Kingston Transit is the public transit service serving Kingston, Ontario, Canada as well as to the neighbouring community of Amherstview, in Loyalist Township. Major transfer points are at the Kingston Centre, Downtown Kingston (at the corner of Bagot and Brock streets), Cataraqui Town Centre, St. Lawrence College, King’s Crossing, and Gardiners Town Centre. It began on July 1, 1962.
Kingston Transit offers service to all three schools of higher education in the region: Queen's University, St. Lawrence College, and RMC. It also offers service to the Kingston Bus Terminal and the railway station.
History The Kingston Public Transit System began service on July 1, 1962, when the city's Public Utilities Commission took over the operation of transit service from Kingston City Coach, a subsidiary of Colonial Coach Lines. The Kingston Transit name was adopted in 1975.
In 2017, Kingston Transit experienced a record six million rides, which was the fourth consecutive year that ridership grew by more than 10 percent.
Routes Local Local routes operate Monday–Saturday from approximately 6:00 am to 11:00 pm and Sunday from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm. Generally, peak schedule typically includes Monday–Saturday before 7:00 pm, whereas off peak are all other times. Routes often interline, and depending on location are either consistent (downtown, First Canada/Weller) or random (Cataraqui Centre, St. Lawrence College) as scheduling demands.
Route NumberDirection & destinationPoints of InterestInterliningService & frequencyNotes1NBTo Montreal StreetSBTo St. Lawrence CollegeMontreal St. Park & Ride, Downtown, St. Lawrence CollegeSt. Lawrence College: RandomPeak: 30min Off Peak: 60min ends Downtown2EBTo Division StreetWBTo Train Station Guthrie / Joyce, Bus Terminal, Downtown, St. Lawrence College, Train StationPeak: 30min Off Peak: 60minMerged with 2BNBTo Bus TerminalSBTo DowntownBus Terminal, DowntownShort turn variant used at end of day.4NBTo Cataraqui CentreSBTo DowntownCataraqui Centre, Kingston Gospel Temple Park & Ride, Kingston Centre, DowntownDowntown: (Off-peak)
Cataraqui Centre: RandomPeak: 30min Off Peak: 30min6NBTo Cataraqui CentreSBTo St. Lawrence CollegeCataraqui Centre, Gardiners Centre, Centre 70 Park & Ride, St. Lawrence CollegeCataraqui Centre: Random St. Lawrence College: RandomPeak: 30min Off Peak: 60minOff Peak service includes weekday evenings6BNBTo Cataraqui CentreSBTo Gardiners CentreCataraqui Centre, Gardiners CentreCataraqui Centre: RandomOff Peak: 60minWeekend Off Peak Service Only7EBTo Grant Timmins / DaltonWBTo Cataraqui CentreCataraqui Centre, Kingston Gospel Temple Park & Ride, John Counter / Old Mill, Bus Terminal, Grant Timmins / DaltonCataraqui Centre: RandomPeak: 30min Off Peak: 30min (Cataraqui - Bus Terminal) 60min (Bus Terminal - Grant Timmins/Dalton)7BEBTo Bus TerminalWBTo Cataraqui CentreCataraqui Centre, Kingston Gospel Temple Park & Ride, John Counter / Old Mill, Bus TerminalCataraqui Centre: RandomOff-peak only. Short turn variant.10EBTo Cataraqui CentreWBTo Amherstview Cataraqui Centre, Taylor-Kidd / Bayridge, Loyalist / Fairfield, WJ Henderson Rec CentreCataraqui Centre: RandomPeak: 30min Off Peak: 30minFunded by Loyalist Township11EBTo Train StationWBTo Cataraqui CentreTrain Station, Kingston Centre, Gardiners Centre, Cataraqui CentreCataraqui Centre: RandomPeak: 60min Off Peak: 60min11BNBTo Train StationSBTo Kingston CentreTrain Station, Kingston CentreShort turn variant used at end of day.12EBTo CFB KingstonWBTo St. Lawrence College (School Year)
To Downtown (Summer)St. Lawrence College, Downtown, Cambrai / Princess MarySt. Lawrence College: RandomPeak: 30minWeekday Peak Service Only.12BEB To DowntownWB To St. Lawrence College St. Lawrence College, Downtown, Cambrai / Princess MaryDowntown:Peak: 30minWeekday Peak Service Only. Only during school year.13Counter-clockwiseLoop connecting Cataraqui North to Cataraqui CentreCataraqui Centre, INVISTA Centre Park & Ride, Princess / Augusta, Cataraqui CentreCataraqui Centre: RandomPeak: 30min Off Peak: 30minComplements clockwise 14ClockwiseLoop connecting Cataraqui North to Cataraqui CentreCataraqui Centre: RandomPeak: 30min Off Peak: 30minComplements counter-clockwise ends at INVISTA Centre15NBTo Cataraqui CentreSBTo Centre 70 Park & RideCataraqui Centre, Tivoli / Sierra, Holy Cross Secondary, 1385 Waverley Cr., Gardiners Centre, Glen Castle / Henderson, Centre 70 Park & RideCataraqui Centre: RandomPeak: 30min Off Peak: 60min15BNBTo Cataraqui CentreSBTo Gardiners CentreCataraqui Centre, Tivoli / Sierra, Holy Cross Secondary, 1385 Waverley Cr., Gardiners CentreCataraqui Centre: RandomOff Peak: 60minOff Peak Service Only16NBTo First Canada / WellerSBTo St. Lawrence CollegeFirst Canada / Weller, Kingston Centre, St Lawrence CollegeFirst Canada/Weller:
St. Lawrence College: RandomPeak: 30min Off Peak: 60min19EBTo Cataraqui CentreWBTo Cataraqui Woods / Holden (Woodhaven)Cataraqui Centre, Cataraqui Woods / HoldenCataraqui Centre: RandomPeak: 30min Off Peak: 60min19AEBTo Cataraqui CentreWBTo Westbrook / RoshanCataraqui Centre, Cataraqui Woods / Holden, Westbrook / RoshanCataraqui Centre: RandomPeak: 30minOnly runs during peak hours & weekdays22EBTo Innovation / Highway 15WBTo First Canada / WellerFirst Canada / Weller, Rideau Heights Community Centre, Rideau Town Centre, Innovation / Highway 5First Canada/Weller: Peak: 30min Off Peak: 60min travels via Weller Ave.31StartSt Lawrence CollegeEndProvidence Care HospitalSt. Lawrence College, Kingston Centre, Princess / Ontario, Providence Care HospitalProvidence Care Hospital: Peak: 30min Off Peak: 30min (St. Lawrence - Kingston Centre)
60min (Kingston Centre - Providence Care Hospital)Single direction route replacing . Complemented by 31BStartSt Lawrence CollegeEndKingston CentreSt. Lawrence College, Kingston CentreProvidence Care Hospital: Single direction route. Off-peak only. Short turn variant.32StartProvidence Care Hospital EndSt Lawrence CollegeSt. Lawrence College, Kingston Centre, Princess / Ontario, Providence Care HospitalSt. Lawrence College: RandomPeak: 30min Off Peak: 30min (Kingston Centre - St. Lawrence)
60min (Providence Care Hospital - Kingston Centre)Single direction route replacing . Complemented by 32BStartKingston CentreEndSt Lawrence CollegeSt. Lawrence College, Kingston Centre, Princess / Ontario, Providence Care HospitalSingle direction route. Short turn variant used at end of day.60NBTo King’s Crossing NorthSBTo Royal Military College King’s Crossing North, D’Artisan / Highway 2 (CFB Kingston), Downtown (if Causeway is openUsed during Causeway closures. starts at Fort Henry during Caseway closures, no service from downtown.
Overnight A single overnight route provides service between the end of service to 3 AM and from 4 AM to start of service.
Route NumberDirection & destinationPoints of InterestInterliningService & frequencyNotesN1EBTo Bus TerminalWBTo Midland Avenue (See notes) Cataraqui Centre, Kingston Gospel Temple Park & Ride, Kingston Centre, St. Lawrence College, Queen’s University, Downtown, Bus TerminalIrregular FrequencyEarly morning runs terminate at Cataraqui Centre instead of Midland Avenue
Express Express routes operate with a frequency of 10–30 minutes and have stops placed further apart than local routes.
Route NumberDirection & destinationPoints of InterestInterliningService & frequencyNotes501ClockwiseLoop connecting Cataraqui Centre to DowntownCataraqui Centre, Kingston Gospel Temple Park & Ride, Kingston Centre, Downtown, Queen’s University/Kingston General Hospital, St. Lawrence College, Centre 70 Park & RideDowntown: Continues Loop Cataraqui Centre: Most likely to continue loop. Occasionally breaks loop to interline with other routes.10 minutes during rush hour15, 20, or 30 minutes at other timesOften runs local as on Princess St.502Counter-ClockwiseLoop connecting Cataraqui Centre to Downtown601StartQueen's / Kingston General HospitalEndInnovation / Highway 15Queen’s University/Kingston General Hospital, Downtown, Cambrai / Princess Mary, Innovation/ Highway 15Innovation/ Highway 15:15 minutes Monday–Friday, before 7pm30 minutes all other timesNo service on Summer Sundays. & travels on Main St instead of Highway 15602StartInnovation / Highway 15EndQueen's / Kingston General HospitalQueen’s/KGH:602BStartInnovation / Highway 15EndDowntownDowntown:701StartKing's Crossing NorthEndCataraqui CentreKing’s Crossing North, Downtown, Kingston Centre, Frontenac Centre, Gardiner Centre, Cataraqui CentreCataraqui Centre: Random15 minutes during rush hour 30 minute at other times702StartCataraqui CentreEndKing's Crossing NorthKing’s Crossing:702BStartCataraqui CentreEndDowntownDowntown, Kingston Centre, Frontenac Centre, Gardiner Centre, Cataraqui CentreDowntown:801StartDowntownEndMontreal St. Park & RideMontreal St. Park & Ride, DowntownMontreal Street:15 minutes during rush hour30 minute at other times802StartMontreal St. Park & RideEndDowntownDowntown:
Fares CategoryCashMulti-ride Pass(6 tickets)Monthly PassChild (Ages 0–14)FreeN/AN/AYouth (Ages 15–24)$3.50$14.00$61.75Adult (Ages 25–64)$17.15$83.00Senior (Ages 65+)$14.00$61.75 Kingston Transit fares and My Card rates effective January 1, 2017. Daily and Weekly passes are also available from various transit locations.
Kingston Transit employs a smart card payment system for monthly passes (My Pass) and tickets (My Tickets), which was introduced in August 2008.
Transfers are free for cash fares but must be obtained at the time fare is paid. They are valid for 90 minutes. Payments using My Tickets have transfers automatically stored inside the card.
Queen's University students, who are members of the AMS or SGPS, as well as St. Lawrence College students can ride free, as part of a U-Pass program.
Kingston Transit did not increased fares till 2025 to encourage more individuals to ride transit in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rack and Roll The current "Rack and Roll" system is used for bicycle transportation. If a customer wishes to bring a bicycle onto the bus, a pull-down rack is located at the outside front of the bus. The rack can currently hold 2 bicycles. It involves 2 slots which the bicycle's wheels fit into. Then, a curved hook fits around the front tire to secure the bike from falling. Rack and Roll is available during the cycling season.
References
External links
Kingston Transit Official Website Drawings and photos of Kingston Transit buses CPTDB