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Getting Around Laurier: Campuses, ION, GRT and the U-Pass
Laurier teaches undergraduates on three campuses: Waterloo, Brantford and Milton. Each one gets you there differently. Full-time Waterloo students ride GRT buses and ION trains for no extra fare, using the U-Pass on their OneCard. Full-time Brantford undergraduates get a Brantford Transit pass the same way. Milton students buy a discounted term pass from Milton Transit, and Milton parking is free.
Sources checked September 30, 2026. View sources
The three campuses at a glance
Your program decides your campus, so check the campus on the program page before you apply. Laurier also runs the Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work in downtown Kitchener, mostly for graduate students. For a program-by-program comparison, see the campus section of our Laurier student life guide.
| Campus | Address | Size and programs | Laurier residence | Transit pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo | 75 University Avenue West | More than 18,800 students on about one large city block; 60+ undergraduate programs across arts, music, science and business | Dormitory and apartment styles | GRT U-Pass (bus and ION), $131.14 a term in 2026-27 |
| Brantford | Downtown, around Colborne and Market Streets | About 2,700 students; 20+ undergraduate programs such as Health Studies, Human Rights, User Experience Design and Social Work | Apartment style | Brantford Transit U-Pass, $58.12 a term in 2026-27 |
| Milton | Laurier Milton Academic Centre, 555 Industrial Drive | Business Technology Management, Computer Science and Psychology, with a mix of in-person and online courses | None | Optional Milton Transit term pass, bought separately |
Waterloo: GRT buses, ION and your U-Pass
GRT's U-Pass agreement with the Laurier Students' Union and the Graduate Students' Association covers all full-time students at Laurier's Waterloo Region campuses. It's paid through the U-Pass fee on your invoice and loaded onto your OneCard each term: September to December, January to April and May to August. A new card can take up to two business days to work on every bus and train.
On a bus, tap your OneCard on the farebox as you board. For ION, tap on the platform card reader before you board, or use the platform fare machine's "Pay/validate your ION trip" option. The closest ION station is Laurier-Waterloo Park. GRT routes 7, 8, 12 and 202 stop at King Street North and University Avenue West, beside the Athletic Complex.
- Full-time co-op students keep the pass on work terms. You also keep access in an off term, such as summer, if you paid the fee in the previous two terms.
- Part-time Waterloo students can opt in through Laurier's Optional Student Fees Portal. Deadlines are November 30 for fall, March 31 for winter and July 31 for spring and summer.
- Full-time undergraduates at the Faculty of Social Work in Kitchener get the same GRT access.
- Lose your OneCard and you lose the pass with it, so replace the card at the OneCard office.
Brantford: the Brantford Transit U-Pass
Full-time Brantford undergraduates pay a $58.12 U-Pass fee each fall and winter term. It gives unlimited rides on Brantford Transit buses in the city, using your OneCard. For the summer term, Brantford Transit runs a separate student program that you pay directly.
Brantford Transit routes 1, 9 and 14 run past the corner of Colborne and Market Streets, where Laurier Library Brantford and the Brantford Public Library sit. Check Brantford Transit's route maps for the rest of your trip.
- Driving? You buy Brantford campus permits online, and you still display a hangtag when you park there. Market Centre Parkade permits come from the City of Brantford.
- The Laurier Brantford YMCA validates up to two hours of Market Centre Parkade parking when you use the facility.
Milton: Route 1 and the Laurier term pass
Laurier describes Milton as a commuter campus. Milton Transit's Route 1 stops at the Laurier Milton Academic Centre from Monday to Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. Buses come every 40 to 60 minutes, and every 20 to 30 minutes at morning and evening peaks. Route 1 also connects to Milton GO Station and the RR25 and Highway 401 park-and-ride.
Milton Transit sells a Wilfrid Laurier University term pass for four-month terms at a 25% discount on a four-month adult pass. You buy it through the Token Transit app with your Laurier email. For fall 2026, the pass was on sale from August 1 to September 30, 2026. Parking at the Academic Centre is on site, with no permit or payment currently required.
Driving, cycling and trips home
Waterloo and Kitchener parking now uses licence plate recognition, so your plate is your permit. You can pay or view Laurier parking tickets online at wluparking.com. The Waterloo parking office is at 202 Regina Street.
Both main campuses have gated, secure bike storage for $25 a term. In Waterloo, it's beside Macdonald House near Lot 16 and holds 25 bikes. In Brantford, it's in the Expositor Place parking garage. You apply online, and access is added to your OneCard.
Heading home for a weekend? Full-time Laurier students qualify for GO Transit student fares with a GO student ID, which you request online and renew each academic year.
Keep exploring
Sources and updates
This independent guide summarizes the official information linked below. Availability, access rules and application cycles can change; check the relevant university page before making a decision.
- Laurier: campuses and locations
- Laurier: Waterloo campus
- Laurier: Brantford campus
- Laurier: Milton campus
- Laurier 2026/27 incidental fees, including U-Pass fees
- Grand River Transit: U-Pass
- Grand River Transit: paying with a student card
- Grand River Transit: station maps
- Laurier: cycling and public transit
- Laurier Athletics: home venues, directions and transit
- Laurier Library: Brantford campus (transit and parking)
- Laurier: parking and transportation
- Laurier Brantford Athletics & Recreation: facility information
- Town of Milton: post-secondary school transit service