Rail Projects

Estimated timeline: April – June 2024

King George SkyTrain station will be closed as of April 27, 2024 for approximately six weeks in order to complete station infrastructure upgrades and maintenance works.

Closing down a SkyTrain station is a rare occurrence, and in this instance, unavoidable. TransLink is carrying out crucial infrastructure upgrades including the replacement of two turnouts. This requires dismantling and replacing SkyTrain tracks, and that means no trains can access King George station. These works are essential to ensure a safe, reliable, and modern transit system.

Changes to Transit Services

SkyTrain services

For the duration of the project, there is no Expo Line SkyTrain service to or from King George station. Customers can access SkyTrain from nearby stations such as Surrey Central, Gateway, or Scott Road.

At Surrey Central station, trains to Waterfront will depart from either platform. Check the platform screens to know where the next train will arrive.

Bus services

Buses will continue to stop at King George station, with some changes to service. Throughout the day, there is regular bus service from King George to Surrey Central stations. An additional SkyTrain replacement bus will run on weekdays between 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. from King George Station Bay 2 to a temporary bay at Surrey Central Station on City Parkway northbound.

Bus routes 345, 394, and 395 – where the final stop is King George station – will make the usual stop at King George and continue onward to Surrey Central station to offer SkyTrain access.

There will be no HandyDART stop at King George station while the station remains closed. Regular HandyDART services will be available at Surrey Central station and other stops.

Passenger pick-up/drop-off zone and bike parkade

The passenger pick-up/drop-off zone at King George will be partially closed - access will not be blocked from Whalley Blvd, however, there will be no parking spaces available, and customers can expect delays related to construction activity in the area. Customers can access parking at Surrey Central station or Scott Road station. The bike parkade at King George station will remain open.

Car share and shuttle services

As of April 27, EVO and Modo car share services are being relocated to the City of Surrey Holland Park Off-Street lot on Holland Commons and King George Boulevard.

ACE Charters shuttle service, which operates between King George Station, Gloucester Estates, and Abbotsford International Airport, will temporarily offer pickup/drop off on 102 Avenue near Surrey Central Station (outside Blenz Coffee) from April 27 until the station reopens.

Estimated Timeline: Dec. 2023 to Fall 2025

Overview: TransLink will be working to replace four aging escalators at Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain Station to ensure safe and reliable transit operations for years to come. These escalators were installed at the start of the Millennium Line service in 2002 and are reaching the end of their service life.

As of 18 December 2023, the escalators going from the concourse/street level to the platform level for the Millennium Line will be closed off while work is undertaken to replace them. Alternate access is available via stairway and nearby elevator.

The work is expected to be completed by Fall 2025. Thereafter, work will begin for the replacement of the two escalators going from the concourse level to Expo Line platforms 3 and 4.

As part of preparing for the replacement works, two faregates at the East Broadway Ave entrance will be removed from service for approximately 1 year. There are additional faregates close by to provide uninterrupted station access.

There will be no changes to SkyTrain services during this time, however, customers may experience more crowding and congestion. Signs will be in place to direct customers, and SkyTrain staff will be present to provide assistance both at platforms and at the SkyTrain Assistance Counter, located at street level inside the North stationhouse above Platforms 1 and 2 (Millennium Line).

Know before you go: For up to date service information, please visit our Alerts page.

From October 2022 until early 2024, we will be working to replace the five aging escalators at Burrard SkyTrain Station with new, heavier-duty models to ensure their safe and reliable operation for years to come. These modern transit-grade escalators are much more durable and feature:

• smoother operation and braking for passenger safety

• LED step lighting for better visibility in dimly lit areas

• a variable speed option for power savings

• improved accessibility for maintenance, to minimize down time and keep passengers moving

Expo Line traffic has increased exponentially since these escalators began operating more than 35 years ago. Their replacement is critical to ensure growing passenger volumes are supported today and well into the future.

Construction Information:

Burrard Station will continue to operate normally throughout construction; however, passengers can expect more congestion within the station than usual.

• Signage and SkyTrain Attendants will help direct passengers during any in-station detours, as required.

• Access to Royal Centre and Bentall Centre will not be affected by construction.

• Elevator access on all levels will not be affected by construction.

Thank you for your patience while we work to improve your transit experience.

The previously announced upgrades that would have closed the station for two years were rescoped. We assessed that that replacing the current escalators with new models is a necessary near-term improvement to continue effectively serving customers. For more information, please view the SkyTrain Station Upgrades section below.

We're replacing aging SkyTrain tracks on Expo Line, including rail and rail pads, to help ensure a smoother and quieter ride for our customers. Much of this track is more than 30 years old and has carried more than 2 million trains since 1986.

We're replacing rail and rail pads throughout our system one segment at a time to prevent future need for fixes that can cause unexpected disruption to neighbours and customers.

As part of the TransLink Maintenance and Upgrade Program, we’re continuing to partially and fully replace the roofs at several SkyTrain stations and other buildings on the system to protect customers and SkyTrain facilities. Many of the buildings along our SkyTrain network are aging and require ongoing maintenance. This work will help ensure that we continue to meet the needs of our customers now and in the future.

TransLink’s SkyTrain Customer Communications Upgrades Project is now complete, improving customers’ in-station experience by providing relevant, timely, and clear transit service information. We know that customers expect to see and hear important information when they need it most. The completion of this project delivers on our commitment to upgrade our in-station systems to provide real-time information across the transit system, as part of our Customer Experience Action Plan.

Across Expo and Millennium Line, we’ve installed:

• Approximately 280 new information displays, including ‘next train’ signs and general information screens on SkyTrain platforms, and new information screens at station entrances.

• More than 1,400 new speakers to replace end-of-life units and expand to new areas of the station. We’ve also upgraded some of the more recently installed speakers along Expo Line.

• More than 1,200 CCTV cameras in stations, replacing aging units and adding more to improve coverage.

New, real-time information throughout the station make it easier for customers to make decisions about their transit trip by keeping them informed of up-to-the-minute service information, including system-wide alerts.

The improved quality of in-station announcements make it easier for customers to get relevant service information, particularly during service disruptions. Better CCTV systems improve the safety of customers and employees within the station and are a valuable resource for Transit Police investigations.

Funding

This $79 million program is part of a larger $92.4 million Rapid Transit Systems Rehabilitation and Maintenance Project paid for under the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF), which is funded by the Government of Canada (50 per cent), the Government of British Columbia (33%), and TransLink (17%).

Did you know?

TransLink has installed more than 50 digital touch screen kiosks throughout the transit system as part of the Digital Customer Kiosk Program, a separate project in partnership with Lamar Advertising Company.

These kiosks provide customers the ability to plan their journeys on-site with all transit modes, using real-time transit information. This is another way TransLink has made taking transit an easier, more attractive option for the region.

View the full Digital Touch Screen Kiosks map

In response to noise concerns from residents along the Expo and Millennium lines, TransLink conducted a multi-step SkyTrain Noise Study in 2018.

The study recommended that we investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of six noise mitigation measures. These investigations were divided into two phases. Both phases have now been completed. You can find more details in the summary report and technical report.

This work is more important now than ever before as Metro Vancouver continues to grow and more people choose to live near rapid transit lines. The results of the study will help us identify noise-reduction measures for our system and inform future designs and investments.