Updated Oct. 16/26 at 4:00pm:
Diversion info for the 501/301 Queen service has been added.
On the weekend of October 16-18, the Toronto Waterfront Marathon will cause extensive disruption to transit service downtown. This is on a scale we have not seen for previous events, and begs the question of just how serious Toronto is about maintaining transit service even when promoting the TTC as the best way to get to the event.
Marathon closures will also affect motorists. See the Race Weekend Schedule and scroll down to the detailed list of road closures.
There are two races: a 5k run on Saturday, October 17 and a full/half marathon on Sunday, October 18.
Transit service will be suspended on many routes including the creation of some “transit deserts” through the combined effect of overlapping changes. This article consolidates information in many TTC service notices. Some of these have changed while I built this article. Readers are advised to check for further updates on their day of travel on the TTC’s site.
Although it is listed on the TTC’s Marathon Page, there are no details for the 501/301 Queen Streetcar service changes. If they appear, I will update this article.
Maps and a table showing the service changes are in the next section following the “more” break.
| Route | Date/Time | Service Suspended |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Bay | Fri Oct 16 10am to Sun Oct 18 9pm | No service from Dundas to Richmond. Note that this is replaced by larger diversions during specific periods shown below. |
| Sat Oct 17 | ||
| 19 Bay | 4am to 7:45am | No service between Gerrard and Front. |
| 7:45am to 1pm | No service south of Gerrard | |
| 97/320 Yonge | 4am to 1pm | 97C southern loop changed from Front/Bay/King to Queens Quay/Bay/Harbour |
| 97C Yonge | 7pm to 3am | Diverted via Carlton, Church and Shuter. No service on Yonge from Carlton to Shuter. |
| 114 Queens Quay East | 4am to 1pm | No service north of Harbour |
| 121 Esplanade | 4am to 1pm | Downtown loop changed to Yonge/Front/Church |
| 202 Cherry | 4am to 1pm | No service north of Harbour |
| 301/501 Queen | 3am to 2pm 3:50am to 12:30pm | Replacement buses operate between Church and Carlaw. Streetcars divert via McCaul, Dundas and Broadview. No service on Queen/Richmond/Adelaide from McCaul to Church. |
| 503 Kingston Rd | 7am to 12:30pm | No service from Church to University |
| 504 King | 6:50am to 12:30pm | No service from Church to Spadina |
| 510 Spadina | 7:30am to 11:30am | No service south of King to the Waterfront |
| Sun Oct 18 | ||
| 300 Bloor Night | 7am to 8am | No service on Bloor from Christie to Church |
| 13 Avenue Road | 7am to 11:30am | No service south of Davenport |
| 19 Bay | 5am to 5pm | No service south of Davenport |
| 64 Main | 8am to 3:30pm | No service at northbound stops on Southwood Drive and all stops south of Glen Stewart Crescent. |
| 65 Parliament | 8am to 4pm | No service south of King to the Waterfront |
| 72 Pape | 8am to 4pm | No service south of Eastern to the Waterfront |
| 75 Sherbourne | 8am to 4:15pm | No service south of King to the Waterfront |
| 80 Queensway | 5am to 2pm | No service at all stops from The Queensway/Windermere to Keele Station |
| 83 Jones | 8am to 4:15pm | No service south of Eastern to the Waterfront |
| 92 Woodbine S | 8am to 3:30pm | No service south of Queen Street East, northbound stops on Woodbine Avenue between Queen Street East and Kingston Road. |
| 94 Wellesley | 7:30am to 11:15am | No service between Wellesley and Ossington Stations |
| 97C Yonge 320 Yonge Night | 3am to 11am | 320 service diverted south of Davenport via Church and Jarvis to Queens Quay. 97C buses suspended. No service on Yonge from Davenport to Queens Quay. |
| 11am to 5:15pm | South end loop changed to Adelaide/Church/King | |
| 121 Esplanade | 8am to 5:15pm | No service south of King & River. Buses divert via King to loop via Jarvis, Adelaide and Sherbourne |
| 114 Queens Quay East | 5am to 2pm | No service north of Harbour |
| 2pm to 5:15pm | Downtown loop changed to run via Front and Yonge to Queens Quay. | |
| 301/501 Queen | 6:30am to 12:30pm 7:30 to 11:30am | Buses run between Humber Loop and Shaw Street Streetcars run between Neville Loop and Church Street No service on Queen/Richmond/Adelaide between Shaw and Church. |
| 11:30am to 5:30pm | West end streetcars run from Humber to McCaul Loop. East end streetcars run from Neville to Church. No service on Queen/Richmond/Adelaide between McCaul and Church | |
| 503 Kingston Road | 7am to 5:30pm | No service from Church to University |
| 504 King | 7am to 5:30pm | No service from Church to Dufferin |
| 305/505 Dundas | 6am to Noon | 505/305 buses run from Dundas West Station to Ossington looping via Dufferin, Queen and Ossington. |
| 6:30am to 11:30am | 505 streetcars turn back from Church Street. No service on Dundas between Ossington and Church. | |
| 306/506 Carlton | 6am to Noon | Carlton buses operate a meandering route from High Park to Broadview diverting via Ossington, Dupont, Davenport and Church. |
| 6:30 to 11am | Carlton streetcars operate between Parliament and Main Station. | |
| 509 Harbourfront | 6:30am to 2:30pm | No service west of Spadina to Exhibition. Streetcars will loop north on Spadina to Adelaide. |
| 307/511 Bathurst | 7 to 11:30am | No service between Bathurst Station and Exhibition Loop |
The 19 Bay bus will wander around downtown changing routes from time to time. Note that the first map covers the entire period from Friday through Sunday, while the other maps cover specific time periods.




The 97C Yonge and 320 Yonge Night bus services are affected through the weekend as shown below.




The 301/501 Queen service will operate with various arrangements of buses and streetcars through the weekend.



Maps for other route diversions:






















The blue night not operating between Christie and Church at a time when people are going to work is crazy.
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What do these constant diversions cost the TTC for such things as additional on-street personnel and lost revenue?
And it is my understanding that a large percentage of the money raised by these runs goes to the companies that are hired to organize and manage these events: What share of the funds raised eventually benefit the sponsoring non-profits?
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I think you mean two races! A marathon is a single event, 42.2km.
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Details for 501/301 diversions seem to now be up.
Steve: Thanks! I have updated the article.
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Breaking all connections with the subway downtown for a for-profit event is certainly an idea. The mobility challenged should send their ride share bill to the entitled twits on the organizing committee. Are we sure they don’t work for TIFF in the off season?
Steve: I agree that this is a truly appalling interruption of mobility for those who are not actually part of the marathon, and even for many who will just be spectators. Toronto is supposed to have a traffic czar, but he seems to be asleep at the switch on this one.
Even the two big events – Pride and the Santa Claus Parade – do not produce such extensive disruption.
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