Five months of overnight testing will prepare SkyTrain for its largest technological upgrade in history, with no disruptions to regular service

At a glance:  

• What's happening: Starting Oct. 3, SkyTrain cars will run overnight on weekends and some Mondays for approximately five months, to prepare for major network expansions.
• What residents can expect: People living near the Expo and Millennium lines may hear trains overnight. Testing will rotate between locations, with measures in place to minimize noise.
• Impact on service: All testing will take place outside regular operating hours, with no customers aboard and no disruptions to regular SkyTrain service. 

NEW WESTMINSTER, BC –  SkyTrain is preparing for the largest technological upgrade in its history, with five months of overnight testing beginning Oct. 3.

Over the next five months, all types of SkyTrain cars will undergo overnight testing on sections of the Expo and Millennium lines. Testing will take place outside regular service hours, with no customers aboard and no disruptions or reductions to regular SkyTrain service.

This testing is a critical step toward the opening of TransLink’s new Operations Control Centre in 2027, which will support major network expansions, including the Broadway Subway Extension next year and the Dave Barrett (Surrey Langley) Extension in 2029.  

When and where will overnight SkyTrain testing take place?
Test trains will operate in different sections of the Expo and Millennium lines over approximately five months, during the following overnight hours:

• Saturdays from 1:45 to 5:45 a.m.
• Sundays from 1:45 to 6:45 a.m.
• Mondays from 12:45 to 4:45 a.m.

How will overnight testing support SkyTrain’s future expansion?
The testing will prepare TransLink's new, state-of-the-art, 40,000-square-foot Operations Control Centre to manage SkyTrain service as the network expands. During testing, the new centre will gradually take control of trains and test a range of operations, including regular daily service, routine maintenance, and emergency response.

Once fully operational in 2027, the facility will enhance the reliability, resilience, and capacity of one of Canada’s largest rapid transit networks. It will enable future growth to help keep more SkyTrain customers moving safely and efficiently across the region for decades to come.

This marks the first expansion of SkyTrain’s operations control space since 1985, despite the network growing to approximately four times its original size.  

How will TransLink minimize overnight noise?
Residents near the affected sections of the Expo and Millennium lines may hear trains operating along the guideway during hours when they would not normally be running.

TransLink recognizes overnight noise can be disruptive and will take steps to minimize impacts on nearby communities. Testing will rotate between locations across Metro Vancouver, rather than taking place in the same area every night. Alarms and announcements will also be suspended wherever possible to reduce noise.

Testing must take place outside regular service hours to ensure it can be completed safely, without disrupting customers.

Media contact:
TransLink Media Relations
E: media@translink.ca