Integration with Transit

In Summer 2019 Hamilton City Council approved an expansion of the Mountain Climber pilot program that allows cyclists to take an HSR bus up or down the escarpment for free.

To participate in the Mountain Climber program, cyclists should wait at one of the marked stops and secure their bike to the front bike rack on the bus. They should let the operator know they are riding for free as a Mountain Climber and depart the bus at the first available stop once up or down the escarpment roadway.

Mountain Climber is a joint program between the City of Hamilton’s Transit Division (HSR) and Transportation Planning Services.

How the Mountain Climber program works

All Mountain Climbers will need to follow these steps to participate:

  • Wait at a designated Mountain Climber Stop
  • When a bus arrives, secure your bike to the front bike rack. If there are no bicycle rack spaces available, you will have to wait for the next bus. If there are customers waiting at the stop with a bicycle who are going to pay full fare, they must be allowed to load and board the bus first.
  • When you walk on the bus, announce to the operator that you will be riding for free as a Mountain Climber. You may stand or sit near the front of the bus. 
  • At the designated departure stop, leave the bus and remove your bicycle. If you change your mind and decide to ride to a farther stop, you must pay a full fare to the operator at this point.

Mountain Climber Logo - Illustration of a bicycle and a busMountain Climber Stops

Mountain Climbers stops are marked with unique signage.

 

Beckett Drive Access

34 / 34A - UPPER PARADISE
Beckett Drive stops map

Kenilworth Access

41 / 41A - MOHAWK
Kenilworth Access stops map

Wilson Street East
5A / 5C - DELAWARE
Wilson Street East stops map

Waterdown Road / Mill Street South

18 - WATERDOWN
Waterdown Road / Mill Street South stops map

South / Upper Centennial Parkway
44 - RYMAL
South / Upper Centennial Parkway stops map

Red Hill Valley Parkway

11 - PARKDALE
Red Hill Valley Parkway stops map

Jolley Cut / Arkledun Avenue

22 - UPPER OTTAWA
23 - UPPER GAGE
24 - UPPER SHERMAN
25 - UPPER WENTWORTH
26 - UPPER WELLINGTON
27 - UPPER JAMES
Jolley Cut / Arkledun Avenue stops map

James Mountain Road / West 5th Access

20 - A LINE EXPRESS
21 - UPPER KENILWORTH
33 - SANATORIUM
35 - COLLEGE
James Mountain Road/West 5th Access stops map

Bus bike racks

  • We have installed bike racks on the entire HSR bus fleet - Bikes on Buses Program
  • GO Transit also uses the same design of bike rack on their bus fleet that connects the Hamilton area to the GTA. Bicycles are also permitted on GO Trains, but check GO Transit for time period restrictions.

Contact us

For questions or comments about the program:
Christie Meleskie
Email christie.meleskie@hamilton.ca