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Stratford Day Trip by GO Train: A Relaxed, No-Itinerary Day from Toronto

By Gopi · Last verified

Since July 2026, GO trains run all the way to Stratford, and on weekends a $10 day pass covers the whole trip. We went on a Saturday in October with friends from different corners of the GTA, with no itinerary at all. Here’s how to get there, what the tickets cost, and the relaxed day we had.

In short

  • Getting there: the weekend GO train leaves Union Station at 8:49 am and reaches Stratford at 11:16 am. The return leaves Stratford at 6:16 pm and reaches Union at 8:45 pm.
  • Cost: a $10 One-Day Weekend Pass covers unlimited GO travel on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Children 12 and under ride free.
  • Tickets: PRESTO doesn’t work for Stratford, and the station machines don’t sell Stratford tickets. Buy e-tickets or the weekend pass online.
  • Our day: lunch, a boat ride on the Avon River, Justin Bieber’s star at the Avon Theatre, the Shakespearean Gardens, coffee and chocolate. About 7 relaxed hours, no plan needed.
A green and white GO train at the Stratford platform on a sunny day
The GO train at Stratford
Gopi relaxing in a window seat on the GO train, chatting with friends
The best part: time to talk

Getting there by GO train

The Kitchener GO line now runs to Stratford GO (101 Shakespeare St.) every day, all year (GO Transit).

Weekend train Leaves Arrives
Toronto to Stratford Union Station, 8:49 am Stratford, 11:16 am
Stratford to Toronto Stratford, 6:16 pm Union Station, 8:45 pm

The weekend trains also stop at Bloor, Bramalea, Brampton, Mount Pleasant, Guelph and Kitchener. Our friends boarded at Union; we live in Mississauga, so we drove about 11 minutes to Bramalea GO and joined them there. On weekdays there’s one rush-hour train each way, mainly for commuters: 6:16 am from Stratford and 4:52 pm from Union.

My take

More than two hours on the train sounds long, but with friends from different parts of the GTA it turned out to be the best part. We talked the whole way there, and some of us napped on the way back.

Tickets: what it costs

  • $10 One-Day Weekend Pass: unlimited GO travel for one day on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays (GO Transit).
  • Children 12 and under ride free on GO.
  • No PRESTO at Stratford, and Stratford tickets aren’t sold at the station machines. Buy your e-ticket or weekend pass online, up to seven days before you travel.
  • Weekdays: fares depend on distance; GO also sells weekday group passes.

Not sure how to buy the weekend pass online? My video walks through booking it, step by step (it’s from my Niagara trip, but booking works the same way):

Video thumbnail: How to book the $10 GO weekend pass (GO train to Niagara Falls) Watch on YouTube: How to book the $10 GO weekend pass (GO train to Niagara Falls)

Check the schedule before you go. Some weekends have planned track work on the Kitchener line; GO lists November 14 to 15 and December 12 to 13 for the rest of 2026. Missed the last train? VIA Rail and FlixBus also run between Stratford and Toronto.

Our relaxed day in Stratford

Lunch at Pazzo

We started with lunch at Pazzo Taverna & Pizzeria on Ontario Street: friendly staff and good Italian food, pizza and pasta for the whole table.

A boat ride on the Avon River

Next, a slow ride on the Avon River with the fall colours on both banks. At Avon Boat Rentals (also called The Boathouse, 30 York St.) you can take a short river tour or rent a canoe, kayak or paddle boat. It’s seasonal, so check that it’s open before you plan around it.

Pizzas and pasta on a long table at Pazzo in Stratford
Lunch at Pazzo
Gopi smiling on a covered river boat on the Avon River
On the Avon River
Calm Avon River reflecting autumn trees and houses
Fall on the Avon
Stratford City Hall, a red-brick building with a clock tower, under a blue sky
Stratford City Hall

Justin Bieber’s star at the Avon Theatre

Then a walk into downtown. Stratford is Justin Bieber’s hometown, and as a kid he busked on the steps of the Avon Theatre. Next to those steps is a star in the pavement: “Justin Bieber, Recording Artist. Presented by the City of Stratford, July 1st, 2011.”

A little history: Thomas Edison worked here at 16

Stratford was a railway town, and in 1863 a 16-year-old Thomas Edison worked here as a telegraph operator for the Grand Trunk Railway (Thomas A. Edison Papers, Rutgers), long before his famous inventions.

Shakespearean Gardens, coffee and chocolate

We wandered through the Shakespearean Gardens by the river, which are free and were first planted in 1936. Then coffee and cake at Balzac’s Coffee, and a stop at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for chocolate bark and ice cream before heading back to the station.

The front of the Avon Theatre in downtown Stratford
The Avon Theatre
Bronze star plaque in the pavement reading Justin Bieber, Recording Artist, presented by the City of Stratford, July 1st, 2011
Bieber’s star by the steps
Bronze bust of William Shakespeare in the Shakespearean Gardens, with autumn trees behind
Shakespeare’s bust in the gardens
Stratford railway station platform with its Stratford sign
Back to the station
Cakes under glass domes on the counter at Balzac's Coffee
Coffee and cake at Balzac’s
Chocolate bark topped with candies and pretzels in a display case
Chocolate bark

Before you go

Your Stratford day-trip checklist

  1. 1. Buy your e-ticket or $10 weekend pass online
  2. 2. Check the weekend schedule for track work
  3. 3. Plan around the 6:16 pm train back
  4. 4. Check the boat rental is open

Tick each step as you finish it. Your ticks stay on this device only.

Train times, fares and ticket rules checked on GO Transit on October 29, 2026. They can change, so confirm on GO Transit before you travel.

What next

Find a temple or gurdwara near you with my temples in Toronto and the GTA guide, or see the free festivals at Mississauga Celebration Square.

Spot something outdated? Tell me in the YouTube comments on the related video, or use the contact form.