Broadway Subway Project has entered dynamic testing in Vancouver, bringing the SkyTrain extension another step closer to its planned opening in autumn 2027. For the first time, SkyTrain vehicles are now running on completed parts of the new infrastructure.

Broadway Subway Project enters testing phase
Photo: Government of British Columbia

The project extends Metro Vancouver’s Millennium Line west from VCC-Clark Station to Arbutus Street. It will add 5.7 kilometres of rapid transit infrastructure and six new stations, giving the corridor a major upgrade in rail capacity.

Broadway Subway Project begins dynamic testing

According to the Government of British Columbia, testing has started at VCC-Clark Station and will move west in stages while construction continues along the route. This phase is meant to check how trains, track, signalling equipment and communications systems work together before the line carries passengers.

In the opening stage, driver-operated trains will run in both directions at different speeds. The tests will cover completed sections of elevated guideway and tunnels west of Great Northern Way-Emily Carr Station. Later phases will bring in automatic train control and check how multiple trains operate on the network at the same time.

Testing is expected to continue through 2027. Before the extension opens to the public, the full system will move into trial running, with trains operating at normal service frequencies and stopping at every new station under real-world operating conditions.

Construction continues as SkyTrain vehicles test the route

Construction has not stopped while testing gets underway. Crews are still installing track, while work inside the stations is focused on the electrical and mechanical systems needed to power and operate the extension.

British Columbia’s Minister of Transportation and Transit, Mike Farnworth, said:

“Seeing these test trains in operation shows how much progress has been made on this massive project. Dynamic testing will confirm that all systems are performing safely and reliably so we can look forward to welcoming the public on board next year.”

Funding and capacity gains for the Millennium Line extension

The Broadway Subway Project is funded by the Government of British Columbia, the Government of Canada and the City of Vancouver. The provincial government is contributing 1.957 billion CAD, while the federal government is providing 896.9 million CAD. The city is also making an in-kind contribution valued at 100.3 million CAD.

The official Broadway Subway Project overview describes the extension as a 5.7-kilometre Millennium Line project between VCC-Clark and Arbutus. Once in service, the extension is expected to provide more than three times the passenger capacity of the existing 99 B-Line bus service.

Travel between VCC-Clark and Arbutus is forecast to take about 11 minutes. Railway Supply has also covered SkyTrain’s wider expansion context, including the Broadway Subway and other Metro Vancouver projects.

Passengers travelling from Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station in Coquitlam to Arbutus Street will be able to make the journey without changing trains. That trip is expected to take around 46 minutes.