WEGO Niagara Falls Visitor Transportation

WEGO Visitor Transportation System (WEGO) is a bus system in Niagara Falls, Ontario jointly operated by Niagara Falls Transit and the Niagara Parks Commission. It replaced Niagara Falls Transit's Falls Shuttle, as well as the Niagara Parks Commission People Mover. Originally scheduled to launch on June 29, 2012, the service's inauguration was postponed due to delays in its buses' intelligent transportation system. WEGO launched its preview service on August 13, 2012, then finally began official operations, a week later, on August 20[1]

WEGO Visitor Transportation
ParentNiagara Falls Transit
Founded2012
Service areaNiagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Service typebus service
Routes4
Fleet27 buses
Fuel typediesel
OperatorNiagara Falls Transit and Niagara Parks Commission
Websitewegoniagarafalls.com

WEGO is a pairing of the words "we" and "go", conveying the meaning of friendship and social activity, as well as adventure and exploration.[2]

Fares and Connections

Fares

Fares are accurate as of September 7, 2020. The Niagara-on-the-Lake Shuttle is currently not operating due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Age group Blue, Red, and Green Lines Niagara-on-the-Lake Shuttle
24-hour pass 48-hour pass One-way Roundtrip
5 and under Free Free Free Free
6 to 12 $6.00 $10.00 $5.00 $10.00
13 and over $9.00 $13.50 $7.00 $14.00

Adventure and Magic Passes

The Adventure Pass (for peak season) and the Magic Pass (for off-peak season) contain a free 48-hour pass for WEGO. Since the "actual" passes can only be redeemed at the welcome centres, authorized sellers of the Adventure and Magic Passes outside the welcome centres instead give vouchers to each paid customer, allowing them to ride the WEGO bus for free to finally redeem their Adventure or Magic Pass at the nearest welcome centre. Online buyers of these passes also undergo the same procedure: they must show their printed vouchers to ride the WEGO bus for free to get their respective passes at the nearest welcome centre.

Connections and Transfers

There is partial fare integration between WEGO and the regular local Niagara Falls Transit service. Monthly passholders of regular local Niagara Falls Transit service are allowed to connect to WEGO for free. However, 10-ride passholders, day passholders, and single-ride passengers must pay a separate WEGO fare.[3] Passengers connecting from Niagara Region Transit must also pay a separate WEGO fare.[4] On the other hand, both WEGO passes (24-hour and 48-hour) are accepted at local Niagara Falls Transit buses, but not at Niagara Region buses.

WEGO also connects with inter-regional transit customers using GO Transit, VIA Rail, Greyhound Canada and Coach Canada via the Green Line. GO Transit stations along the Niagara excursion train sell WEGO passes when the train is in operation.

At Fort George National Historic Site, passengers can connect to Niagara-on-the-Lake Transit's Heritage-Old Town route. Passengers can also connect to GO Transit's Route 11 at King and Pitcon Streets, which is a short distance from Fort George.

Routes
A WEGO Purple Line bus stop sign on Clifton Hill

Route Details
Line Terminus Areas served Operator
Blue Line Table Rock Marineland of Canada
Scotiabank Convention Centre		 Clifton Hill
Fallsview		 Niagara Falls Transit
Red Line Table Rock Garner Road Loop Lundy's Lane Niagara Falls Transit
Green Line Rapidsview Parking Lot Queenston Heights Park Niagara Falls
segment of
Niagara Parkway		 Niagara Parks Commission
Niagara-on-the-Lake Shuttle Fort George National Historic Site Floral Clock Niagara-on-the-Lake
segment of
Niagara Parkway		 Niagara Parks Commission

Service Details
Line Season and Frequency (min.) Notes
Peak
(End of June - Labour Day)		 Shoulder
(Victoria Day - End of June,
Labour Day - Thanksgiving)		 Off-peak
(Thanksgiving - Victoria Day)
Day Evening Day Evening Day Evening
Blue 15M 20S 20S (weekday)
30M (weekend)		 40S 20S 40S
  • M: to Marineland
  • S: to Scotiabank Convention Centre
Red 30 30 30 60 30 60
Purple 30 30 30 - 30Ltd. -
  • Ltd: Friday and Saturday afternoon only
Green 12Q - 20F - 20F -
  • Q: Queenston - Rapidsview
  • F: Floral Clock - Floral Showhouse
NOTL 90 - - - - -

Blue Line

Despite its convoluted routing, the Blue Line serves the most popular attractions in the city. At the northern half of the route, the Blue Line runs as a counter-clockwise semi-loop serving Clifton Hill as well as Victoria Avenue. Once it reaches Murray Street, the route becomes a north-south route serving the Fallsview tourist area, running along Fallsview Boulevard, Stanley Avenue, and Portage Road. The Blue Line also serves the city's major hotels and landmarks, as well as its two major casinos. During the peak season, it also extends service to Marineland. The route is operated by Niagara Falls Transit.

Between the end of June and Labour Day, Blue Line runs every 15 minutes until approximately 9:30 pm, shortly after Marineland closes, then performs a short-turn at the Socitabank Convention Centre, running every 20 minutes until the end of service. During the shoulder peak season, it runs every 30 minutes during weekends until 7 pm coinciding with Marineland's operating hours, every 20 minutes during weekdays, and every 40 minutes during evenings when Marineland is not in operation. During the off-peak season, it only services the convention centre, running every 20 minutes during the day and 40 minutes during the evening.

Stops

Red Line

The Red Line serves the Lundy's Lane corridor, which hosts many hotels, campsites and retail stores, the most notable being Canada One Factory Outlets. Like the Blue Line, this route is also operated by Niagara Falls Transit.

Between the end of June and Labour Day, Red Line runs every 30 minutes until past midnight. During the rest of the year, it runs every 30 minutes during the day and every 60 minutes during the evening.

Stops

Green Line

The Green Line encompasses the former route of Niagara Parks Commission People Mover, running along the Niagara Parkway corridor. It is operated by Niagara Parks Commission. Green Line is the only route that crosses the municipal boundary, allowing service to Queenston at the neighbouring Niagara-on-the-Lake. During the peak season, it runs between the Rapidsview Parking Lot and the Queenston Heights Park. Meanwhile, during the fall, winter, and early spring, southbound service ends at Table Rock and northbound service ends at the Floral Clock, just like its predecessor route.

Green Line runs every 12 minutes between the end of June and Labour Day and every 20 minutes during the rest of the year. No evening service is provided throughout the year.

Stops

Niagara-on-the-Lake Shuttle

The Niagara-on-the-Lake Shuttle is an additional route implemented during the 2013 peak season, running along the northern segment of the Niagara Parkway corridor between Fort George and the Floral Clock, which becomes the most direct route between Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls. Like the Green Line, it is also operated by Niagara Parks Commission.

The NOTL shuttle runs every 90 minutes during the peak season only, and is subject to a fare surcharge (see Fares section).

Stops
  • Floral Clock
  • Queenston Heights Park
  • Mackenzie Printery
  • Laura Secord Homestead
  • McFarland House
  • Fort George

Terminals
  • Campark Resorts Loop
  • Queenston Heights Terminal and Loop
  • #3 - Table Rock Terminal and loop
  • Rapidsview Terminal and Loop

Fleet
Fleet Number Company Model Length Operator
5201 - 5211 Nova Bus LFX 60 Niagara Falls Transit
5301 - 5305 40
9001 - 9009 60 Niagara Parks Commission
9010 - 9011 40

WEGO has a fleet of 20 articulated (60 ft) and 7 standard (40 ft) buses. All vehicles are owned by Niagara Falls Transit, who also operates 16 of them on the Blue and Red Lines. The remaining 11 are leased to Niagara Parks Commission for the Green Line.[5]

WEGO incorporates intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to its bus operations, which allows the following:[6]

  • real-time bus arrivals by scanning a QR code at the bus stop,
  • signal priority to minimize intersection delays,
  • automated stop announcements (in compliance of AODA),
  • automated fare collection, and
  • television screens that feature the city's weather conditions, local events, tourist attractions and local hotels.

References
  1. Langley, Alison. "New tourism buses stall". Niagara Falls Review. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  2. "Branding of new Niagara Falls Visitor Transportation System — WEGO — revealed". Government of Canada. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  3. Day, Matt. "WEGO officially a go". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  4. Conradi, Peter. "Parks Commission to examine single-day pass for new WEGO bus system". Bullet News Niagara. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  5. Dakin, Dan. "Away WEGO. New bus system now running". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  6. "Bus Features". WEGO. Retrieved 2 May 2013.

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