For now, the HSR has permanently relocated the terminal of some of the buses that formerly operated along MacNab Street South to the Hamilton GO Centre. Buses operating on other routes that used MacNab South are using temporary terminals until the new terminal opens.

These changes represent the biggest rerouting of Hamilton transit services since the City introduced the one-way street system in April, 1956!

The HSR also revised routes and services elsewhere in the city as buses started operating with summer schedules.

The changes affected these routes: 1 King; 2 Barton; 3 Cannon; 4 Bayfront; 5 Delaware; 5B Main West; 5c West Hamilton; 6 Aberdeen; 7 Locke; 8 York; 9 Rock Gardens; 11 Parkdale; 21 Upper Kenilworth; 22 Upper Ottawa; 23 Upper Gage; 24 Upper Sherman; 27 Upper James; 33 Sanatorium; 34 Upper Paradise; 35 College; 41 Mohawk; 52 Dundas; 99 Waterfront Shuttle.

Specifically, the HSR: revised routes; resumed service along seasonal routes during the summer; adjusted the schedules of routes.

Revised routes

2 Barton

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses operate to and from a new terminal at the Hamilton GO Centre instead of the MacNab Street Terminal.

Inbound buses operate along their former route to James and King Streets, then proceed:

southward along James Street South; and then
eastward into the Hamilton GO Centre, ending their trips.

Outbound buses start their trips at the Hamilton GO Centre, then proceed:

northward along John Streets South and North to Barton Street East,
resuming their former route eastward along Barton East.

Buses operating along the 2 Barton route no longer serve the stops on James Street North at King Street, Hughson Street North at King Street East, Rebecca Street, Wilson Street, Cannon Street East, Robert Street and Barton Street East or on Barton Street East at John Street North.

They now serve stops on James Street South at King Street and Jackson Street, in the Hamilton GO Centre, on John Street South at Jackson Street East and on John Street North at King Street East, Rebecca Street, Wilson Street, Cannon Street East, Robert Street and Barton Street East.

June 28 was the first day since April 1956, when the City of Hamilton introduced the one-way street system to downtown Hamilton, that HSR buses operating on the Barton route have not served the stops along Hughson Street North.

Buses operating along other HSR routes continue to serve the stops along James Streets North and South, but no HSR buses now serve stops along Hughson Street North.

4 Bayfront

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses start and end their trips at the north-west corner of James Street South and Hunter Street (the Hamilton GO Centre is on the south-east corner) instead of James and King Streets.

Inbound buses operate along their former route to James and King Streets, then proceed:

southward along James Street South to Hunter Street, ending their trips.

Outbound buses start their trips at James Street South and Hunter Street, then proceed:

westward along Hunter Street West; and then
northward along Bay Street South to King Street West,
resuming their former route northward along Bay Street North.

Buses operating along the 4 Bayfront route no longer serve stops on James Street South at King Street, MacNab Street South at Main Street West and King Street West and on King Street West at Bay Street.

They now serve stops on James Street South at Main Street, on Hunter Street West opposite Park Street South and at Bay Street South and on Bay South opposite George Street.

June 28 was the first day since April 1956, when the City of Hamilton introduced the one-way street system to downtown Hamilton, that HSR buses operating on the Bayfront route have not served stops along MacNab Street South.

Buses operating along other HSR routes continue to serve the stops along James Streets North and South, but no HSR buses now serve stops along MacNab Street South between Hunter and King Streets West.

The HSR also adjusted the schedule of the route.

3 Cannon

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses operate to and from a new terminal at the Hamilton GO Centre instead of the MacNab Street Terminal.

Inbound buses operate along their former route to Cannon Street East and Wellington Street North, then proceed:

westward along Cannon East;
southward along James Streets North and South; and then
eastward into the Hamilton GO Centre, ending their trips.

Outbound buses start their trips at the Hamilton GO Centre, then proceed:

northward along John Streets South and North to Wilson Street,
resuming their former route eastward along Wilson.

Buses operating along the 3 Cannon route no longer serve stops on Wellington Street North at Cannon Street East, Wilson Street, Rebecca Street and King Street East, on King Street East at Ferguson Avenue, Walnut, Catharine and Hughson Streets, on MacNab Street South at King Street West and on Hughson Street South at King William, Rebecca and Wilson Streets.

They now serve stops on Cannon Street East at Wellington Street North, Ferguson Avenue North, Catharine Street North and Hughson Street North, on James Street North at Cannon Street and York Boulevard, on James Street South at King and Jackson Streets, in the Hamilton GO Centre, on John Street South at Jackson Street East and on John Street North at King Street East, Rebecca Street and Wilson Street.

June 28 was the first day at least since 1933 — and probably since the HSR introduced the route in the mid-1920s — that HSR buses operating on the Cannon route have not served stops along Wellington Street North.

It was also the first day since April 1956, when the City of Hamilton introduced the one-way street system to downtown Hamilton, that HSR buses operating on the route have not served the stops along King Street East or Hughson Street North.

Except for a brief period in the 1980s when the HSR rerouted buses operating on the 4 Bayfront route, this is the first time that buses have operated along Cannon Street East between Wellington and James Streets North.

Buses operating along other HSR routes continue to serve the stops along King Street East, but no HSR buses now serve stops along Hughson Street North.

The HSR also adjusted the schedule of the route.

1 King

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses operate to and from a new terminal at the Hamilton GO Centre instead of the MacNab Street Terminal.

Inbound buses operate along their former route to King and James Streets, then proceed:

southward along James Street South; and then
eastward into the Hamilton GO Centre, ending their trips.

Outbound buses start their trips in the Hamilton GO Centre, then proceed:

northward along John Street South to Main Street East,
resuming their former route eastward along Main East.

Buses serving the 1A King branch between McMaster University and Eastgate Terminal continue to operate along the same route as they did previously.

Buses operating along the 1 King route no longer serve stops on MacNab Street South at King Street West or on Main Street East at John Street South.

They now serve stops on James Street South at Jackson Street, in the Hamilton GO Centre, on John Street South at Jackson Street East and on Main Street East at Bowen Street.

9 Rock Gardens
8 York

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses start and end their trips at the north-west corner of James Street South and Hunter Street (the Hamilton GO Centre is on the south-east corner) instead of James and King Streets.

Inbound buses operate along their former route to James and King Streets, then proceed:

southward along James Street South to Hunter Street, ending their trips.

Outbound buses start their trips at James Street South and Hunter Street, then proceed:

westward along Hunter Street West; and then
northward along Bay Street South to King Street West,
resuming their former route northward along Bay Street North.

Buses operating along the 9 Rock Gardens and 8 York routes no longer serve stops on James Street South at King Street, MacNab Street South at Main Street West and King Street West and on King Street West at Bay Street.

They now serve stops on James Street North opposite King William Street, on James Street South at Main Street, on Hunter Street West opposite Park Street South and at Bay Street South and on Bay South opposite George Street.

June 28 was the first day since April 1956, when the City of Hamilton introduced the one-way street system to downtown Hamilton, that HSR buses operating on the Bayfront route have not served stops along MacNab Street South.

No HSR buses now serve stops along MacNab Street South between Hunter and King Streets West.

The HSR also adjusted the schedule of the 8 York route.

Resumed service along seasonal routes during the summer

99 Waterfront Shuttle

Starting Sunday, June 28, the HSR is resuming its free seven-days-a-week shuttle bus service between downtown Hamilton and Hamilton Harbour. Buses operate every 30 minutes from about 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. until Monday, September 7 (Labour Day).

Again this year, the HSR will use buses on this route that replicate the streetcars that the HSR operated in Hamilton until 1951. They use streetcar-like bodies and the HSR has painted them the same colours as some of the streetcars that rolled through Hamilton in the past.

Residents and visitors can ride the shuttles to visit some of the attractions along Hamilton’s waterfront, including the HMCS Haida National Historic Site and the Parks Canada Discovery Centre. Buses operate every 30 minutes from about 10 a.m. until 9 p.m., daily.

Inbound buses start their trips at Pier 8 and proceed:

westward along Guise Street East;
southward along James Street North; and then
westward along King Street West to Summers Lane (at Lloyd D. Jackson Square, just west of MacNab Street.)

Inbound buses stop only on James Street North at Strachan, Colbourne and Cannon Streets and on King Street West at Summers.

Northbound buses start their trips at King Street West and Summers Lane and proceed:

westward along King;
northward along Bay Street North;
eastward along York Boulevard;
northward along James Street North; and then
eastward along Guise Street East to Pier 8.

Buses stop only on James Street North at Cannon, Barton and Strachan Streets and at Pier 8.

You can find more information on the shuttle service, including a map and schedule here.

Adjusted the schedules of routes

6 Aberdeen

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses started operating on summer schedules.

The HSR has re-arranged some stops along James Street South since buses serving the 2 Barton, 3 Cannon and 1 King routes are now operating along that street. Buses operating along the 6 Aberdeen route now stop on James Street South at Main Street instead of their former stop on James South at King Street.

4 Bayfront

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses started operating on a summer schedule.

The HSR also revised the route.

3 Cannon

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses started operating on a summer schedule.

The HSR also revised the route.

35 College

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses started operating on a summer schedule.

5 Delaware
52 Dundas

Starting Sunday, June 28, the HSR made minor changes to the schedules.

7 Locke

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses started operating on a summer schedule.

The HSR has re-arranged some stops along James Street South since buses serving the 2 Barton, 3 Cannon and 1 King routes are now operating along that street. Buses operating along the 7 Locke route now stop on James Street South at Main Street instead of their former stop on James South at King Street.

5B Main West

Starting Sunday, June 28, the HSR made minor changes to the schedules.

41 Mohawk

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses started operating on a summer schedule.

11 Parkdale

Starting Sunday, June 28, the HSR made minor changes to the schedules.

33 Sanatorium

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses started operating on a summer schedule.

23 Upper Gage

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses started operating on a summer schedule.

The HSR has re-arranged some stops along James Street South since buses serving the 2 Barton, 3 Cannon and 1 King routes are now operating along that street. Buses operating along the 23 Upper Gage route now stop on the southwest corner of James Street South at Main Street instead of their former stop on the northwest corner.

27 Upper James

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses started operating on a summer schedule.

The HSR has re-arranged some stops along James Street South since buses serving the 2 Barton, 3 Cannon and 1 King routes are now operating along that street. Buses operating along the 27 Upper James route now stop on James Street South between Main and Jackson Streets instead of their former stop on the southwest corner of James South and Main Street.

21 Upper Kenilworth
22 Upper Ottawa
34 Upper Paradise

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses started operating on summer schedules.

24 Upper Sherman

Starting Sunday, June 28, buses started operating on a summer schedule.

The HSR has re-arranged some stops along James Street South since buses serving the 2 Barton, 3 Cannon and 1 King routes are now operating along that street. Buses operating along the 24 Upper Sherman route now stop on the southwest corner of James Street South at Main Street instead of their former stop on the northwest corner.

5C West Hamilton

Starting Sunday, June 28, the HSR made minor changes to the schedules.