Stratford is a Via Rail train station in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. It is served by one daily round trip between Sarnia and Toronto via London.
Stratford | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Current buildings, constructed by the GTR in 1913 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | 101 Shakespeare St, Stratford, Ontario Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 43°21′52″N 80°58′33″W / 43.36444°N 80.97583°W | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Via Rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line | Quebec City–Windsor Corridor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 side platform | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connections |  Stratford Transit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Structure type | Unstaffed station; Historic railway station | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parking | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Station code | GO Transit: SF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1856 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebuilt | 1913, opened August 1914 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Original company | Grand Trunk Railway | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Designated | 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reference no. | 15767 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Official name | 101 Shakespeare Street VIA Rail Station | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Designated | June 13, 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
editFrom the fall of 1863, a young Thomas Edison worked as a telegrapher at the Stratford, Ontario station of the Grand Trunk Railroad.[1] Edison's father was from Canada and fled to US after the Rebellion of 1837.
Two structures remain that were built in 1913 by the Grand Trunk Railway (GTR): a two-storey, brick-clad, railway station building, and a one-storey express building linked by an overhead canopy. The GTR merged into the Canadian National Railway in 1920. In addition to serving regional trains, it served international trains to Michigan and Chicago, including the Grand Trunk's long-running Maple Leaf.
The station buildings were designated as a Heritage Railway Station in 1993.[2] The station is also designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act since June 13, 1988.
The Ontario Heritage Act designation notes that the station is built in the Prairie Style of architecture, influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright.[3] It was erected by the Grand Trunk in 1913 and opened in August 1914. The designation covers the exterior of the whole structure, roof, masonry, windows, original doors and brick platforms (these were covered at the time of the designation in 1988). The building included a tower, that has since been removed.[4]
Between 1983 and 2004, Stratford was served by the International Limited, an international train service operated jointly by Via Rail and Amtrak between Chicago and Toronto. [5]
Between October 2021 and October 2023, Stratford was served by one weekday round trip on the GO Transit Kitchener line which operated between London and Toronto.[6]
In April 2026, the Government of Ontario announced the return of GO Transit rail service to Stratford as part of an extension of the Kitchener Line. Service is expected to begin on July 6, 2026, with one daily round trip between Stratford and Toronto, including intermediate stops in Kitchener, Guelph, Acton, Georgetown and Brampton. Weekday trains are intended to support commuting, while weekend service is aimed at tourism, particularly to the Stratford Festival.[7]
See also
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- Quebec City–Windsor Corridor (Via Rail) – trans-provincial passenger rail corridor which includes Stratford
- Rail transport in Ontario
- List of designated heritage railway stations of Canada
References
edit- ↑ Conot, Robert. Thomas A. Edison: a streak of luck. Da Capo Press. p. 16.
- ↑ Former Canadian National Railways (VIA Rail) Station . Canadian Register of Historic Places. Retrieved March 2014.
- ↑ "Address: 101 Shakespeare Street VIA Rail Station" (PDF). .stratfordcanada.ca. City of Stratford. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ↑ By-law Number 111-88 of the Corporation of the City of Stratford [(Can be read at Stratford City Hall or via email from the City Clerk's office)] (By-law 111-88). June 13, 1988.
- ↑ Melzer, Matt (April 23, 2004). "Final Run of the Amtrak / VIA International". TrainWeb.org. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
From 1982, Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada had jointly operated the International train between Chicago and Toronto
- ↑ metrolinx (September 15, 2021). "GO Transit expansion pilot to London brings new connections to Southwestern Ontario". Metrolinx News. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
- ↑ "Ontario Extending GO Train Service to Stratford". Government of Ontario. April 17, 2026. Retrieved April 17, 2026.
External links
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Media related to Stratford Via Rail Station at Wikimedia Commons