The TTC has announced its plan to accommodate the tens of thousands of Swifties expected to use public transit when the Eras Tour touches down in Toronto.
Increased subway service and extra buses and streetcars will be deployed on key routes to keep fans moving safely and swiftly to and from Scotiabank Arena. Extra staff, including Special Constables and first responders, will also be stationed throughout the downtown core to assist with crowd control.
Up to 60,000 fans are expected to attend Taylor Swift’s concerts each night, with an additional 10,000 to 20,000 people expected to attend overlapping events in the area around Scotiabank Arena.
Controlling such a crowd will be no small feat for concert organizers and the TTC.
In Seattle, Swift fans dancing to Shake It Off caused seismic activity equivalent to a small earthquake.
But a “Swift Quake” could be a small price to bear for the expected economic windfall that the Eras Tour could bring to Toronto. The tourism company Destination Toronto estimates Swift’s six sold-out shows will generate $282 million in economic impact, including more than $152 million in direct spending.
"We know the Eras Tour concerts have been huge events with tremendous economic benefits in other cities and we are doing everything in our power to make sure the Toronto shows are a total success for everyone," said Mayor Olivia Chow in a statement.
"With close to a quarter million people expected in our city during this stop on the tour, public transit is going to be the best way to get to the shows and other events, and I want to thank the TTC for going above and beyond to provide more service and safer service."
Swift’s concerts are set for Nov. 14, through to Nov. 16, and Nov. 21, to Nov. 23.
Find details about how service will be affected on those days, below.
Service changes
Subway
From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on show days only, Line 1 trains will operate approximately every three minutes, with Line 2 trains operating every four minutes.
509 Harbourfront
Streetcars will resume regular service between Union Station and Exhibition Loop with a minimum of four additional streetcars running on show days for a total of 11, up from the normal seven.
510D Spadina
The bus replacement will function normally, with an additional 15 buses operating frequently on concert days. After the shows, these extras will run northbound direct to Spadina Station, stopping only to drop off at King, Queen, Dundas and College streets.
511 Bathurst
Streetcars will run from Bathurst Station to Union Station on concert nights until Nov. 17 when they will run to Union, as scheduled.
19 Bay
An additional 10 buses will be added to this route on concert days. After the shows, they will operate northbound direct to Bay Station, stopping to drop-off only at King, Queen, Dundas and College streets.
Union station
Immediately after the shows, the TTC will monitor and control access to the Union Station subway entrance to ensure crowds remain manageable and to avoid platform crowding.
This could lead to lines on Front Street at times, but staff will be on hand to provide information and offer alternative route suggestions.
The TTC will maintain accessible access to the subway via direct connections to Union Station.
