Make Subways Faster with Automation and Platform Screen Doors

Summary

Toronto’s rail network is running on outdated systems that slow down trips and drive up costs. Subways are still manually operated, with open platforms that create safety risks and delays, while GO trains run on signalling that limits speed and frequency. Automating the TTC subway with modern controls and platform screen doors could shorten commutes by 30% or more, while also boosting reliability and cutting delays. On GO, digital train control and automatic operation will enable faster trips and more frequent service without laying new track. Together, these changes will give Toronto a transit system that is safer, faster, and more affordable to run — one that finally delivers the time savings riders experience in Paris, Vancouver, and other world-class systems.

Goal: By 2030, Toronto will complete automation of the TTC subway system, with platform screen doors installed at all stations and trains operating safely without drivers — delivering faster, more reliable service and saving lives.

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Background And Motivation

Toronto’s subway and GO systems are the backbone of travel in the region, but they are still run with limits that slow people down and cost too much. Older signalling and manual operation mean trains can’t run as often or as fast as they should. Open platforms add another drag: every time someone steps too close to the edge, drops an object, or worse, enters the tracks, entire lines are delayed. To prevent accidents, trains also slow into stations and wait longer before leaving. These limits keep riders packed into crowded trains and stuck in longer commutes, while the TTC pays high operating costs to staff every trip. The result is a network stretched to its limits, even though major time savings and capacity gains could be unlocked simply by making the system faster, safer, and more efficient with automation and platform protection.

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The TTC has already started¹ modernizing with new signalling on Line 1 and planned upgrades for Line 2. These systems can support automation, where computers handle speed, spacing, and dwell times with precision. When paired with platform screen doors that block access to the tracks, automation allows trains to come more often, stop more consistently, and move faster between stations. International examples show the scale of potential gains. Copenhagen’s automated metro cut end-to-end travel times by more than 10%² while improving reliability. Paris went further: automating Metro Line 1 enabled trains to run every 85 seconds³, increasing capacity by 20% without building new tunnels. Given that Toronto starts from a slower, more manual baseline, the TTC could plausibly achieve commute time reductions of 30% or more once automation and platform doors are in place.

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GO Transit faces a similar challenge. Its trains run with older signalling that forces wide spacing and slower speeds. Metrolinx has chosen a digital signalling system called ETCS Level 2, which allows closer spacing and higher speeds with computer control. Adding automatic train operation on top of this will make GO service more like a regional metro: trains running every few minutes on core lines, trips that are faster and smoother, and far fewer delays caused by human error. Hamburg is already using this technology on its S-Bahn, and early results show it can run 30% more trains⁴ on the same tracks with better punctuality — a model Toronto can learn from.

These upgrades will not be cheap. Installing platform screen doors on the TTC alone could cost several billion dollars, and re-signalling and automation will add more. But the payback is clear. Each year, the TTC spends hundreds of millions on operator salaries, and service disruptions from track intrusions or signal problems cost tens of millions more. Automated systems cut these costs permanently. Vancouver’s SkyTrain, automated since the 1980s, has kept costs per rider low while running trains every few minutes all day long. For Toronto, automation adds the equivalent of a new subway line’s capacity, shortens trips dramatically, and does it at a fraction of the cost of building new tunnels. Over time, the savings on operations and the value of faster, more reliable service make this one of the smartest investments the city and province can make.

Toronto is growing quickly, and building new transit lines alone will not solve the problem of long commutes. By automating the TTC subway and modernizing GO, the city can make better use of the network it already has. Riders will get trips that are up to a third shorter, trains that come more often, and a safer, more reliable commute. At the same time, the TTC and Metrolinx will save money on operations and have a system ready to handle growth for decades to come.

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Real World Solutions

Copenhagen Metro – Speed and Reliability. Fully automated since 2002, trains run every few minutes with short, consistent stops. Automation cut end-to-end travel times by more than 10% while keeping costs low, showing how computer control delivers both speed and efficiency.

Paris Metro Line 1 – Frequency and Capacity. Converted to driverless operation in 2012, Paris boosted train frequency to 85-second intervals. The line gained 20% more capacity without building new tracks, proving automation is a cost-effective way to add entire lines’ worth of service.

Hamburg S-Bahn – Regional Rail Automation. In 2021 Hamburg introduced digital signalling and semi-automated operation on its commuter rail. The system now runs 30% more trains on the same tracks, demonstrating how GO Transit could achieve metro-style frequency with modern controls.

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What Must Be Done

Toronto can deliver faster, safer, and more affordable transit by building on upgrades already underway. The TTC has modern signalling on Line 1 and plans to re-signal Line 2, while GO Expansion is adopting digital controls. The next step is to pair these foundations with automation, platform protection, and updated rules. By doing so, Toronto can unlock entire lines’ worth of new capacity without laying new track, cut travel times by up to 30%, and reduce long-term operating costs.

Automate the TTC Subway with Platform Screen Doors.
Toronto already has modern signalling on Line 1 and is planning upgrades for Line 2. These systems make automation possible, but only if paired with platform screen doors (PSDs) to keep people and objects off the tracks. Together, automation and PSDs reduce delays, allow faster station approaches, and shorten dwell times, cutting total travel times by up to 30%. They also make stations safer and eliminate one of the biggest causes of shutdowns.

• Complete Line 2 re-signalling to make it automation-ready.
• Install PSDs across the network, beginning with the busiest and highest-risk stations.
• Phase in unattended train operation on Line 1, then expand to Lines 2 and 4.
• Fund PSDs and automation upgrades through a dedicated provincial-municipal capital program.
  
  

Modernize GO Transit with Digital Signalling and Automatic Operation.
GO is being expanded with all-day, two-way service, but its current operations still resemble 20th-century commuter rail. Upgrading to digital train control (ETCS Level 2) and adding automatic operation will allow trains to run closer together, at higher speeds, and with smoother station stops. The result is metro-style frequency on core lines, with 30% more capacity using the same tracks.

• Accelerate ETCS Level 2 deployment on all GO-owned corridors.
• Equip new GO Expansion rolling stock with Automatic Train Operation.
• Pilot ATO on Lakeshore or UP Express to demonstrate time savings and reliability.
• Introduce PSDs selectively at the busiest GO stations to improve safety and reduce dwell-time delays.

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Update Regulations to Enable Automation Safely.
Current provincial and federal rail rules assume human drivers. To move forward, Ontario and Transport Canada need to update regulations to allow unattended train operation on the TTC and semi-automated operation on GO. This will set clear safety standards, reassure the public, and give agencies the green light to modernize.

• Publish safety standards for automated metro and regional rail operations, referencing international best practices.
• Require hazard analyses, fail-safe braking, and intrusion detection for certification.
• Allow central control centers to supervise operations and take manual control remotely in emergencies.
• Set performance benchmarks for reliability, frequency, and safety under automation.
  
  

Support a Fair Transition for Transit Workers.
Automation will change how transit is staffed, and some roles will shrink. But the shift can be managed fairly through gradual rollout, retraining, and close work with unions. Many operators can transition into new positions that remain vital — from control-room supervisors to safety staff and technical maintenance. The goal is to minimize disruption and make sure workers have clear pathways into meaningful roles as the system modernizes.

• Slow net operator growth as automation expands, relying on attrition and reassignments to reduce staff levels.
• Retrain existing operators for roles in control centers, station safety, customer service, and technical support.
• Establish a joint transition program with unions to protect fair treatment and benefits.
• Fund worker retraining and upskilling through a dedicated program tied to the automation rollout.

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Common Questions

Isn’t this too expensive when we need new lines?
Automation and platform doors will cost billions, but so does building new tunnels. The difference is that automation unlocks an entire line’s worth of capacity on the network we already have. Operating costs also fall over time, so the investment pays back in both savings and faster service.

Won’t automation cost jobs?
Yes, fewer train operators will be needed, but other roles will grow. Staff will shift into customer service, safety, control centers, and technical maintenance. With retraining and natural retirements, these changes can be made without layoffs. Other cities have automated while protecting workers, and Toronto can too.

Is it really safe to run trains without drivers?
Automated systems are already used safely in cities like Copenhagen, Vancouver, and Paris. They include multiple layers of protection: fail-safe braking, intrusion detection, and central control oversight. Platform doors remove the risk of track accidents entirely. In fact, these systems are usually safer and more reliable than human operation.

Why not just improve the current system instead?
The TTC has already begun re-signalling, and GO is rolling out digital train control. Automation builds directly on these upgrades — it’s the next logical step. Without it, Toronto keeps paying higher costs for slower service. With it, riders get faster commutes and more trains at a lower long-term cost.

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Conclusion

Toronto’s transit is at a turning point. The subway and GO network carry millions, but outdated operations make trips slower, costlier, and less reliable than they should be. Automation and platform screen doors on the TTC, paired with digital train control and automatic operation on GO, can change that. These upgrades will unlock entire lines’ worth of capacity without new tunnels, cut travel times by up to 30%, and reduce long-term costs. With clear rules, fair treatment of workers, and committed investment, Toronto can have a faster, safer, more efficient transit system by 2030. This is the moment to bring our network into the modern era and give riders the service they deserve.

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