Kingston Transit


Kingston Transit is the public transit service serving Kingston, Ontario, Canada. As well as to the neighbouring community of Amherstview, in Loyalist Township. Major transfer points are at the Kingston Centre, Downtown Kingston, Cataraqui Town Centre, and Gardiners Town Centre. It began on July 1, 1962.
Kingston Transit offers service to all three schools of higher education in the region: Queen's University, St. Lawrence College, and Royal [Military College of Canada|RMC]. It also offers service to the Kingston Bus Terminal and the railway station.

History

The Kingston Public Transit System began service on July 1, 1962, when the city's Public Utilities Commission took over the operation of transit service from Kingston City Coach, a subsidiary of Colonial Coach Lines. The Kingston Transit name was adopted in 1975.
In 2017, Kingston Transit experienced a record six million rides, which was the fourth consecutive year that ridership grew by more than 10 percent.

Routes

Local

Local routes operate Monday–Saturday from approximately 6:00 am to 11:00 pm and Sunday from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm. They run every 30 minutes Monday–Saturday before 7:00 pm, and every 60 minutes at all other times unless otherwise noted.

Seasonal

Seasonal routes primarily serve Queen's University and only operate from September–April.
NumRoute nameRoute pointsNotes
Princess St. / Albert St. – An ClachanPrincess / Albert, Union / University, Norman Rogers / Van OrderOperates night time only
Queen's West Campus – DowntownQueen's West Campus, Union / University, DowntownOperates night time only
Downtown – Princess St. / Albert St.Downtown, University / Union, Princess / AlbertOperates night time only
An Clachan – Queen's West CampusNorman Rogers / Van Order, Union / Alfred, Queens West Campus, Union / AlbertOperates night time only
Queen's ShuttlePrincess / Albert, Union / University, Queen's West CampusEvery 30 Minutes Monday–Friday, Between 8:10 am and 5:25 pm

Express

Express routes operate with a frequency of 10–30 minutes and have stops placed further apart than local routes.
NumRoute nameDirectionFrequency / notes
Cataraqui Centre – DowntownClockwise10 minutes during rush hour
15, 20, or 30 minutes at other times
Often runs as on Princess St.
Cataraqui Centre – DowntownCounterclockwise10 minutes during rush hour
15, 20, or 30 minutes at other times
Often runs as on Princess St.
Innovation / Highway 15 – Queen's / Kingston General HospitalSouthwest15 minutes Monday–Friday, before 7pm
30 minutes all other times
No service on Summer Weekends
& travels on Main St instead of Highway 15
Innovation / Highway 15 – Queen's / Kingston General HospitalNortheast15 minutes Monday–Friday, before 7pm
30 minutes all other times
No service on Summer Weekends
& travels on Main St instead of Highway 15
King's Crossing North – Cataraqui CentreWest15 minutes during rush hour
30 minute at other times
ends Downtown
King's Crossing North – Cataraqui CentreEast15 minutes during rush hour
30 minute at other times
ends Downtown
Montreal St. Park & Ride – DowntownSouth15 minutes during rush hour
30 minute at other times
& extends to Queen's / Kingston General Hospital
Montreal St. Park & Ride – DowntownNorth15 minutes during rush hour
30 minute at other times
& extends to Queen's / Kingston General Hospital

Fares

Kingston Transit fares and My Card rates effective January 1, 2017. Daily and Weekly passes are also available from various transit locations.
Kingston Transit employs a smart card payment system for monthly passes and tickets, which was introduced in August 2008.
Transfers are free for cash fares but must be obtained at the time fare is paid. They are valid for 90 minutes. Payments using My Tickets have transfers automatically stored inside the card.
Queen's University students, who are members of the AMS or SGPS, as well as St. Lawrence College students can ride free, as part of a U-Pass program.
Kingston Transit did not increased fares till 2025 to encourage more individuals to ride transit in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rack and Roll

The current "Rack and Roll" system is used for bicycle transportation. If a customer wishes to bring a bicycle onto the bus, a pull-down rack is located at the outside front of the bus. The rack can currently hold 2 bicycles. It involves 2 slots which the bicycle's wheels fit into. Then, a curved hook fits around the front tire to secure the bike from falling. Rack and Roll is available during the cycling season.