Integration with Transit

In 2017, the City of Hamilton introduced the Mountain Climber Program. This programs allows you to take your bike up or down the escarpment for free, year round, on select HSR routes, all year long.

As of June 2018 the program is available on:

  • James Mountain Road (Routes 20, 21, 33, 35, and College Extras)
  • Beckett Drive (Routes 34 and 34A) and Kenilworth Access (41 and 41A) as a pilot

This is a joint program between Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) and Transportation Planning Services.

How the 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, and that you intend to leave the bus at the first stop at the top/bottom of the escarpment. 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 Stops

Mountain Climbers are only allowed to participate if they board and leave the bus at the 4 designated Mountain Climber Stops, marked with unique signage. These bus stops are:

James Mountain Rd/West 5th Cut

Northbound:

  • West 5th @ Brantdale
  • St. Joseph's @ James

Southbound:

  • James @ Markland
  • West 5th @ Brantdale

James Rd/West 5th map (PDF, 701 KB)

Beckett Drive (Pilot Location)

Northbound:

  • Garth @ Braemer
  • Queen @ Aberdeen

Southbound:

  • Queen @ Aberdeen
  • Garth @ Denlow

Beckett Drive map (PDF, 333 KB)

Kenilworth Access (Pilot Location)

Northbound:

  • Upper Ottawa opposite Sunning Hill
  • Kenilworth Circle @ Kimberly (bi-directional stop)

Southbound:

  • Kenilworth Circle @ Kimberly (bi-directional stop)
  • Upper Ottawa at Sunning Hill

Kenilworth Access map (PDF, 315 KB)

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, contact:
Christie Meleskie
Email: christie.meleskie@hamilton.ca