Parliament Hill
Parliament Station
O-Train Line 1
The Line 1 (O-Train Confederation Line) is a 12.5-kilometre electric light-rail service that connects 13 stations from Tunney’s Pasture in the west to Blair in the east.
Hours of operation
Monday - Thursday: 5 am to 1 am
Friday: 5 am to 2 am
Saturday: 6 am to 2 am
Sunday: 8 am to 11 pm
Alternative bus services
When the O-Train is not running, alternative bus service will operate instead to connect customers from station to station.
Night service
Replacement service
Quick facts
- Located between Pimisi Station to the east, Tunney's Pasture Station to the west, and Corso Italia to the south.
- Identified by a red circle on maps and signs O-Train Line 1 symbol
- 12.5 km of rail running east to west from Blair Station to Tunney’s Pasture and through a 2.5 km downtown tunnel
- Peak service runs approximately every 5 minutes
- Frequent service throughout the day and no more than 15 minutes after midnight or on weekends
- End-to-end travel time less than 30 minutes (Subject to operating conditions)
- 13 stations — 4 underground
- Each train can move up to 300 passengers comfortably (600 for two-car trains)
- 100% accessible
- 100% electrified vehicles for a quiet ride with zero emissions
Service frequency
Service frequency is subject to change.
Monday - Thursday: every 5 - 15 min
Friday: every 5 - 10 min
Saturday: every 9 min
Sunday: every 9 - 10 min
Monday - Thursday frequency details
| Early morning (5 am to 6:30 am) | 8 min |
|---|---|
| Morning peak (6:30 am to 9 am) | 5 min |
| Mid-day (9 am to 3 pm) | 10 min |
| Afternoon peak (3 pm to 6:30 pm) | 5 min |
| Evening (6:30 pm to 11 pm) | 10 min |
| Late night (11 pm to 1 am) | 15 min |
Friday frequency details
| Early morning (5 am to 6:30 am) | 8 min |
|---|---|
| Morning peak (6:30 am to 9 am) | 5 min |
| Mid-day (9 am to 3 pm) | 10 min |
| Afternoon peak (3 pm to 6:30 pm) | 5 min |
| Evening (6:30 pm to 11 pm) | 10 min |
| Late night (10 pm to 2 am) | 10 min |
Trains
The O-Train Line 1 is served by Alstom Citadis Spirit trains. Every train car has 7 double doors and can carry 300 people in quiet comfort.
More about Alstom Citadis Spirit trains
Line 1Line 1 routing
Explore the Line 1 Route.
: Accessible station
The O-Train network is designed to be accessible.
Line 1 route map from Tunney's Pasture to Blair station.
Future Line 1 East extension
O-Train Line 1 is extending east through Orléans to Trim Station.
Learn moreFuture Line 1 & Line 3 West extension
Line 1 is expanding west to Algonquin Station. A new Line 3 will provide service to Moodie Station.
Learn moreKey destinations along Line Line 1
Intercity transport hubs
Tremblay Station
St-Laurent Station
Park & Ride
Blair
Legend:
- Permit-required lot
- Gold permit parking lot
1-min explainer videos
O-Train Explained
Winter ready
Let’s peek behind the scenes to see how OC Transpo prepares and adapts to severe winter weather.
Transcript and text description
| Time | On-screen text | On-screen animation |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | O-Train Explained | Title appears |
| 00:03 | Winter ready. | Large red O animates to reveal O-Train travelling left to right along track with winter downtown view of Ottawa in background. |
| 00:07 | Planning for the winter season on the O-Train starts months in advance and many teams are involved. | Scene changes to O-Train travelling left to right with trees in fall colours in the background; the background changes to winter with snow on the ground and falling. |
| 00:14 | There are plans and procedures for winter to ensure the O-Train system is prepared to deal with inclement weather and to reduce delays caused by winter conditions. | The scene changes to the O-Train garage showing trains parked inside. |
| 00:25 | When the forecast calls for snow or freezing rain, winter operating plans are put in place and weather conditions are closely monitored. | The scene changes to the O-Train travelling left to right in a winter landscape; an inset of a person in an OC Transpo control room appears as precipitation falls. |
| 00:34 | Additional resources are also brought in, including specialized equipment and extra staff, to ensure service continues to operate for customers. | The scene changes to overhead to show the O-Train travelling along the tracks from left to right; then zooms in closer on the same scene. |
| 00:44 | Depending on the weather conditions, trains can run overnight to prevent the build-up of snow on the tracks. | The scene changes to the O-Train travelling left to right at night with snow falling. |
| 00:51 | Switch heaters are in place to help keep switches operating by melting ice and snow before it can build up. | The scene changes to overhead to show a closeup view of the tracks with ice building up at the switch; the track turns red, heating up to melt the ice. |
| 01:02 | Crews may also need to manually clear snow and ice from switches under certain conditions. | The overhead view zooms out further to show a worker removing ice from between tracks. |
| 01:08 | Snow fencing is installed at areas along the line to prevent snow drifting and protect the tracks from snow blown by passing snowplows. | The scene changes to bird’s eye view of O-Train travelling from bottom left to top right with a snow fence in the background. |
| 01:19 | The O-Train system is designed to withstand winter conditions. In winter months, staff work around the clock and across the system to keep the O-Train running for you. | The scene changes to a night view of the O-Train travelling left to right. |
| 01:25 | OC Transpo octranspo.com | The OC Transpo logo and web address animates on-screen. |
Which switch?
The O-Train tracks include switches so trains can cross over from one track to another. See how OC Transpo’s control centre communicates ensures that they are properly aligned.
Transcript and text description
| Time | On-screen text | On-screen animation |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | O-Train Explained | Title appears |
| 00:03 | Which Switch? | Large red O animates to reveal O-Train travelling left to right along track with downtown view of Ottawa in background. |
| 00:08 | The O-Train tracks include switches so trains can cross over from one track to another. | The scene changes to a wide view of the O-Train travelling left to right with the sun in the sky. |
| 00:15 | OC Transpo’s control centre must be able to communicate with all switches to ensure that they are properly aligned for safe train movements. | The scene changes overhead to follow the O-Train travelling left to right along the track; the train switches from the top track to the bottom track. |
| 00:27 | There are 7 locations on O-Train Line 1 where trains can use switches and are able to cross from one track to another. | The view zooms in on a track switch; the switch moves and a passing O-Train moves to other the track; the switch moves again and another passing O-Train moves to the opposite track. |
| 00:37 | Trains have to slow down when crossing over at a switch to ensure safe train movements. | The scene changes to a side view of the O-Train travelling left to right; the train slows down. |
| 00:41 | Sometimes rocks, debris and ice can damage or stop switches from working. | The scene changes to an overhead view of a switch being impeded by rocks and debris. |
| 00:48 | When this happens, trains will come to a stop so the switch can be manually moved. | The view zooms out to show a stopped train and a worker approaching the tracks, then zooms in to show the worker removing the debris. |
| 00:54 | Switches have heaters to melt snow and ice and help prevent switch problems in the winter. | The scene changes to a side view of the O-Train travelling left to right in winter conditions, then to an overhead view of the rails turning red and melting ice build up. |
| 01:04 | Use of switches can allow trains to continue in service even when there are maintenance activities or service disruptions. The switches allow trains to operate on a single track and move around the affected area. | The scene changes to a wider overhead view of the tracks and switch with an exclamation mark representing a problem on the top tracks; the switch routes the train to the lower track, around the problem. |
| 01:19 | Staff carefully monitor switches and switch heaters at all times to avoid delays whenever possible. | The scene changes to a night view of the O-Train travelling left to right with an inset of a person at a monitoring station. |
| 01:25 | OC Transpo octranspo.com | The OC Transpo logo and web address animates on-screen. |
Flashes of light
Sometimes, you may notice flashes or sparks above the train. These sparks pose no risk to customers and occur because the O-Train is powered by 1,500 volts of electricity delivered through overhead cables. Watch the video to learn more!
Transcript and text description
| Time | On-screen animation | On-screen text |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | O-Train Explained | Title appears |
| 00:03 | Flashes of Light | Large red O animates to reveal O-Train travelling left to right along track with downtown Ottawa in background. |
| 00:08 | The O-Train is powered by 1,500 volts of electricity, delivered by overhead cables called the Overhead Catenary System (OCS). | The scene changes to a view of the O-Train travelling left to right; showing the overhead catenary system. |
| 00:18 | Sometimes you may see a flash or sparks on the pantograph, which collects power from the OCS. | The scene changes to a bird’s eye view of the O-Train travelling from bottom left to top right; a spark appears where the train attaches to the overhead catenary system. |
| 00:27 | This arcing is common and can happen in all systems. Arcing is more common during inclement weather, such as rain and snow. | The scene changes to a side view of the O-Train travelling left to right during daytime; the background turns to night with rain falling and then with snow falling in winter conditions. |
| 00:36 | The trains have safety measures to keep customers safe. | The scene changes to a view of the front of the O-Train travelling toward the viewer along the tracks with sparks on the overhead catenary system. |
| 00:43 | The observed sparks pose no risk to customers because trains have high-speed breakers that shut off power to the O-Train’s motor if there’s a problem. | The scene changes to a night view of the O-Train travelling left to right. |
| 00:54 | During inclement weather, when arcing occurs, trains may operate at reduced speed. | The view zooms in on the O-Train and overhead catenary system; the train slows down. |
| 01:02 | OC Transpo octranspo.com | The OC Transpo logo and web address animates on-screen. |
Sun kinks
When the temperature is high and the sun is beaming down, steel tracks become extremely hot, causing them to expand and buckle due to the heat. Learn how we keep the O-Train system safe during these times.
Transcript and text description
| Time | On-screen text | On-screen animation |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00 | O-Train Explained | Title appears |
| 00:03 | Large red O animates to reveal O-Train travelling left to right along track with downtown Ottawa in background. | HOT with a chance of sun kinks |
| 00:09 | The scene changes to the O-Train travelling left to right along track, hot sun rises overhead. | It happens on rail systems around the world: when the temperature gets extremely hot and the sun is beaming down, the steel tracks can expand and cause buckles – in the train world these are called "sun kinks". |
| 00:22 | The scene changes to overhead of O-Train travelling from top right to bottom left of screen. It clears frame to reveal the tracks; the view zooms in on the tracks which turn red and warp. | If a track gets a sun kink, it can bend the track slightly out of alignment and can cause problems for trains trying to pass by. |
| 00:32 | The scene returns to O-Train travelling left to right with hot sun overhead; the O-Train slows down. | For everyone’s safety, when temperatures get really high, we may temporarily slow down trains on the O-Train system. |
| 00:39 | The scene changes to overhead following the O-Train along the tracks from left to right. | This may cause longer travel times…but slowing down reduces the impact on trains and helps decrease the chances of sun kinks expanding and becoming worse. |
| 00:50 | The scene changes back to the O-Train travel from left to right with hot sun overhead, then turns to night time with the moon overhead. | OC Transpo constantly monitors the weather and makes adjustments to speeds as necessary throughout the day. |
| 01:00 | Views zooms in closer on O-Train travelling left to right at night. | When the temperature cools down and tracks are no longer impacted by the heat, trains return to normal speeds. |
| 01:06 | The OC Transpo logo and web address animates on-screen. | OC Transpo octranspo.com |