Alstom and Metrolinx Launch Flexity Fleet on Eglinton Crosstown LRT

Alstom and Metrolinx have confirmed that 76 FlexityTM light rail vehicles entered passenger service on Sunday, February 8, marking the launch of operations on Toronto’s new Line 5 Eglinton, also known as the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. The vehicles, which were built and tested in Canada, are paired with an advanced signalling system also supplied by Alstom, forming the technological backbone of the new route.

The line runs for 19 kilometres along Eglinton Avenue, one of Toronto’s busiest mid-town corridors, and is designed to carry up to 123,000 passengers a day. It includes 25 stations and stops and operates on a dedicated right-of-way, separated from general road traffic. Line 5 is integrated with the wider public transport network, connecting with 68 bus routes, three TTC subway stations and two GO Transit regional rail lines, improving access between neighbourhoods and key destinations across the city.

Each Flexity LRV can accommodate up to 200 passengers and features a fully low-floor design. The vehicles produce zero emissions and are intended to offer a comfortable travel experience, with wide doors, air conditioning, accessibility features for passengers with reduced mobility and enhanced passenger information systems. The design builds on Alstom’s Citadis platform, with more than 8,000 LRVs ordered or operating in 140 cities worldwide, including locations with demanding climates such as Canada.

To support reliable and safe operation, the Eglinton Crosstown line is equipped with a Communications Based Train Control system. This technology is designed to improve service punctuality and capacity, and has already been deployed by Alstom on metro systems across Europe and Asia, as well as on Toronto’s TTC Line 1.

Alstom will also take responsibility for maintaining the new fleet. The company brings more than four decades of experience in train and rail system operations and maintenance, overseeing over 36,000 vehicles globally. By ridership, Alstom is currently the largest private rail operator in North America.

With a workforce of more than 5,000 employees in Canada, Alstom remains the country’s only rolling stock manufacturer. It supplies trains, signalling and maintenance services for major rail projects nationwide and is involved in urban mobility schemes across Ontario, including Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo and Ottawa, as well as projects in Vancouver, Edmonton, Montreal and the planned Quebec City network.

Michael Keroullé, President of Alstom Americas said:

“Alstom’s vehicles and signalling continue to serve as the backbone of a crucial piece of the Greater Toronto Area’s transit system. Our ongoing collaborations with Metrolinx and municipal transit partners, including the TTC, are helping deliver safer, more reliable mobility solutions for one of North America’s most rapidly expanding regions.”

Image: Alstom