Weekend Expo Line service in downtown Vancouver to be reduced until June

Stadium-Chinatown SkyTrain Station is seen in this image handed out by TransLink.

TransLink is warning SkyTrain passengers who use the Expo Line on the weekend to expect delays in downtown Vancouver starting next week, as service will be reduced for the next few months.

Starting March 22, train frequency between Waterfront and Stadium-Chinatown stations will be reduced on Saturday and Sunday mornings and Sunday nights until early June.

The transit operator says the disruptions are for essential upgrades on the linear induction motor rail “to ensure the continued safety and reliability of the SkyTrain.”

The “service adjustments” will be on Saturdays and Sundays from start of service until 10 a.m., and on Sunday from 9:30 p.m. until end of service. During those times, only one track will be available, so while all stations will be in operation, frequency will be lower than normal.

“During this work, Expo Line customers travelling through or using downtown Vancouver stations should expect some delays and build in 20 minutes of extra travel time,” a notice from TransLink reads.

“Digital screens at station entrances will inform customers of any platform changes. Canada Line and Millennium Line service will not be affected.”

The maintenance will eventually replace the original decades-old LIM rail on the Expo Line with an “upgraded assembly” that matches the Millenium Line.