Travel advisory for Ontario - South

Service updates

January 6, 2025

Polar Bear Express Additional Service Dates

Ontario Northland is pleased to offer two additional service dates, Sunday, January 26, 2025, and Wednesday, February 19, 2025, to accommodate higher-than-usual travel demands for Moosonee and Moose River community events.

Tickets for these additional service dates can be purchased at ontarionorthland.ca.

This additional service date is in addition to the existing Polar Bear Express winter schedule, which will still operate every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

If you have any questions, please contact info@ontarionorthland.ca or 1 (800) 363-7512.

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:

Tickets