SkyTrain begins overnight testing ahead of major network expansion

SkyTrain will begin five months of overnight testing on Oct. 3 as TransLink prepares for major expansions and the opening of a new Operations Control Centre in 2027.

Testing will take place on sections of the Expo and Millennium lines on weekends and some Mondays, outside regular service hours. No passengers will be aboard the trains, and regular SkyTrain service will not be affected.

Residents living near the affected areas may hear trains operating overnight. Testing locations will rotate across Metro Vancouver, while alarms and announcements will be suspended where possible to reduce noise.

The testing will support the new 40,000-square-foot Operations Control Centre, which will gradually take control of trains and test regular operations, maintenance and emergency responses.

The centre is expected to support the Broadway Subway Extension in 2027 and the Dave Barrett (Surrey Langley) Extension in 2029.