How to get around Toronto, Taylor's version
Taylor Swift’s 6 sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre will take place Nov. 14-16 and Nov. 21-23
We know all too well that Toronto can be hard to get around on a normal day.
But with Taylor Swift's Eras Tour coming to the city this month, commuting could get complicated — whether or not you're one of the lucky fans that scored a ticket.
Swift's six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre will take place Nov. 14-16 and Nov. 21-23, with over half a million mostly out-of-town visitors expected to flood roads and public transit.
Taking the TTC
St Andrew and Union stations on Line 1 are the closest to the Rogers Centre and Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC), where Taylgate '24 fan events will take place.
The Toronto Transit Commission says it will have extra service on subway lines downtown in the hours before and after the concerts, with no planned closures.
The TTC is also adding extra service to these streetcar routes:
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19 Bay
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509 Harbourfront
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510D Spadina
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511 Bathurst
The TTC says the extra service won't be visible on travel apps, but riders can expect trains and streetcars to show up regularly from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and again from 11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on concert days.
After each concert, the TTC will be directing riders to take the following routes rather than go to St. Andrew or Union Station, which are expected to be packed.
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510D Spadina/Swiftbus to Spadina Station for Line 1 Yonge-University and Line 2 Bloor-Danforth.
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19 Bay/Swiftbus to Bay Station on Line 2 Bloor-Danforth.
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504 King/Swiftcar to St Andrew and King stations on Line 1 Yonge-University.
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509 Harbourfront streetcar west from Queens Quay and Rees Street, or Queens Quay and Spadina Avenue, to Exhibition Loop, and connect to the Lakeshore West GO line from there. The TTC says Queens Quay station will be closed as of 10 p.m. on concert days and streetcars will by-pass the station.
Wheel-Trans will continue its regular service on concert days but will have dedicated vehicles on stand by between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m around downtown to help commuters heading to the concert or Taylgate '24 fan events.
GO or UP Express trains
Metrolinx will be running special GO train service before and after each concert for the Lakeshore West and Lakeshore East lines, with "late-night special event" trips on the Milton line following the concerts.
Metrolinx also said they will adjust service on Kitchener, Barrie and Stouffville lines, though it has not yet provided specifics.
Some GO bus routes will also be adjusted to accommodate heavy traffic expected downtown.
Another way to get to Union Station is through the UP Express, which arrives from Pearson Airport every 15 minutes.
Union Station is expected to be so full after each concert that the TTC warned people may have to line up outside, as its staff could limit the number of people entering at a time.
Both the TTC and the city are encouraging people to take alternative routes to avoid the station, like walking to St Andrew, Osgoode or King stations.
Driving
Dedicated drop-off and pick-up zones for caregivers, taxis and rideshares will be at:
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Front Street West between Bathurst Street and Spadina Avenue (south side).
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Bay Street between Richmond and Wellington streets (west side).
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York Street between Wellington and Adelaide streets (west side).
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Queens Quay between Bay and Freeland streets (south side).
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Lake Shore Boulevard at Rees Street (north side).
Drivers won't be able to park at any of these drop-off zones. Instead, Green P parking garages at 40 York St. and 2 Church St. will have 2,000 parking spaces. Exhibition Place at 6 Saskatchewan Rd. and 20 British Columbia Rd. will also have limited parking.
Road closures
After Swift's first Toronto show, the city said it's adjusting the timing of some traffic measures to help better manage the crowds.
1 p.m. The following roads will be restricted to local traffic (residents and businesses) an hour early:
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Bremner Boulevard between Spadina Avenue and Simcoe Street.
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Northbound lanes on Rees Street will be closed. Southbound lanes will remain open for two-way traffic including an accessible entry point.
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Blue Jays Way between Spadina Avenue and south of Front Street.
The Marriott Hotel will be accessible from Front Street via Blue Jays Way.
- Navy Court Wharf.
Access to condos will be via a police checkpoint at the Spadina Avenue and Bremner Boulevard intersection.
- Lake Shore Boulevard will be reduced to two westbound lanes at the intersection with Rees Street for a drop-off/pick-up point.
10 p.m. Additional closures will come into effect to support crowd control ahead of concertgoers leaving Rogers Centre at the end of the concert:
Front Street between Blue Jays Way and Simcoe Street.
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John Street south of Wellington Street.
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Windsor Street south of Wellington Street.
11 p.m. Eastbound and westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramps to Spadina Avenue will be closed to restrict traffic into the area as people leave Rogers Centre.
1 a.m. All roads and ramps will re-open when traffic and crowds dissipate, which is expected to be by this time after each concert.
The city says it will debrief with its partners after each concert and further adjust these closures if needed.
Biking
The city says Bike Share Toronto will add extra bikes and valets to help with docking near Rogers Centre. Bike Share Toronto is also offering a "Swiftie pass" from Nov. 12 to 24, which allows for unlimited 90-minute trips over a 72-hour period on the company's classic bikes.