Finding Bessarion

In this short documentary, TTC Enthusiast and Urban Explorer Jeremy Woodcock travels to Bessarion Station, the least used Subway Station on the Toronto Transit Map, to find out if it really does exist and why it would be built in the first place.

[@kennedyschurch3885]

Fun fact: bessarion is no longer the least used subway station, there’s a new one called Downsview Park with only 2520 passengers

[@ryanharkness284]

I can’t believe that this video is approaching it’s 10th anniversary. For the past 10 years, whenever I see Bessarion station on a map or in person, I think about this video and it puts a smile on my face. Thank you so much Jeremy 🙏

[@UnicornInVorkuta]

Came back to this video after 9 years, it's still a great watch. Bessarion is definitely busier now than when I wrote my last comment, and maybe a little dirtier, but that's just from all of the foot traffic due to more condos being built on the south side of Sheppard now. I love this station. I still use it a few times a week.

[@RememberLuke]

Thank you so much for this video. It inspired me. I travelled there with my girlfriend earlier today on a date, just to see it. We also discovered that there is an Ikea nearby. Still, Bessarion station is a great destination in itself!

[@luketeeninga7106]

Exactly one year later, we got married. The magic of Bessarion station!

[@JohnGape]

+Luke Teeninga Congrats! There is for sure enough room at Bessarion to hold your reception!

[@felisd]

Leslie station is actually closer to the Ikea, and there's a shuttle from Leslie supplied by Ikea.

[@luketeeninga7106]

But that would ruin the fun.

[@luketeeninga7106]

@@tim14982 Thanks?

[@brandonrobertson9468]

10 years later and i still wish i brought that particular girl out to bessarion for a date. I still think of this video every time i pass by the station, Thank you so much for the videos back in the day, They still make a difference 10 years on.

[@vincec.2140]

Beautiful and inspirational ending 💕

[@thefringthing]

"Just a random highway." Good, subtle joke.

[@winchemrys]

I get off at Bessarion everyday from school since I live right down Burbank and hearing him compliment the station made me smile.

[@Alientank]

I used to work for the TTC from 2010-2015 maintaining all the fire life safety equipment and lived near Don Mills station. It truly is a dead station but I always enjoyed how quiet and isolated it was.

[@DaniSarfati]

Thanks for filming the station I live near! I think the reason they keep the station so clean is because they need a station to do photo shoots for their advertisements. They've done a few ads recently featuring Bessarion, there's one with the TTC fare constable, the coffee cup "I don't belong here" and Bessarion was featured on one of the MetroPasses earlier this year!

[@MrBrycer12]

Well done!

[@HazeCanada]

the entire purple line is gorgeous from the inside.

[@Pulkit__7]

Wow, you have some really good talent. You must be doing really well in life, with your talents!!

[@vlziegler]

"Don't be afraid to journey, my friends ..." Your journey to The Bessarion is sheer poetry, John. Thank you for this.

[@saber1105]

Awesome. ima have to check this place out asap

[@mazokuchan]

I think I saw your video back in 2016, a day (or just a few days shy of) after coming back from Toronto and I regretted not visiting Bessarion station while I was there XD

[@funvideofan1625]

It’s so red….. it’s so red………………… it’s BEAUTIFUL!

[@dsevil]

the chimes in the song at 0:20 are awesome, haha

[@onceuponahammock]

that was so great

[@erichau728]

Bessarion was built for Concord Park Place (Those new condos you see behind Canadian Tire). Probably in a decade or so when people move in and all twenty-so condos are complete that the station will start getting busy.

[@ChrisDecrease]

This was just the best thing I've seen all day!

[@jackiee6487]

I'm not the type to comment on a youtube video but I wanted to say well done. For some reason I adored this and now want to go.

[@JohnGape]

Besides there being 4 newspapers available, 3 of them free, the picturesque North Bessarion entrance features a Coffee Time, M & M Meat Shop, and an oversized air grate.

[@JohnGape]

Glad you enjoyed it Toban - Thanks for sharing it on your blog!

[@darcylindzon]

i love it!

[@tatterdash]

Mind... blown...

[@Yourockrock24]

Fantastic!! That just made my day. I've only ever gone as far as Sheppard because my grandmother lives there. I assumed that was the only stop on the purple line but you've opened my eyes to a whole new world to the East!

[@xenon9887]

My home station. Represent!

[@TravoyintheFlesh]

THIS VIDEO IS THE BEST FUCKING VIDEO ABOUT THE TTC EVER!!!!!!! I LOVE THIS SOOOO MUCH....it's making me type in caps and spelling words incorrectly! WOW I love this!

[@leppavu]

Bessarion resident here. ;) Hope you enjoyed my station. I am just off of Bessarion station, that's reason enough to come here.

[@OpenYourEyesRealize]

Bessarion station, home to the sunshine spot, a great breakfast place.

[@JohnGape]

Our Pleasure! Thank you for giving the video the 6 and a half minutes of attention!

[@alankingchiu]

It only took 10 years, however with the new housing developments and the community centre, people actually debark at Bessarion.

[@JohnGape]

The opening music is Kyoto Melody by Orquestra Popular De Paio Pires

[@Lilithe]

The train goes right past him at the end. *chef's kiss*

[@yokes]

The sarcasm and satire in this is great. Well done.

[@DingGOLing]

I used to live on Bessarion!

[@Jicinska10]

Loved this, even used it yesterday to teach an English lesson here in Prague. Great stuff.

[@leppavu]

So are a lot of stations, even besides the downtown loop. Finch and North York Centre aren't that far, and many on the Bloor line too.

[@gkeeble]

that green dot (at 3:28) indicates where the rear subway operator should be when docked in the station. its so the operators can know if theyve stopped in the correct location. theres also a red dot where the front operator should be and an orange dot for the centre of the train.

[@TheMeaning0fLife]

Kipling Station is actually really nice. I took a journey out there a month ago and I have to say I enjoyed it. The station was certainly no Bessarion, but outside was more pleasant on the eyes than I was expecting.

[@CRMSIN]

i have booked a trip to bessarion in july! i am very excited to discover my own personal purple line!

[@kearamacneil2988]

This truly brought me joy. Thank you for your in depth investigation!

[@JohnGape]

Thanks Justin! We can only hope that when tourists come visit Toronto, they'll spend their entire trip just riding the subway.

[@yuyuyu25]

You should have checked out Leslie while you were at it. It has a very interesting artistic design. Plus, it has these random sections on the other side of the tracks that are open to the outside.

[@edwardbliss8931]

I was actually one of the very few that actually had to go to Bessarion with a purpose. One of the houses outside the station on Sheppard did tailoring

[@glenbabarnicals]

Can you please do a a whole series on the little things that intrigue and fascinate Jeremy Woodcock. What a great little doc. Thank you!

[@wartax5]

Bessarion - it's no Chester.

[@stmontrealrbx9841]

Chester is the 9th busiest station

[@wartax5]

STMontreal RBX TTC Chester subway station on the Bloor/Danforth line? Chester (6,790 passengers per day) has the second LOWEST ridership next to Old Mill (6,130). I think your wires are crossed as overall, Chester has the 9th lowest ridership, not the 9th highest (which would be College at 54,180).

[@stmontrealrbx9841]

wartax5 Well sorry for mistakes..

[@gabriellisi7349]

STMontreal RBX Really?! How I thought Chester would be the quietest one on the green line, there are no bus connection to it and it's named after a one way side street, it's not something I'd see as a candidate for the 9th busiest station

[@WindowKittyYT]

@@gabriellisi7349 Read wartax's comment replying to the guy.

[@heybishop]

I love this so much! Such a great love letter.

[@wilfdinnick]

This is AMAZING! I love that indie producer makers are creating more interesting, smarter content than so many of the big networks.

[@JohnGape]

I'm glad you broke your silence to say this. Thank you so much Jackie! Take lots of pictures on your visit.

[@kindconsciousness8010]

That "random highway" is the 401 - the Toronto part being the busiest highway in the world!

[@TowardsUnity]

+Kyle TS I'm thinking that was the joke.

[@cl516]

Taro's Fish is located within walking distance. Great place.

[@ThinKFasT03]

Knowing that only 180 fares are paid daily at that stations with me being one of them, I feel the station was meant for me. Bessarion Station. There used to be a gateway convenience store in the station, didn't last more than a couple weeks.

[@liasdruchok]

I LOVE THIS VIDEO!! Now i want to find my own Bessarion.

[@ThatGFFAN]

Miss those H6 trains :'(

[@bohemavision]

I have been to Bessarion, and this is amazing! Thank you.

[@AnotherCloseOne]

I live one block away from Bessarion :D I use it all the time to get to school

[@rachelsa1622]

This delightful lil' film just put the biggest smile on my face :)

[@dh5040]

Mel's Mirabel.

[@insmo]

Bessarion needs to be there, the stations on that line are miles apart as it is

[@BobbieBees]

I was in Toronto last June to see what was left of the Canadian Forces base I grew up on as a teen. I wanted to ride this line, but I forgot to. Oh well, next time I'm in T.O. I'll have to search for Bessarion station myself.

[@CipherFiveZero]

Watching this again after the Sheppard line got new rolling stock in which it now uses the Toronto Rocket trains used on Line 1 Yonge-University, I believe the reason for this is because Line 1 is in the process of being upgraded to Automatic Train Control to help relieve congestion on the Yonge segment of Line 1 and the fact that the Sheppard line trains are stored at the Davisville Yard in which the T1 trains aren't compatible with ATC tech.

[@zzzoe8888]

Runnymede is quite lovely. Quite a beautiful McDonald's and NoFrills RIGHT ACROSS the street!

[@JohnGape]

He looked so lonely when we went through there. I'm glad you're there to help break up his day.

[@JustinFriesen]

From one documentary filmmaker to the next, I want congratulate you on this really unique short film. I think it was really neat! And it gives insight about Toronto to non-Torontonians as well I think. Keep up the good work!

[@AirFire18]

Amazing! I love this so much! I'll be sure to visit this station lool

[@scriptoriumgirl]

Next time I go to Toronto, I am going to Bessarion.

[@emilioincerto]

Between you and that random highway at 4:33 is going to be some high density condo development. That's why they built Bessarion.

[@lilykorhonen]

I went to Bessarion once...that was before I knew there was an IKEA shuttle bus from Leslie station.

[@GodsConnect2]

this was such a wonderful watch, great job

[@mjw555]

Absolutely brilliant!

[@CreamOrEcru]

I've never been to "The Bessarion" as you now call it, but now I really want to... what a hidden gem

[@SollaSollewDreamer]

This is adorable. Definitely filing that "date to Bessarion St." idea away for future silly and fun date ideas.

[@ZacJ]

The Sheppard line is like your pinky finger. Most of the time it doesn't have much use, but then there's few times your like "Thank god I have this!"

[@savethepopsicles]

You guys are awesome. I'm so excited for this channel!

[@ThinKFasT03]

Years ago when I would take the subway to school I would see the booth collector working out, he had brought his own dumbbells. Must have a been a pretty decent job - No cell reception though

[@EPIK_yt]

Bessarion is one of my favourite stations! This was a great video I also really like Baview station

[@kelseyd1027]

I grew up on Talara (which is just of of Bessarion) so I used to be one of those 180 paid fares that used the station. Just to clear things up John Gape, Bessarion (as i've alaays pronounced it) is buh-zarion (i may be wrong but growing up there thats how i've always prounced it).

[@JohnGape]

You're the second person to mention Taro's Fish. We might have to plan a return trip to Bessarion.

[@joyyu7753]

everyday I passed by that station to my high school, and I saw that kid, very random, but it was a great passage to Ikea ! this makes me miss Toronto!!

[@ngm1354]

You should have taken an "Ikea free shuttle" from Bessarian Station, there are lots of in there :)

[@178laaleros]

I.mostly travel to don mills i always pass through here

[@jedmeltzer2817]

My girlfriend and I also stopped at Bessarion once just to see it, on the way home from Ikea. The one interesting thing we found nearby is a convenience store across the street that is fully stocked with South African food products. Catering to the South African expat community I guess. We got some yummy rusks; they're great with tea.

[@leppavu]

+Jed Meltzer There used to be a convenience store in the plaza directly next to there (where Taro Fish now is) called Baxster's, that was run by two South African brothers. It was they who brought the little South African influx to the strip. It eventually closed, and I think that other convenience store stalks stuff now because occasionally people ask after it. The Burger Hut a couple doors down used to offer South African sausages as well, when it was owned by a Greek family. Actually had quite excellent burgers too, fresh and generously proportioned and topped. It's become very plain and forgettable since it got new owners...

[@leppavu]

My understanding (local resident here) is that Willowdale was more just an emergency relief staircase. It's a relatively 'long' way between Yonge/Sheppard and Baview. There was some buzz about a station before they built the whole thing, but it was considered even lower priority than Bessarion.

[@angelicaronquillo985]

and from what i understand, the red dot also tells the door operators, who stick their heads out to watch out for passengers, when to put their head back in... I base this on observation.. i usually sit by the door operator.

[@AcadianGiles]

@3:26 those colored circles are on the platforms at every station on the system and you say "What's this ? It doesnt do anything ..." I had to laugh ! I always assumed they were placement guides for the operator so they know exactly where to stop to line up the cars and doors with the platform.

[@JohnGape]

We love that song. It was the first piece of music selected for the video.

[@Asiansploitation]

Charming doco! One time I was riding my bike along Sheppard and got tired near Bessarion station - that day, I contributed to the 180 Bessarion fares. ~AJL

[@angelogiomateo]

Hurrah for old Trinity!

[@kevinblack16]

Really enjoyed this. I always wondered about the beauties of Bessarion.

[@saidsalim471]

The green circle in the video that is placed on the wall at the platform isn't purely aesthetic; train operators use this as a way to guide the train to stopping in just the right spot, so that all the doors on the cars are inside the station at the platform, and not anywhere in the tunnels.

[@KevXisepiclyawesome]

They should do that for all the FTC

[@visualdichotomy]

Now do Rosedale! #2 least used and my home station.

[@GPSX6]

This guy reminds me of a younger Daniel Hardman from Suits (David Costabile).

[@KevXisepiclyawesome]

Typo they should do this for all the ttc stations

[@pn4640]

Yesterday I had to go to a lab. The nearest is at Bessarion station. I had no idea and I live at Yonge and shepherd station. My son and I moved to Toronto 5 years ago from Calgary. My son knows every station, so he took me to bessarion lol, then today he sent me this video, too funny 😂😂😂, there was absolutely no one at that station but us 🤷🏽‍♀️

[@JohnGape]

Another mystery of the TTC Solved! Thanks Geoff!

[@JudihWeinsteinHaggai]

home sweet home. go bessarian

[@miche17elle]

I always think that photo of that child at 3:42 is very creepy when I'm on the train, especially since that's all you see when you look out the window when the train is stopped.