularly, consider adjusting your route during peak hours when train frequency is highest (every 4 minutes)

For businesses along Eglinton: The extended service hours mean more foot traffic near LRT stations later into the evening. If you operate a restaurant, bar, or retail business near a Line 5 station, the additional 2+ hours of transit service could bring customers who previously avoided the area after transit shut down.

For All Torontonians

This is the second significant service improvement to Line 5 in less than two months since it opened. The trajectory matters: the TTC is demonstrating that the Crosstown is moving from its cautious initial rollout toward full operational capacity. According to Global News, additional transit priority measures are expected in the coming months along other sections of the route, which could further reduce trip times.

Resources:

The News: What Happened

According to CP24, Mayor Olivia Chow announced on April 3 that service hours on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will be extended starting Sunday, April 5, 2026. As reported by Global News, Line 5 Eglinton trains will run later into the night, with service extending to 1:20 a.m. on weeknights (up from approximately 11:00 p.m.), marking a significant expansion of the line's availability.

The extended hours come alongside signal priority upgrades that the City of Toronto has been implementing since mid-March 2026. According to CBC News, the city adjusted traffic light signals at nine intersections between Kennedy and Don Valley stations to give LRT trains priority over left-turning road traffic. The TTC reports that these changes have reduced end-to-end trip times by approximately 10 minutes in each direction.

Line 5 Eglinton opened on February 8, 2026, after years of delays and cost overruns that made it one of the most scrutinized transit projects in Canadian history. The 19-kilometre line runs between Mount Dennis Station in the west and Kennedy Station in the east, with a significant underground tunnel section through the central portion of Eglinton Avenue. The phased opening began with limited hours and reduced frequency, and the TTC has been gradually expanding service as the system demonstrates reliability.

Analysis: Why This Matters

Based on our analysis, these improvements signal that the Eglinton Crosstown is successfully transitioning from a cautious testing phase to genuine rapid transit service. The combination of extended hours and signal priority addresses two of the most common criticisms from early riders: that the line shut down too early to be useful for evening travel, and that above-ground trip times were slower than expected due to traffic signal delays.

Historical Context

The Eglinton Crosstown has been under construction since 2011, with original completion targets of 2020 repeatedly pushed back due to construction disputes, pandemic delays, and technical issues including defective concrete, water leaks, and signalling software problems. The project's total cost has exceeded $12 billion. For the millions of Toronto residents who endured more than a decade of construction disruption along Eglinton Avenue — including business closures, traffic chaos, and prolonged uncertainty — every service improvement is being watched closely.

The fact that the TTC is expanding service less than two months after opening suggests that the system's performance has met internal reliability thresholds. This is encouraging given the troubled history, though riders and transit advocates will be watching for sustained reliability before declaring the project a success.

What Happens Next

According to the TTC and City of Toronto, additional transit signal priority measures are planned for other sections of the Line 5 route in the coming months. If these perform as well as the initial nine-intersection rollout, end-to-end trip times could drop further, potentially bringing them closer to the original 30-minute target that was projected during the planning phase.

The extension of the Eglinton Crosstown westward to Pearson Airport (the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension) remains under construction with Metrolinx, though that project has its own timeline challenges. For now, the focus remains on proving that the existing line can deliver reliable, fast, and frequent service.

Your Action Plan

Immediate (This Week):

Download or update the TTC's trip planner or the Rocketman app with the new Line 5 schedule
If you commute along Eglinton, test the new signal-priority-enhanced trip times during your regular commute on Monday, April 6
If you work evening shifts, plan your first late-night Line 5 trip — check last-train times for your specific station

Short-term (This Month):

Compare your Eglinton commute time before and after signal priority to see if the 10-minute improvement holds on your specific segment
If you previously drove along Eglinton because transit ended too early, trial taking Line 5 for evening outings
If you connect to Line 1 or Line 2 at night, time your transfers to ensure the connection works reliably

Long-term (This Year):

Watch for additional signal priority rollouts along other sections of the route, which could further reduce trip times
Monitor TTC announcements about potential frequency increases as the system matures
If you are house-hunting or apartment-searching, factor in Line 5 station proximity — the service improvements increase the value proposition of Eglinton corridor locations

Other Perspectives

City of Toronto and the Mayor's Office:

Mayor Olivia Chow has framed the extended hours and signal priority upgrades as evidence that the Crosstown is delivering on its promise. According to CP24, Chow highlighted that the combination of improvements makes the line significantly more useful for daily commuters and evening travellers alike.

The TTC:

The TTC has emphasized that the phased approach to expanding service was deliberate, allowing time to identify and resolve any reliability issues before committing to extended hours. According to Global News, TTC officials noted that the signal priority upgrades alone are saving riders roughly 20 minutes on a round trip.

Transit Advocates:

Transit advocacy groups have welcomed the improvements but noted that Line 5 still does not match the frequency and hours of the subway lines it connects to. Some advocates have called for 24-hour weekend service on high-demand sections, similar to what exists on Line 1 during special events.

Eglinton Corridor Residents and Businesses:

After more than a decade of construction disruption, residents and businesses along Eglinton Avenue are cautiously optimistic. According to CBC News, early rider feedback has been largely positive, with commuters appreciating the smooth ride quality and the time savings from the underground tunnel section. Business owners near stations are hopeful that extended evening service will translate to increased foot traffic.

Note: Including multiple perspectives does not imply all views are equally valid, but ensures readers can make informed judgments.

Corrections Policy

We strive for accuracy. If you find an error in this analysis, please email us at [email protected]. We will promptly investigate and correct any factual inaccuracies.

Updates:

No corrections to date (as of April 4, 2026)

Sources

CP24, "'Now we are extending': Here is the Eglinton Crosstown upgrade set to kick in this weekend," April 3, 2026
Global News, "Line 5 Eglinton trains to run later into the night starting Sunday," April 3, 2026
TTC, "New operating hours for Line 5 Eglinton LRT, starting Sunday, April 5," ttc.ca
CBC News, "Transit signal priority could soon speed up commutes on the Eglinton Crosstown, Finch LRT," 2026
Metrolinx, "Eglinton Crosstown LRT," metrolinx.com