Opening Day on the Eglinton Crosstown: Toronto’s Long-Awaited LRT Begins Service

Eglinton Crosstown LRT

Sunnybrook Park Station

Eglinton Crosstown Opening Day in Toronto

On February 8, 2026, Toronto’s long-awaited Eglinton Crosstown LRT officially opened to the public. These photographs document opening day across midtown Toronto, capturing stations, trains, neighbourhoods, and the crowds taking their first rides along the new light rail line.

The Crosstown connects communities from Mount Dennis to Kennedy, reshaping how riders move across the city.

Light from Within

Light from Within by Rodney LaTourelle and Louise Witthöft, installed above the escalators at Eglinton Station on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. The 13-ton mirrored glass artwork draws inspiration from minerals and crystals, reflecting light and movement as riders descend into the deepest station on the line.

Eglinton Line 5 Sign

Opening Day Platform at Eglinton Station

Passengers wait on the platform at Eglinton Station as the first Crosstown trains arrive on opening day, marking the start of public service on Toronto’s long-delayed midtown LRT line.

Crosstown Tunnel and Tracks, Opening Day

Tracks extend east from Eglinton Station into the Crosstown tunnel, revealing the infrastructure behind Toronto’s newest rapid transit line on its first day in service.

Opening Day, Sunnyside Park Station

Two riders walk away from the platform at sunset on the opening day of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, their shadows stretching across the station as the new line settles into everyday use.

Crosstown at Sunset, Opening Day

A Crosstown light rail vehicle travels westbound along Eglinton Avenue in fading winter light on opening day, as the new LRT line continues service into the evening.

The low winter sun sets along the curve of Eglinton Avenue on the opening day of the Crosstown LRT, casting long light across the newly opened corridor at Sunnybrook Park Station.

The hill down to Leslie Street

Another Departing Train

Eglinton Crosstown LRT train arriving at station

Looking West - Eglinton Crosstown

Looking East, Eglinton Crosstown

Passengers wait along the platform as a Crosstown train approaches at sunset on opening day, with winter conditions framing the line’s first evening operations.

A Crosstown light rail vehicle approaches the platform.

Boarding on Opening Day

Passengers step on and off a Crosstown train at Eglinton Station on February 8, 2026, marking the first day of public service on the new LRT line.

Inside the First Trains, Eglinton Crosstown

Quite the turn out -a crowded westbound LRT at Eglinton Station

Platform Activity at Eglinton Station

Wayfinding on Opening Day, Eglinton Station

New signage directs riders through Eglinton Station toward the Yonge–Eglinton Centre on opening day of the Crosstown LRT.

Toronto’s New Light Rail Transit and Community Reaction.

Trains throughout the day were packed with curious riders, bundled up against the cold and eager to see the Crosstown for themselves — a fitting response on a very cold February day (brr). For all the focus on trains and infrastructure, one of the most satisfying moments came at the end: the simple realization captured in the final photo. For the first time in a long time, reaching the Yonge–Eglinton Centre no longer required stepping back outside into the winter cold. It was a small detail, but one that quietly underscored what opening day really meant — not spectacle, but comfort, connection, and a new ease woven into everyday movement.