O-Train Line 1 will be out of service on Saturday and Sunday

The O-Train operates on Line 1 on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (Andrew Adlington/CTV News Ottawa)

O-Train Line 1 will be out of service this weekend while a key performance test is conducted for the East extension from Blair Station to Trim Station.

The City of Ottawa says O-Train Line 1 will be closed on Saturday and Sunday as planned work continues for the launch of the East extension later this year.

“Following the successful completion of integration activities, performance testing on the system will require a full closure of O-Train Line 1,” the city said.

During the so-called performance test, 23 trains will operate between Tunney’s Pasture and Trim stations, and multiple test scenarios will be conducted to see if the integrated system can achieve the service levels required.

R1 bus service will run between Tunney’s Pasture and Blair stations during normal hours of operation on Saturday and Sunday.

OC Transpo says you will continue to see out-of-service trains running on the line during the testing.

“The East Extension performance test is an important milestone to demonstrate that the system can achieve expected service levels at launch and in the future,” the city said in a media release.

“During scheduled testing this weekend, work will also continue as part of the Ontario Structure Inspection Manual inspections in the St-Laurent tunnel. This necessary work is being coordinated with testing activities to minimize the number of disruptions for customers.”

The performance test is the second of four milestones that must be successfully achieved prior to the launch of trial running, according to the city. The next milestones are substantial competition, followed by pre-trial running of the full system.

A report for Thursday’s transit committee meeting says final construction activities and train control and communication system testing are well underway and nearing completion on the East extension.

The report for provides an update on the construction of the Line 1 East extension:

• Station occupancy for the East stations is “nearly complete,” with the report saying deficiency closeout, Building Code service reviews, and occupancy permits are expected by the end of September.
• Integration of communication systems for the East extension, with the existing live systems on Line 1, “is progressing well,” according to the report. Transit Services expects integration to be completed by the end of September.
• The hiring of new Electric Rail Operators and familiarizing training is “underway.”
• Twenty-seven of the 38 LRVs for Stage 2 have been delivered and accepted by the city. Four additional vehicles are at “various stages of testing and acceptance.”

O-Train service Wednesday night

O-Train Line 1 service is scheduled to end at 11 p.m. Wednesday in the east end for Stage 2 integration work ahead of this weekend’s test.

OC Transpo interim general manager Troy Charter said service between St-Laurent and Blair stations will end at 11 p.m.

R1 bus service will run between St-Laurent and Blair stations.

The O-Train Line 1 will operate between Tunney’s Pasture and St-Laurent stations until the regular end of service.