University of Waterloo station


University of Waterloo Station is a bus terminal and light rail station located at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The site initially opened as a light rail station on Grand River Transit's ION light rail line in 2019, and the bus terminal for GRT buses was subsequently opened in 2022. The bus terminal is shared with GO Transit, which uses the easternmost eastbound platforms as its University of Waterloo Terminal for its GO [Transit bus services|intercity bus service].

History

Before construction of the light rail station, GRT and intercity bus services had been slowly intensifying at a set of stops along the east end of the University of Waterloo's Ring Road near the Davis Centre building, most significantly Grand River Transit, GO Transit's 25 Waterloo–Mississauga intercity bus route, and the Waterloo [Undergraduate Student Association]'s Fed Bus service. Half of the bus slips and shelters on Ring Road were removed during the construction of the Light Rail line, but the other half on the west side remain, used only by the Fed Bus service.
In 2016, with light rail infrastructure under construction, an adjacent dedicated bus station was announced. It would be east of the rail line and accessed from Phillip Street, shifting some buses off Ring Road and onto public roadways. Later, in 2020, it was announced that over $3 million in additional provincial, federal, and regional funding had been granted for amenities at the new bus station. This would include several heated waiting shelters and bike storage facilities.
The bus terminal partially opened on January 3, 2022, and then fully opened three weeks later, serving Grand River Transit routes; GO Transit buses switched over on March 15.

Overview

Located on the campus of the University of Waterloo, the station primarily serves students and employees of the university. The main campus is on the west side of the station, with three engineering buildings to the south and administration buildings to the north.
The bus terminal was constructed on an existing access road between Phillip Street on the east and the University's Ring Road on the west, with a level crossing for the ION light rail line and the Laurel Trail at its western end. The Bus Terminal's road continues westward onto the campus grounds as William Tutte Way, named after University of Waterloo mathematician W.T. Tutte.

Freight Train Usage

From 11 PM-5 AM, freight trains are permitted to use the tracks used by the light rail line, as the line was built along a portion of track shared with the Waterloo Spur Line, which serves industrial locations in Elmira. To protect the station structure, a gauntlet track is in place alongside Platform 1 of the station that offsets the freight track a small distance.

Services

Grand River Transit

Light Rail
PlatformRouteNameNotes
1301ION ExpressNorthbound to Conestoga Station
2301ION ExpressSouthbound to Fairway Station

Buses
PlatformRouteNameNotes
330Ring RoadTo University of Waterloo Station
Via Ring Road
331ColumbiaEastbound to Columbia/Sundew
431ColumbiaWestbound to Conestoga Station
3201iXpress Fischer HallmanEastbound to Conestoga College
4201iXpress Fischer HallmanWestbound to Conestoga Station
419Hazel19A to St. Jacob's Market
419Hazel19B to Northfield station (Waterloo)
5301RION Replacement ShuttleRail replacement bus service during 301 service disruptions.
69LakeshoreTo Conestoga Station
613LaurelwoodTo The Boardwalk Station

GO Transit

All GO Transit buses load at Platform 6 and unload at Platform 7.
PlatformRouteNameNotes
6C17Waterloo / HamiltonTo Hamilton GO Centre
via:
6C17BWaterloo / HamiltonTo Burlington GOvia:
6B25Waterloo / MississaugaTo Square One GO Terminalvia:
6B25AWaterloo / MississaugaTo Square One GO Terminalvia:
6B25CWaterloo / MississaugaTo Square One GO Terminalvia:
6B25KWaterloo / MississaugaTo Kipling GOvia:
6B25LWaterloo / MississaugaTo Square One GO Terminalvia:
6A30KitchenerTo Highway 407via:
6A30AKitchenerTo Bramalea GO Stationvia:
6A30EKitchenerTo Bramalea GO Stationvia: