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Service changes

Winter 2023 service change banner

Winter service starts Sunday, December 24, 2023

Highlights

  • A special holiday service will operate from Monday, Dec. 25 to Friday Jan. 5. The reduced schedule will reflect lower weekday ridership over the holidays.
  • Severe Storm Schedule will be implemented for buses on weekdays when 31 cm or more of snow is expected.
  • The Rack & Roll winter program is now permanently year-round! OC Transpo buses, will continue to be equipped with a bike rack through the winter.

Schedule and service changes

These adjustments reflect seasonal changes in ridership and the changing needs of our customers.

Use the Travel Planner or view the route schedules to check if your regular trips are affected.

Holiday service

A special holiday service will run from Monday, December 25 to Friday, January 5. Buses and the O‑Train will follow reduced schedules.

  • On December 25th, December 26th, and January 1st the whole family can ride all day on a 2-for-1 DayPass.
  • Free service on buses, the O-Train and Para Transpo on New Year’s Eve from 6 pm to 4 am.
  • Get real-time schedule information, 24 hours a day, by calling 613-560-1000 or texting 560560.
  • Customer service will be open with holiday hours during the weeks of Christmas and New Year's.
  • Kids aged 12 and under ride for free every day on buses, O-Trains and on Para Transpo!
  • Plan your trip in advance using our travel planner.
Service information for the holidays:
Holiday Date Service information
Christmas Day Monday, December 25, 2023 Sunday schedule
Boxing Day Tuesday, December 26, 2023 Saturday schedule
Christmas week Wednesday, December 27 and Friday, December 29, 2023 Reduced weekday schedule
Regular winter Saturday Saturday, December 30, 2023

Saturday schedule

New Year's Eve Sunday, December 31, 2023

Sunday schedule

Free transit service after 6 pm.

New Year's Day Monday, January 1, 2024 Sunday schedule
New Year's week Tuesday, January 2 to Friday, January 5, 2024 Reduced weekday schedule

Learn more about the holiday service

Get your travel plan

Service adjustments

To improve service reliability for customers, schedule adjustments will be made to some routes. Check the Travel Planner to see your route's schedule.

Route 11 will follow its current routing via McEwen Avenue, Ambleside Drive, and New Orchard Avenue permanently. For service to Parliament Station, continue to use Stop #5721 on McEwen Avenue north of Richmond Road, Stop #2475 at 1090 Ambleside Drive, or Stop #4937 at Richmond Avenue and New Orchard Avenue.

Routes 261 and 263 will be changed to operate via Palladium Drive to Highway 417 to improve service to the community surrounding Derreen Avenue. As part of this change, these routes will be removed from stops on Huntmar Drive between Palladium Drive and Cyclone Taylor Boulevard, and from the Canadian Tire Centre bus loop. Service to the Canadian Tire Centre will be maintained on Routes 62 and 162, and on 400-series routes for major events. See details on the Huntmar / Maple Grove stop consolidation.

Seasonal changes

Some routes will operate a reduced weekday schedule during Christmas Week (Wednesday, December 27 to Friday, December 29) and New Year's Week (Tuesday, January 2 to Friday, January 5).

During Christmas Week and New Year's Week, frequency will be reduced in various time periods on these routes to reflect reduced ridership levels:
Route Service information
1

Peak period frequency will be reduced from approximately every 4 minutes to every 5 minutes.

R2

The supplemental trips that start or end at Carleton University at peak class times will be removed.

25

Frequency will be reduced north of Blair Station in the midday from every 15 minutes to every 30 minutes.

88

Short supplemental trips will be removed.

School service

Improvements and adjustments will be made to school service to better accommodate school-related travel requirements.

From Monday, December 25, 2023 until Friday, January 5, 2024: all school trips on regular routes and 600-series routes will be removed.

Select special school trips on the following routes will be adjusted to follow a reduced weekday schedule during Christmas Week (Wednesday, December 27 to Friday, December 29) and New Year's Week (Tuesday, January 2 to Friday, January 5):

  • 96
  • 99
  • 171
  • 173
  • 175

The following routes will be adjusted to provide better service for students:
School Service information Route

École secondaire publique Louis-Riel:

A new trip will operate in the morning and afternoon, to better match observed ridership levels. 618

Mother Teresa High School

One afternoon school trip will be adjusted earlier to arrive at the school at 2:54 pm and depart at 2:58 pm. 171
Both afternoon trips will be adjusted earlier to arrive at the school at 2:50 pm and depart at 2:58 pm. 676

St. Joseph Catholic High School

One morning trip and one afternoon trip will be removed to better match observed ridership levels. 677
Two morning trips and two afternoon trips will be removed to better match observed ridership levels. 679

❅❆ Severe Storm Schedule ❆❅

Severe Storm Schedule logo

A Severe Storm Schedule will be in effect for buses on weekdays when 31 cm or more of snow is expected.

Other severe weather conditions that could impact bus operation may also bring this special schedule in effect. This could include a mixture of wet, heavy snow, ice, and freezing rain.

Plan your trip during a Severe Storm Schedule

Rack & Roll program

Good news for all-season cyclists — the Rack & Roll winter program is now permanently year-round! OC Transpo buses will continue to be equipped with a bike rack so riders can continue to Rack & Roll.

Whether travelling to work, school, or just out enjoying Ottawa’s winter weather, we encourage customers to combine biking and transit.

Read more about Bikes on our network

Rack & Roll logo

Reminder: Bicycle racks do not accommodate fat tire bikes, only tire widths of up to 2.3 inches. Bicycle racks can hold bikes weighing up to 55lbs.