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40-478: It was established in 1993, after the demise of the previous service provider, Gray Coach . The service operated 20 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It ran at 20-minute intervals during peak times and 30-minute intervals off-peak. Airport Express (and Gray Coach before them) formerly operated two additional routes, one connecting the airport to Islington subway station and the other to Yorkdale and York Mills stations. These were withdrawn in 2000 after

80-399: A five-year contract. As a result, the coach lines took over the operational control of the terminal and opened their own ticket booths, where previously TTC employees had handled ticket sales and taken a commission in addition to platform fees charged to the coach companies. The lease, which was last renewed for a year in 2020, expired on July 7, 2021. In April 2017, TTC staff proposed for

120-553: A number of suburban and extra-fare express routes in Toronto. Operated from 1947 to 1952 between downtown and the Beaches via Eastern Avenue and Queen Street East. The first city coach route started running in 1925, between Forest Hill and downtown via Forest Hill Road, Poplar Plains Road, Dupont Street, St George Street, University Avenue, Osgoode and Albert Streets. In 1931 it was extended north to Glenview Avenue (later Otter Loop). Service

160-418: A pooling agreement with Greyhound , to New York City . In addition, Gray Coach operated sightseeing tour service in and around Toronto, eventually in association with Gray Line tours. Gray Coach Lines also provided one-hour Motor Launch Tours of the lagoons off Toronto's harbour and of the waterfront (used Amsterdam canal style boats with large glass top now run by Toronto Harbour Tours). The main bus terminal

200-480: A white base with black letters GC . A red stripe was added along the belt line on sightseeing, Airport Express, and Hostess Express premium-service buses. Gray Coach had terminals and agencies at various locations across Toronto: Now used by Coach Canada and Ontario Northland - terminal owned by the TTC. The TTC managed the station directly until July 8, 2012, when it was leased to its tenants. Gray Coach once operated

240-672: Is a decommissioned bus station for intercity bus services in Toronto , Ontario, Canada. The building was the central intercity bus station in Toronto until mid-2021, when it was replaced by the Union Station Bus Terminal . It is located at 610 Bay Street , in the city's downtown . Opened in 1931 as the Gray Coach Terminal, the Art Deco style structure was the main hub for Gray Coach , an interurban coach service then owned by

280-405: Is located one block west of Dundas subway station and was connected to it via the underground PATH network. It is also about the same distance from St. Patrick subway station . The bus platforms are located on Edward Street, on the west side of the terminal building. A small side entrance on the west side of Elizabeth Street is connected to the main concourse area on Bay Street by a corridor behind

320-494: Is to be "adaptive reuse of the existing heritage building as well as streetscape improvements", and the project is to include an organ repair centre for transplants, operated by the University Health Network , and housing options for health workers. Kilmer Group and Tricon Residential (Kilmer-Tricon) were announced by the city and CreateTO as the developers. The terminal was originally owned by Gray Coach Lines when it

360-543: The City of Toronto 's heritage buildings register since May 19, 1987. An annex, the Elizabeth Street Terminal located at 130 Elizabeth Street, is located to the west of the main terminal. It was originally built in 1968 and was used for bus charters and sightseeing buses and, beginning in 1970, was a hub for GO Transit bus arrivals and departures. Five diagonal bus bays on its south side were used for departures and

400-464: The PATH network . A newspaper stand was located in the basement along with, over various years, a shoeshine stand (in earlier decades), a travellers' lounge called Kramden's Kafe (after it moved from its original location as the upstairs restaurant) serving snacks and alcohol and equipped with a pool table , and finally a bakery. In 2012, the coach terminal's board proposed that a new facility be built at

440-618: The TTC for York Township , it was transferred to Gray Coach circa 1930. As of January 1, 1954 it was included in the new Metropolitan Toronto operation, and Gray Coaches were replaced by "red" city buses. From May 1, 1953 to January 1, 1954 the L EASIDE bus was operated by Gray Coach Lines. The R OSEDALE coach ran for just under two years (November 1928 to September 1930) between Summerhill & MacLennan Avenues and downtown via Glen Road, Sherbourne Street, Isabella Street, Jarvis Street and Shuter Street to Yonge Street. Gray Coach acquired

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480-779: The Toronto Transportation Commission (later renamed the Toronto Transit Commission ) (TTC). It replaced an earlier open air depot, the Union Coach Terminal. In 1927, the TTC signed a contract with Trinity College leasing a parcel of land at Bay and Edward Streets for an open air coach terminal. After purchasing the Bay/Edward property, construction on a permanent terminal building began in July 1931. The building officially opened on December 19, 1931 as

520-667: The 1930s, Gray Coach acquired numerous and smaller competitors in the Greater Toronto Area . The operator eventually dominated inter-urban bus service by the end of the 1930s, replacing or succeeding many Toronto and area interurban radial lines that had previously provided interurban transportation by light rail. Gray Coach used inter-urban coaches to link Toronto to outlying areas throughout Southern Ontario, such as Owen Sound , London , Kitchener , Guelph , Niagara Falls , Sudbury , North Bay , Barrie and Hamilton . Gray Coach also offered service to Buffalo, New York and in

560-427: The 1990s, GO Transit bus services gradually relocated to Toronto Union Station , first to seven curb-side bus stops along Front Street in front of the railway station, and then to the original Union Station Bus Terminal on Front Street, across Bay Street from the rail terminal. GO's Toronto to Hamilton Express bus route was the last to use the Elizabeth Street Terminal until Labour Day weekend of 2002 when it moved to

600-536: The Hamilton, Oshawa and Port Perry runs. The contracting for GO Transit ended in 1985, when GO began to completely operate its own buses. By the 1980s, Gray Coach faced fierce competition in the Greater Toronto Area. To strengthen its position, Gray Coach bid to acquire inter-urban operator Trentway-Wagar. However, facing budgetary pressure, the TTC decided to focus on its core urban transit service. In October 1990

640-465: The TTC introduced a competing express bus service from Kipling station, which charges regular TTC fares but until 2013 used regular TTC buses with no space intended for luggage. In June 2011, Toronto Airport Express began a connecting, on-demand service called Airport Express Connect that extended the regular scheduled service throughout downtown Toronto . Pacific Western was named the IMG Operator of

680-418: The TTC sold Gray Coach Lines to Stagecoach who then sold it to Greyhound Canada and Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services in 1992. Gray Coach's Gray Line franchised sightseeing operations were taken over by Greyhound Canada. Livery of early buses were gray with the red crest with the words Gray Coach Lines . The crest disappeared and replaced with the full wording with blue strip. The final buses had

720-619: The Toronto Coach Terminal, relocated to Union Station effective July 4, 2021, bringing the Toronto Coach Terminal's role as a bus depot to a close after almost 90 years of service. On October 29, 2019, Toronto City Council identified the Bay and Elizabeth Street terminal properties as an asset that is underutilized, "with an opportunity to unlock value and address City needs and City building objectives, such as affordable housing, employment uses and community infrastructure." Despite its age,

760-711: The Toronto Motor Coach Terminal, to serve as the terminal hub for the Toronto Transit Commission 's (TTC) Gray Coach intercity bus service, replacing an open air terminal that had operated at the same location. Known as the Gray Coach Terminal until 1990, the Art Deco building is a two-storey historic building with Travertine limestone. Designed by architect Charles B. Dolphin it was originally built with five platforms (four departure and one arrival platform) and later expanded to nine bus platforms. Its final form consisted of seven bus platforms, accommodating two numbered bus bays each. The building has been listed in

800-706: The W OODBRIDGE route when the TTC bought out Roseland Bus Lines. From Lawrence and Weston via Weston Road, Albion Road, Thistletown, Woodbridge Road, Highway 7, 8th Avenue and Pine Street (Woodbridge Avenue) to Pine Grove Road, Woodbridge, with Sunday trips operating through the Thistletown Hospital (For Disturbed Children) grounds. The route was transferred to the TTC in December 1955 as Islington Bus (as 44 Islington 1956 to 1963 and now as 37 Islington). A list of independent operators acquired by Gray Coach: Toronto Coach Terminal The Toronto Coach Terminal

840-559: The Year for 2010. Coach 1559 had a new wrap reflecting this honour, replacing the Young Explorers wrap that had been on this bus. The service ceased operation on October 31, 2014 due to declining ridership, which had fallen from 400,000 to 190,000 in ten years. The decline was attributed to the popularity of the Billy Bishop airport and delays due to downtown road construction. The closure of

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880-463: The city's real estate arm, "approximately 750 homes could be included in these sites with approximately 250 being affordable homes.” Create TO announced in November 2022 that it is seeking bids from developers. In June 2023, CreateTO announced its shortlist of bidders submitting proposals to redevelop 610 Bay Street and 130 Elizabeth Street: On November 21, 2024, Mayor Olivia Chow announced that

920-517: The coach terminal there. This new terminal opened in December 2020. Greyhound Canada suspended service in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic , and announced on May 13, 2021, that they were permanently ending Canadian operations. Coach Canada / Megabus relocated to the new Union Station Bus Terminal , effective June 8, 2021. Ontario Northland Motor Coach Services , the last remaining bus line that used

960-569: The frequency of buses on the route. There were nine downtown Toronto destinations: The route took about 1 hour and 10 minutes without accounting traffic delays. The Airport Express used H345 Prevost Car 45' motor coaches with seating for 56. They were powered by engines that produce 55 per cent less nitrogen oxide and 90 per cent less particulate matter than the previous models. The coaches also come with improved features including such as leather seats, free WiFi internet, laptop plugs and retractable seat belts. Gray Coach Gray Coach

1000-447: The main building from the bus bays and replacing it with a glass wall several metres to the west, reducing the space allotted for bus bays. The bus shed is configured into seven lanes, with room for two buses in each lane. The 40-seat lunch counter -style restaurant which had been on the main floor was removed and replaced by an upstairs restaurant and bar seating 150, with railings overlooking main floor enclosed with glass. The restaurant

1040-555: The main building to Elizabeth Street, and then cross the street to the Elizabeth terminal, without having to walk through the bus bays in the main terminal. The dispatch office is located along the west wall of the terminal, overlooking the bus bays. As part of the renovation, a tunnel was built under Bay Street at the cost of CA$ 4 million connecting the main terminal to the Atrium on Bay and, through it, to Dundas subway station as well as to

1080-421: The north of the building remaining open to the public for bus arrivals. Due to limited space, buses would park overnight along Edward Street and Chestnut Street. A renovation of the main terminal building occurred in 1990, tripled the main terminal's floor space to 2,500 square metres, creating more seating for waiting passengers (250 seats rather than 100). This was done by demolishing the interior wall separating

1120-421: The north side of the building opening onto a covered two-lane driveway acting as an unloading area and space for bus layovers and parking. In 1990, the Elizabeth Street Terminal also began handling arrivals for the main terminal's bus lines with departures leaving from the main coach terminal across the street, which is rather unusual for bus terminals or other passenger transportation infrastructure. Through

1160-475: The original Union Station Bus Terminal on Front Street. After the departure of GO Transit, the Elizabeth Street terminal only handled arrivals for the remaining bus lines. The bus bays on the south side of the building were decommissioned and the area converted into a Green P paid parking lot . The waiting area and newsstand in the Elizabeth Street Terminal were closed in 2010 with only the bus platform on

1200-515: The service was in anticipation of the Union Pearson Express rail service which began operation in 2015. Staff and buses were re-deployed back into Pacific Western's other operations in Toronto. In response to the closure of Pacific Western's service, the Toronto Transit Commission enhanced its Route 900 Airport Express express bus service between Kipling subway station and the airport by retrofitting buses with luggage racks and increasing

1240-408: The site, including both the former Bay Street and Elizabeth Street terminals, would be redeveloped as a mixed-income, mixed-use development that is to include affordable housing, a paramedics hub, and new public plaza. Two towers are to be built and will include residential, retail and public space. The residential component is to consist of 873 homes, 290 of which will be affordable rental units. There

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1280-530: The structure is only a "listed property" in the City's Heritage Register, offering a 60 day window that the property owner has to notify the City before moving or demolishing the structure. In April 2022, Toronto City Council approved a plan to redevelop the site into a mixed-income, mixed-use development that includes affordable housing, and a paramedics multi-hub, and office spaces for the life science and biomedical sectors. According to Vic Gupta, CEO of CreateTO ,

1320-484: The terminal to be declared surplus when Coach Canada and Greyhound Canada vacated the terminal. The board of the TCTI on June 16, 2021 voted to accept a recommendation to transfer the property to the City of Toronto, effective July 8, 2021, in exchange for payment by the city of CA$ 4.2 million so that TCTI could pay back the balance of a loan made to TCTI by the TTC when TCTI was created in 1990. The Toronto Coach Terminal

1360-473: The terminal's current location combining the original terminal and the Elizabeth Street annex into one structure that could fit double the current number of bus bays. However, in September 2014 Metrolinx announced plans to relocate its GO Transit Union Station Bus Terminal to a new terminal in the then under-construction CIBC Square office development located at 81 Bay Street and move the bus lines that serviced

1400-427: Was a Canadian inter-city bus line based in Toronto , Ontario , from 1927 to 1992. It was founded and initially owned by the Toronto Transportation Commission , until sold to Stagecoach in 1990. In 1992 the business was sold to Greyhound Canada and the brand was retired. Gray Coach Lines was a suburban bus and sightseeing tour operator founded in 1927 by the Toronto Transportation Commission (TTC). From 1927 to

1440-405: Was a Toronto Transit Commission subsidiary. When the TTC sold Gray Coach in 1990, it retained the terminal, transferring ownership to Toronto Coach Terminal Inc. (TCTI), a wholly owned subsidiary of the TTC. The TTC managed the station directly until July 8, 2012, when it was leased out in its entirety to bus lines Coach Canada and Greyhound Canada for CA$ 1.2 million annually, in what was initially

1480-602: Was at the Toronto Bus Terminal on Elizabeth Street, downtown. A secondary terminal for parcel service was operated at the corner of Front and Sherbourne Streets and a secondary bus terminal, the Sunnyside Bus Terminal was located at Queen Street West and Roncesvalles in Toronto's west end. Gray Coach was contracted to operate some GO Transit bus services when the latter was started in 1971. Eventually GO Transit took over some Gray Coach routes were, including

1520-601: Was included in the new Metropolitan Toronto operation, and Gray Coaches were replaced by "red" city buses. Inaugurated in November 1945 between Bloor Street & Royal York Road and downtown via (South) Kingsway, Lake Shore Drive, Dowling Avenue and King Street, with an early and late extension to Burnhamthorpe & Holloway Roads via Bloor, Islington and Canning. Withdrawn in April 1946 after only five months of (presumably unsuccessful) operation. From Keele Street to Humber ( Lambton Hotel ) along Dundas Street. Operated initially by

1560-447: Was unable to attract enough passengers to sustain itself and the vendor instead was given space to run a snack bar on the main floor and a passenger lounge and bar in the basement, leaving the upstairs area to be converted to office space. An enclosed pedestrian walkway, with lockers lining the south wall, was built on the south side of the bus shed connecting the main terminal building with Elizabeth Street allowing passengers to walk from

1600-404: Was withdrawn in September 1954 due to opening of the new Yonge subway . In April 1929 Gray Coach Lines acquired Maple Leaf Coach Lines. MCL's I SLINGTON route (via Dundas Street from Runnymede Road to Bloor Street in the town of Islington—now Six Points) was combined with the L AMBTON route and transferred to the TTC . It was transferred to Gray Coach circa 1930. As of January 1, 1954 it

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