Service updates
April 28, 2025
New Pilot Program to Enhance Service.
Ontario Northland is excited to share the launch of a new pilot program in partnership with the City of North Bay that will provide a seamless and affordable experience for travellers. Starting April 28, 2025, Ontario Northland passengers can use their same-day Ontario Northland bus ticket to transfer to and from North Bay Transit, at no additional cost.
This pilot program will run for six months to gather data and feedback that will help assess the service’s effectiveness.
Ontario Northland provides safe and reliable bus transportation services that passengers can depend on. We are dedicated to continually improving our services and collaborating with the communities we serve.
For more information reach out to our Passenger Services team at passengercare@ontarionorthland.ca or at 1-800-461-8558.
April 24, 2025
Polar Bear Express added Sunday service starts in June
Please be advised Ontario Northland will be offering additional Polar Bear Express service throughout the month of June 2025. Sunday service will begin on June 1 and continue through June 29, 2025.
Tickets for this date can now be purchased at ontarionorthland.ca.
Please note this service is in addition to the existing Polar Bear Express schedule, which will still operate every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
The summer schedule will begin on July 6 and will offer Sunday service until October 24.
If you have any questions, please contact info@ontarionorthland.ca or 1 (800) 363-7512.
Thank you for choosing Ontario Northland.
January 17, 2025
Polar Bear Express Additional Service Dates
We are excited to share that we are offering additional services on select dates between January and March 2025. Additional Polar Bear Express service dates include:
| Northbound | January 26 | February 12 | February 16 | February 19 | March 8 | March 15 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lv. Cochrane | 9:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. | |
| Arr. Moosonee | 2:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | |
| Southbound | |||||||
| Lv. Moosonee | 4:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | |
| Arr. Cochrane | 9:00 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. |
Tickets for these additional dates can now be purchased at https://tickets.ontarionorthland.ca/.
If you have any questions, please contact info@ontarionorthland.ca or 1 (800) 363-7512.
Please note, new service dates are in addition to existing Polar Bear Express winter schedules, which will still operate every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Thank you for choosing Ontario Northland.
December 19, 2024
Motor Coach Schedule changes: Trip 1506, Sudbury to Ottawa
Please be advised that as of January 7, 2025, Ontario Northland will be making changes to our daily trip between Sudbury and Ottawa to improve the travel experience for our customers and enhance efficiencies.
New Schedule:
| Departure | Arrival | Change to Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| 1506 will now leave Sudbury at 16:05 | 1506 will now arrive at the final Ottawa stop at 23:10. | 20 minutes later, departure and arrival. |
To view all of our motor coach schedules, please visit https://ontarionorthland.ca/en/travel/schedules.
Please contact info@ontarionorthland.ca or 1 (800) 363-7512 with any questions.
December 19, 2024
Motor Coach Schedule changes Trip 1234, Sudbury to Toronto
To our valued customers:
Please be advised that as of January 7, 2025, Ontario Northland will be making changes to our daily trip between Sudbury and Toronto to improve the travel experience for passengers and enhance efficiencies.
Our schedule changes will allow passengers to make their connection with the GO train in King City and ensure a timely arrival for passengers travelling to Toronto.
New Schedule:
| Southbound Trip | Change to Schedule |
|---|---|
| 1234 will now leave Sudbury at 7:10 a.m. | 20-minute earlier departure |
| 1234 will now arrive at King City GO station at 11:45 a.m. | 10-minute earlier arrival |
| 1234 will now arrive at its final destination in Toronto – Union Station at 12:33 p.m. | 3-minute later arrival |
To view all of our motor coach schedules, please visit https://ontarionorthland.ca/en/travel/schedules.
Please contact info@ontarionorthland.ca or 1 (800) 363-7512 with any questions.
December 19, 2024
Motor Coach Schedule changes Trip 1249, Toronto to Sudbury
To our valued customers:
Please be advised that as of January 7, 2025, Ontario Northland will be making changes to its daily trip between Toronto and Sudbury to improve the travel experience for passengers and enhance efficiencies.
Our schedule changes will allow passengers more time to board at these high-volume stops in the Toronto area.
New Schedule:
| Northbound Trip | Proposed New Time | Changes in schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto - Union Station Bus Terminal | 10:00 | No change |
| Toronto - Yorkdale | 10:50 | 5-minute later departure |
| Toronto - Vaughan-407 terminal | 11:15 | 10-minute later departure |
| Barrie | 12:24 | 5-minute later departure |
| Orillia - Transit | 12:57 | 15-minute late departure |
| Coldwater | 13:25 | 15-minute late departure |
| Port Severn | 13:39 | 15-minute late departure |
| Mactier | 14:04 | 15-minute late departure |
| Parry Sound | 14:31 | 15-minute late departure |
| Parry Sound | 14:51 | 20-minute later departure |
| Pointe Au Baril | 15:18 | 20-minute later departure |
| Alban | 16:02 | 20-minute later departure |
| Sudbury - Health Sciences North/Horizon Santé-Nord | 16:45 | 20-minute later departure |
| Sudbury - Laurentian University | 16:52 | 20-minute later departure |
| Sudbury | 17:08 | 20-minute later arrival |
To view all of our motor coach schedules, please visit https://ontarionorthland.ca/en/travel/schedules.
Please contact info@ontarionorthland.ca or 1 (800) 363-7512 with any questions.
December 18, 2024
Motor Coach Schedule changes Trip 1199, Toronto to North Bay
To our valued customers:
Please be advised that as of January 7, 2025, Ontario Northland will be making changes to our late-night trip between Toronto and North Bay to improve travel experience for passengers and enhance efficiencies.
Our schedule changes will improve our arrival times at all stops along the route.
New Schedule:
| Northbound Trip | Proposed New Time | Changes in schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Barrie | 01:20 | 4-minute earlier departure time |
| Orillia - Transit | 01:51 | 4-minute earlier departure time |
| Gravenhurst | 02:21 | 4-minute earlier departure time |
| Bracebridge | 02:37 | 4-minute earlier departure time |
| Bracebridge | 02:40 | 4-minute earlier departure time |
| Bracebridge | 02:55 | 4-minute earlier departure time |
| Huntsville | 03:22 | 4-minute earlier departure time |
To view all of our motor coach schedules please visit https://ontarionorthland.ca/en/travel/schedules
Please contact info@ontarionorthland.ca or 1 (800) 363-7512 with any questions.
December 18, 2024
Motor Coach Schedule changes Trip 1190, North Bay to Toronto
To our valued customers:
Please be advised that as of January 7, 2025, Ontario Northland will be making changes to our evening trip between North Bay and Toronto (Union Station Bus Terminal) to improve travel experience for passengers and enhance efficiencies.
By adjusting our schedule at the Novar, Huntsville and Port Sydney locations, we will improve our arrival times at all stops along the route.
New Schedule:
| Southbound Trip | Proposed New Time | Changes in schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Trip 1190 will leave North Bay at its current time of 16:20 | ||
| Novar | 17:47 | 2-minute later departure |
| Huntsville | 18:00 | 2-minute later departure |
| Port Sydney | 18:11 | 2-minute later departure |
| Trip 1190 will arrive in Toronto (Union Station Bus Terminal) at its current time of 21:57 | ||
To view all of our motor coach schedules please visit https://ontarionorthland.ca/en/travel/schedules
Please contact info@ontarionorthland.ca or 1 (800) 363-7512 with any questions.
December 12, 2024
Moosonee 2024 Hours of Operation
Please be advised of the following station operating hours at the Moosonee Station for December 2024 / January 2025.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 8 Closed |
December 9 Regular Hours |
December 10 Regular Hours |
December 11 Regular Hours |
December 12 Regular Hours |
December 13 10am - 5pm |
December 14 Closed |
| December 15 Closed |
December 16 2pm - 6pm |
December 17 Regular Hours |
December 18 Regular Hours |
December 19 Regular Hours |
December 20 10am - 5pm |
December 21 Closed |
| December 22 Closed |
December 23 2pm - 6pm |
December 24 10am - 5pm |
December 25 Closed |
December 26 2pm - 6pm |
December 27 10am - 5pm |
December 28 Closed |
| December 29 Closed |
December 30 2pm - 6pm |
December 31 10am - 5pm |
January 1 Closed |
January 2 10am - 5pm |
January 3 10am - 5pm |
January 4 Closed |
Regular Hours – 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Should you have any questions or require additional information, please contact your local Ontario Northland station or agency, or call us at 1-800-461-8558.
We appreciate your business and thank you for your ongoing support of Ontario Northland.
November 26, 2024
Air Miles Rewards
As of December 31, 2024, Ontario Northland will no longer offer Air Miles points on purchases of individual fares for the Polar Bear Express or motor coach travel. Air Miles points can still be collected until this time, and this change will not affect the value of any Air Miles points you have already collected.
Please reach out to Ontario Northland passenger care at passengerservices@ontarionorthland.ca or 1 (800) 363-7512 if you have any questions.
October 24, 2024
Polar Bear Express Winter Schedule
Beginning October 21, 2024, the Polar Bear Express passenger train will operate four (4) round trips per week, as per regular winter season operations.
Please note there will be no train operating on Sunday, October 27, 2024.
| Northbound | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lv. Cochrane | 9:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. | - | 9:00 a.m. | 9:00 a.m. | - | |
| Arr. Moosonee | 2:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | - | 2:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | - | |
| Southbound | |||||||
| Lv. Moosonee | 5:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | - | 5:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | - | |
| Arr. Cochrane | 10:00 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | - | 10:00 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | - |
September 19, 2024
Important Notice: Upcoming Schedule Changes for the Polar Bear Express
Starting November 25, 2024, new Transport Canada regulations will impact the Polar Bear Express schedule.
Passenger Notice - Fare Increases
To adjust to the rise in operational costs, Ontario Northland will be increasing fares and rates effective September 1, 2024.
- Motor coach and Polar Bear Express fares will increase by 1.5 per cent
- This is an average increase of $1 for motor coach passengers and an average increase of $0.76 for Polar Bear Express passengers.
- Bus Parcel Express rates will increase by 1.5 per cent
- This represents an average increase of approximately $0.20, pending shipment size.
Our transportation services are vital. Increasing our revenue allows us to improve services to meet the needs of our passengers and parcel customers.
We look forward to continuing to modernize our passenger and parcel services to better serve you.
Polar Bear Express Delays July 2024
Please be advised that Ontario Northland will be undertaking rail infrastructure work on the Polar Bear Express service territory from July 22 until the end of August. This work may cause service impacts extending trips up to 30 minutes for the Polar Bear Express during this time.
Crews will be carrying out proactive ultrasonic testing on the rail line and performing rail maintenance and upgrades. This work will help to provide a smoother and quieter passenger experience and ensure the continued safety and reliability of Ontario Northland’s train service.
Motor Coach Schedule Updates
Beginning July 22, 2024, Ontario Northland will be making changes to our daily round trips between North Bay and Toronto to improve travel experience and enhance efficiency.
Recent updates have allowed us to identify areas for improving the timeliness of trips 1138/1111, 1122/1131, 1142/1183, and 1190/1199.
| Southbound trip | Northbound trip |
|---|---|
| 1138 will now leave North Bay at 3:15 a.m. | 1111 will now leave Toronto at 9:15 a.m. |
| 1122 will now leave North Bay at 6:15 a.m | 1131 will now leave Toronto at 12:30 p.m. |
| 1142 will now leave North Bay at 12:30 p.m | 1183 departure time from Toronto stays the same (6:45 p.m.) |
| Trip 1190 will now leave North Bay at 4:20 p.m | Trip 1199 departure time from Toronto stays the same (11:30 p.m.) |
Enhanced Connectivity and Entertainment Aboard the Polar Bear Express.
Ontario Northland is pleased to announce our ON Board Wi-Fi and Entertainment System is now available for passengers on the Polar Bear Express. The introduction of the Polar Bear Express Wi-Fi service marks a step forward in our modernization efforts and enhances the onboard experience for our valued travelers.
Ontario Northland is offering more travel options from June 2024 to March 2025.
Our Polar Bear Express service is adding four extra Sunday service dates to the summer schedule, which will now start on June 2 and run through October 27, 2024, providing Sunday service each of those weeks.
Here’s what else is new:
- July 31, 2024: Special service for the Gathering of our People event in Moose Factory.
- August 7, 2024: Additional service for the Civic Holiday.
- December 4, 11 and 18, 2024: Extra service dates for holiday travel.
- February 12 and 16, 2025: Special service for Mushkegowuk Cup and the Great Moon Gathering.
- March 8 and 15, 2025: Saturday services for the Little NHL tournament and March Break.
Tickets for these additional dates can now be purchased at: