Commuters in and around Toronto can look forward to more positive changes in regional transit service thanks to new developments in the partnership between Metrolinx and the operator chosen to help with its ambitious GO expansion.

The agency has just announced that it has okayed the proposal by ONxpress to operate and maintain the GO network, which it says will translate to "more trains, less waiting and faster, more frequent service."

This marks the largest piece of the ongoing expansion project, which is now in the development phase on the way to two-way, all-day service across the GTHA.

This new step will see ONxpress — which boasts the expertise of groups like Deutsche Bahn International Operations — take over everything from schedule planning to the electrification of the network to updating and upkeeping all aspects of GO lines starting January 1, 2025. 

It looks like we have an official date: January 1st, 2025. This is when OnXpress, who is building out GO Transit's massive expansion and electrification project officially takes over the Toronto Region rail network.

GO Expansion is the most important transit project in Canada! https://t.co/sYW5a6wFWV

— Alex Glista 🇨🇦 (@AlexanderGlista) January 24, 2024

The goal is for GO to be able to take more passengers to and from more places and offer shorter commutes and less waiting, with service every 15 minutes or better in priority areas.

To these ends, a ton of work has already been completed on what are called "early and complementary works" in five rail corridors — think new bridges, more track and renovations to existing stations while new ones are being added.

The part of the multi-billion dollar project that can now start with ONxpress is the larger On-Corridor Works portion, which will transform the rider experience over the coming years.

Metrolinx states that OnCorr entails "all works that will unlock faster, more frequent train service, such as track, signaling, electrification work and electric vehicles, as well as the operations and maintenance of the GO rail network over the next 25 years" to accommodate the 178 million in ridership GO expects by 2031.