Ontario Is Testing A New Train That Will Take You From Toronto To Northern Cottage Country

Do you love going up North to your cottage for a relaxing weekend but hate driving there?

Ontario Northland is testing out a new train that will take passengers from Toronto all the way to North Bay.

The train departed for its trial run on Monday, according to a tweet from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, and they are "gathering data" to help develop their "plan to bring passenger rail to Northeastern Ontario."

In May 2021, the Ontario government announced its plans to expand transportation into the North to make "it easier and more convenient for people to get where they need to go," according to a press release.

"We have listened to people, businesses and Indigenous communities across Northern Ontario who have long awaited the return of train service on the northeast corridor," said Caroline Mulroney, minister of transportation.

"This important milestone in the planning process brings us another step closer to building a better transportation network in the North."

According to the press release, "Ontario Northland and Metrolinx are moving forward with further planning for a 13-stop route that would provide service from Toronto to Timmins or Cochrane. As part of the 2021 Ontario Budget, the government committed $5 million to support this planning and design work."

The proposed route would have 13 stops, including "Toronto (Union Station), Langstaff, Gormley, Washago, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, North Bay, Temagami, Temiskaming Shores, Englehart, Matheson and Timmins or Cochrane," and run based off of "seasonal travel demands."

The train would run four to seven days a week, and Ontarians can expect the route to be up and running sometime in the "mid-2020s"

This article's left-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.