King George SkyTrain station closed for 6 weeks

King George SkyTrain Station in Surrey is seen in this photo from TransLink. (translink.ca)

King George SkyTrain Station closed Saturday morning and won't be open again for weeks.

The closure is necessary to complete "essential maintenance work," according to TransLink, which estimates the station will remain closed for "approximately six weeks."

That timeline would mean the station reopening sometime in mid-June.

The Expo Line's Surrey terminus will temporarily be at Surrey Central Station during the closure.

"A full station closure is required to complete these important upgrades as efficiently and safely as possible," TransLink said in a news release Friday.

"Some of the work will include removing parts of the rail to replace a turnout, a mechanical device that guides trains from one track to another. Over time, these components need replacement. This section of track has been in use since the station first opened 30 years ago."

The transit provider says repairs, inspections and cleaning are expected to occur inside the station during the closure.

Buses that usually stop at King George station will continue to do so, while buses that usually end at the station will proceed to Surrey Central. On weekday mornings between 6 and 9 a.m., additional buses will be added and will run every 15 minutes between King George and Surrey Central stations.

TransLink advises transit users who normally take the SkyTrain between King George and Surrey Central to build an additional 15 minutes of travel time into their schedules.

In 2021, King George Station was one of the 10 busiest in the SkyTrain network. It fell off the list in 2022, however, according to the most recent boarding data published by TransLink.