TTC’s Emancipation Day Underground Freedom Train Ride honours legacy of the Underground Railroad
The Emancipation Day Underground Freedom Train Ride is a symbolic trip that honours the courage, strength, and resilience of formerly enslaved people who sought freedom by traveling north to Canada via the Underground Railroad – a secret network of routes, safehouses and abolitionists.
The TTC is proud to support this annual event, presented in partnership with Blackhurst Cultural Centre. Since 2013, the Freedom Train Ride has brought people together through music, reflection, and community as they mark Emancipation Day on August 1.
The 2026 theme, Food and Freedom, celebrated and recognized Black farming in Canada. After boarding at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station late in the evening of Friday, July 31, over 600 riders sang songs with themes of liberation and social justice while accompanied by drummers and reflected as the train travelled non-stop toward Union Station, arriving just after midnight. Together, they symbolically crossed into Emancipation Day, which marks the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.
Behind the scenes: Bringing the Freedom Train to life
While the ride itself lasted less than an hour, the weeks of planning and coordination behind the event started long before the train left the platform at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station.
Each year, TTC teams work closely with Blackhurst Cultural Centre to coordinate the route and timing and to provide customer support and accessibility assistance.
TTC staff at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station help guide attendees, answer questions, and support customers with accessibility needs, including helping people get to elevators and down to the platform.
Thank you to everyone who joined this year’s Emancipation Day Underground Freedom Train Ride.
August is Emancipation Month in Toronto. Learn more about Emancipation Month and upcoming events across the city.