Kipling station


Kipling is the western terminus station of Line 2 Bloor–Danforth of the Toronto subway system. The station is served by buses and subway trains operated by the Toronto Transit Commission and is adjacent to the Kipling GO Station on the Milton line of GO Transit. It is located in the Islington–City Centre West neighbourhood on St. Albans Road at Aukland Road, west of the overpass of Kipling Avenue, after which the station is named. The Toronto Parking Authority operates three commuter parking lots near the station. The 900 Airport Express bus route connects Kipling to the Toronto Pearson International Airport.

History

Kipling station, in what was then the Borough of Etobicoke, officially opened on November 21, 1980—along with Kennedy station, as a pair of one-stop extensions at opposite ends of the Bloor–Danforth line—but was not opened to the public until the following day. Kipling and Kennedy were designed similarly, with both stations having an island platform that is typical of terminal stations. The outer platform walls at Kipling were originally two rows of vertical yellow vinyl slats separated by a black strip showing the station's name in Univers font. This wall treatment was replaced by off-white fitted enamelled panels using the traditional Toronto Subway font with black trim with smaller lettering along the top in a 2017 renovation, evoking the older stations along the line.
As a result of the initial lack of density near the station, and its location near a hydro substation, it was originally designed around commuter travel, with a large amount of parking space and a roughed-in platform for a future light rail or light metro line, like the Scarborough RT at Kennedy. Due to this design, the area around Kipling station is considered to be a travel hub and it is being further developed to contain a regional bus platform, as well as improved access to the adjacent Kipling GO Station.
In 1999, this station became accessible with the addition of elevators.

Facilities

The main entrance is located at the west end of the station, with access to the GO station, commuter parking lots, and a kiss and ride area for passenger drop-off. An entrance at the east end makes the bus platform level accessible by way of a ramp, with an elevator providing a connection with the train platform below. Fares can be paid for at this station by using tokens, tickets, passes, as well as the Presto card. Currently it serves the high density residential and commercial developments that are being built, while acting as a hub for commuter travel.
Above the subway tracks on the south side of the station, opposite the bus bays on the same level, is an unfinished platform for a proposed but never-built Etobicoke RT line similar to Line 3 Scarborough.
East of the station towards, the line continues on the surface alongside the railway right-of-way which parallels Dundas Street at a distance. It crosses over Bloor Street to the north side alongside the railway tracks, then dives underground below the tracks and turns parallel to Bloor.

Surface connections

The bus platform is in the fare-paid zone, allowing passengers to quickly transfer between the subway and the following TTC bus routes:
RouteNameAdditional Information
40AJunction–Dundas WestEastbound to Dundas West station
44Kipling SouthSouthbound to Lake Shore Boulevard and Humber College Lakeshore Campus
45AKiplingNorthbound to Steeles Avenue West past Etobicoke North GO Station
45BKiplingNorthbound to Carlingview Drive via Belfield Road
46Martin GroveNorthbound to Steeles Avenue West
49Bloor WestWestbound to Markland Wood
111East MallNorthbound to Eglinton Avenue West
112BWest MallNorthbound to Renforth station
112CWest MallNorthbound to Disco Road
123BSherwaySouthbound to Long Branch Loop via Shorncliffe Road and The East Mall
123CSherwaySouthbound to Long Branch Loop via Shorncliffe Road and North Queen Street
123DSherwaySouthbound to Sherway Gardens via Shorncliffe Road and The East Mall
123FSherwaySouthbound to Sherway Gardens via The West Mall
900Airport ExpressNorthbound to Toronto Pearson International Airport
927AHighway 27 ExpressNorthbound to Humber College North Campus
927BHighway 27 ExpressNorthbound to Steeles Avenue West
927CHighway 27 ExpressNorthbound to Humber College via Attwell Drive
927DHighway 27 ExpressNorthbound to Steeles Avenue West via Royalcrest Road
944Kipling South ExpressSouthbound to Lake Shore Boulevard and Humber College Lakeshore Campus
945Kipling ExpressNorthbound to Steeles Avenue West
300ABloor–Danforth Blue NightWestbound to Toronto Pearson International Airport
300ABloor–Danforth Blue NightEastbound to Warden Avenue & Danforth Road
300BBloor–Danforth Blue NightWestbound to The West Mall & Burnhamthorpe Road
300BBloor–Danforth Blue NightEastbound to Kennedy station

Construction on a new 14-bay inter-regional bus terminal is underway and is scheduled to be completed in 2020. Upon completion, GO Transit buses will use the facility, and MiWay bus connections to the subway will be moved from Islington station to the new terminal. The existing parking facilities are being reconfigured to allow for the construction of the terminal. The modernization project will also include landscaping and revitalization of interior and exterior station finishes and lighting.