The way you ride the SkyTrain is about to change.
Major alterations to the Expo and Millennium Line are set to begin in October.
Translink confirmed on their website that in order to prep for the new Evergreen Extension to the Millennium Line, the current operating patterns of the SkyTrain will be changing.
Beginning on October 22nd, the Translink Expo line will have two routes: one line will continue to run between Waterfront and King George Stations; a second Expo Line train will travel between Waterfront and Production Way-University Stations.
RELATED: Translink Reveals New Mark III Skytrain (Photos)
But it’s the Millennium Line that will take some getting used to, since it will have a new starting and end point.
The Millennium Line will no longer have services from Waterfront to Lougheed Town Centre; however, the SkyTrain will travel from VCC-Clark to Lougheed Town Centre Station, and continue to the newest Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station terminal in Coquitlam (upon completion of the Evergreen Line).
SkyTrain users who will experience the most significant changes are those who travel from Surrey who will require an additional transfer if they wish to continue to Burnaby.
You will be able to transfer between the Millennium and Expo lines at three places:
- Commercial–Broadway Station
- Lougheed Town Centre Station
- Production Way–University Station
You will no longer be able to transfer to or from the Millennium Line at Columbia Station or Waterfront Station.
At Translink’s press conference earlier today, officials admitted that these changes are in part due to confusion along the tracks.
“The current Millennium Line route has caused confusion for the past decade,” Ian Fisher stated. “Today’s event is all about telling folks that a change is coming.”
Other changes include the size of the trains, which will all be the same to ensure customers receive an equal experience no matter what train they are on.
The over changes are positive though, since riders from VCC-Clark will be able to travel to Lake-Douglas Station in just 35 minutes.
Once the Evergreen Line expansion is complete, the SkyTrain will be the world’s longest, fully-automated railway system at 79 km in length.
