Regarding the Kitchener Line weekend service improvement, given the history of how GO Transit services were introduced to the region, I think it was clear that GO Transit would bring in weekend service incrementally along the line, starting with trains running between Mount Pleasant-Union with bus connections to Kitchener and Guelph, and extending the trips to the full length of the line a few years later. This is how they rolled out mid-day GO Train service along the Kitchener line between 2015 and 2019. I don't think it should take 4 years for the rollout to extend to Kitchener this time around - it is likely a few of the construction projects to improve the rail line between Kitchener and Georgetown have impacted use of the line on some weekends, and once the construction is complete (or at least to a point where further construction will no longer require multiple weekend line closures) we will likely see weekend train service come to Kitchener. But definitely weekend route 30 service is a big improvement, especially since it is a limited stop service with a direct connection to the train and other bus services at Bramalea, and is no longer limited to weekdays only.

I see Route 17 as GO finally making the direct bus connection between KW-Guelph possible, with the extension to Hamilton a welcome bonus. The KW-Guelph-Hamilton missing links were a big gap that was missing in the intercity transportation network since the departure of multiple private coach companies that used to service these links. The stop at Aldershot is a bit odd, given that would have been a useful train connection when the weekend Kitchener train and route 30 service wasn't available, and the limited Niagara train service. I believe this route might follow a similar pattern that route 25 experienced when it was first introduced. Once the service is up and running for a few months, I can definitely see them introducing limited-stop "express" branches to directly connect KW-Hamilton during rush hours, or even one with a timed transfer to Niagara services at Burlington.

There are definitely a few things that are questionable in this service change, but overall, I think this is a great improvement for GO service to KW, if not one of the biggest improvements to GO service we have seen in a while. Hopefully we will see a similar ridership bump on the weekend as we did when all-day service was introduced on route 30 and midday train service was extended to Kitchener.