Kitchener Central Station
{{short description|Light rail station in Kitchener, Ontario}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Central Station
| style = GRT
| image = File:Central Station Kitchener Nov 2017.jpg
| image_caption = Central Station Ion platforms
| address = Kitchener, Ontario
| country = Canada
| coordinates = {{coord|43|27|12|N|80|29|58|W|region:CA-ON_type:railwaystation|display=inline,title}}
| line =
| structure =
| platform = 1 side platform
1 island platform
LRT: 2 side platforms
| depth =
| levels =
| tracks = 3 intercity, 2 LRT
| bus_stands = TBD
| bus_operators =
| routes =
| connections = {{Collapsible list
|framestyle=border:none; padding:0;
|title={{rail-interchange|waterloo|bus}} GRT buses
|1= {{RouteBox|204 iXpress||#{{rcr|GRT|iXpress}}|white}} Highland-Victoria
|2= {{RouteBox|6||#013ca6|white}} Bridge-Courtland
|3= {{RouteBox|7||#013ca6|white}} King
|4= {{RouteBox|8||#013ca6|white}} Weber
|5= {{RouteBox|20||#013ca6|white}} Victoria-Frederick
|6= {{RouteBox|34||#013ca6|white}} Bingemans
}}
{{Collapsible list
|framestyle=border:none; padding:0;
|title={{rint|gotransit|bus}} GO Transit buses
|1= {{RouteBox|25|GO Transit bus services#Milton corridor|#f58025|white}} Waterloo/Mississauga
|2= {{RouteBox|30|GO Transit bus services#Kitchener corridor|#00853f|white}} Bramalea
}}
{{rint|flix|bus}} FlixBus
| parking =
| bicycle =
| travelcentre =
| baggage_check =
| opened = {{Start date|2019|06|21}} (LRT only)
| opening = 2027 (GO & Via){{cite web |title=Kitchener transit hub now expected to cost $130M, Phase 1 to start later this year |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/transit-hub-waterloo-region-costs-up-phase-one-1.6740150 |publisher=CBC News |date=7 February 2024}}
| architect =
| closed =
| rebuilt =
| electrified =
| accessible = yes
| code =
| owned = Region of Waterloo
| operator =
| zone =
| passengers =
| pass_year =
| pass_percent =
| pass_system =
| mpassengers =
| services = {{adjstn|system1=GRT
|line1=Ion|left1=Grand River Hospital|right1=Kitchener City Hall|oneway-right1=y
|line2=Ion|left2=Grand River Hospital|right2=Victoria Park}}
| other_services_header = Future services
| other_services_collapsible = yes
| other_services = {{Adjacent stations|system1=Via Rail
|line1=Sarnia-Toronto|left1=Stratford|right1=Guelph|note-mid1=Opening 2027
|system2=GO Transit
|line2=Kitchener|right2=Guelph|note-mid2=Opening 2027}}
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| mapframe-stroke-color = #C60C30
| mapframe-marker = rail-light
| mapframe-marker-color = #1F2F57
| mapframe-zoom = 15
}}
Central Station is a light rail station in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, which is planned to be expanded into an intermodal transit terminal.{{cite web |url=http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/gettingAround/resources/King-Victoria-Transit-Hub-display-panels-for-web.pdf |title=Central Station Open House Panels |author= |date=May 19, 2016 |website=Region of Waterloo |access-date=2016-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223173116/http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/gettingAround/resources/King-Victoria-Transit-Hub-display-panels-for-web.pdf |archive-date=2018-02-23}} {{As of|2021}}, it consists of an Ion light rail stop and Grand River Transit bus stops. The site is planned to also include a train station served by Via Rail and GO Transit,{{cite web|url=http://rideion.ca/central-station.html|title=Central Station - Innovation District|work=About ION|publisher=GrandLinq Contractors|access-date=2016-12-22|archive-date=2016-12-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161223063615/http://rideion.ca/central-station.html|url-status=dead}} and an intercity bus terminal.
The station will replace the current Kitchener railway station and partially replace the Charles Street Terminal.
In the vicinity is the University of Waterloo's Health Sciences campus (including its School of Pharmacy), the One Victoria condominium development, and the Kaufman Lofts condominium (occupying the former Kaufman Footwear factory). Just north of the mainline tracks is a former industrial building, the Breithaupt Block, which currently houses offices of Google Canada.
Ion light rail
The light rail (LRT) station opened along with the start of LRT service in 2019.
The LRT platforms are located on either side of King Street in Kitchener, on the north side of Victoria Street.{{Cite web|url=http://www.grt.ca/en/about-grt/ion-stations.aspx|title=ION stations|website=www.grt.ca|language=en|access-date=2018-03-10|archive-date=2018-03-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302204725/http://www.grt.ca/en/about-grt/ion-stations.aspx|url-status=dead}} North of the station, the LRT tracks become adjacent through the Moore/Breithaupt intersection and proceed within the median of King beyond, towards Waterloo. South of the station, the tracks split: southbound, they take Victoria to reach Charles Street, which they follow alongside; northbound, they continue along King to Francis Street, which connects them to Duke Street, which they follow alongside.
The platforms are connected with King Street's sidewalks at either end, and pedestrians passing through walk along the platform. The station's feature walls consist of glass tiles in a varying pattern of blues and greys and displays Innovation District under the station's name.
Intermodal terminal
After some public consultation, plans for the "King and Victoria Transit Hub" were made public in November 2020. In addition to integration with the Ion light rail system, the new train and bus station would also feature a connection to the Iron Horse Trail, one of the most-travelled cycling and walking routes in the region, as well as a pedestrian underpass connecting the north and south halves of Waterloo Street, creating more pedestrian routes in the immediate area. The planned two-storey station would have ramps and elevators to reach the railway platform level from the street level. It would also have a publicly bookable community room for local events.{{cite news |url=https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-region/2020/11/19/region-shares-design-of-new-transit-hub-in-downtown-kitchener.html |newspaper=Waterloo Region Record |date=19 November 2020 |access-date=29 January 2021 |first=Johanna |last=Weidner |title=Region shares design of new transit hub in downtown Kitchener}} The construction of the new station is also listed as a project dependency in Metrolinx's March 2021 preliminary business case for two-way, all-day service on the GO Kitchener line. This is due to the need for a second station platform in order to accommodate two-way service.{{cite report |url=http://www.metrolinx.com/en/regionalplanning/projectevaluation/benefitscases/2021-03-04-Kitchener-Mid-Term-Service-Expansion-PDBC-FINAL.pdf |title=Kitchener GO Rail Service Expansion: Preliminary Design Business Case |date=March 2021 |author=Metrolinx |page=51}}
Design work on the intermodal terminal was paused in 2021 due to lack of funding, the Region of Waterloo having only secured $43 million out of the project's estimated $106 million cost.{{cite report |url=https://www.engagewr.ca/9466/widgets/37498/documents/57080 |title=King-Victoria Transit Hub Design Development & Funding Update |date=9 February 2021 |author=Region of Waterloo}} However, given that the current train station is inadequate for future GO Transit train service levels, construction is proceeding on certain key elements of the terminal including the train platforms and bus terminal, to enable GO Transit service to be relocated to Kitchener Central station. {{cite report |url=https://www.engagewr.ca/9466/widgets/37498/documents/70014 |title=King-Victoria Transit Hub Project Update |date=22 June 2021 |author=Region of Waterloo}} The Transit Hub construction will begin in 2025, with an opening date planned in 2029.https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/exploring-the-region/transit-hub-timeline.aspx
Since April 7, 2022, Flixbus offers intercity bus service to Toronto. The stop in downtown Kitchener is at 1 Victoria Street South, across from this station.{{Cite web |url=https://kitchener.citynews.ca/local-news/new-bus-operator-to-offer-trips-between-kitchener-and-toronto-5193709 |title=New bus operator to offer trips between Kitchener and Toronto |date=2022-03-24 |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=CityNews |last=Adams |first=Blair}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commonscat|Kitchener Central Station}}
- {{url|https://www.grt.ca/en/about-grt/central-station.aspx|Central station on GRT website}}
- [http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/gettingAround/transithub.asp Region of Waterloo: King–Victoria Transit Hub] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924200831/http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/gettingAround/transithub.asp |date=2016-09-24 }}
{{GRT Terminals}}
{{GO Transit}}
{{Kitchener, Ontario}}
Category:Via Rail stations in Ontario
Category:Future GO Transit railway stations
Category:Bus stations in Kitchener, Ontario