Toronto Union Pearson Express | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | MMM Group Limited

Regarding the signage at stations...

My friend who moved to New York a few months ago came back to town last week and couldn't find the UPX train at Pearson. Wayfinding was almost non existent. Here is his Facebook rant about it:

Just so everyone knows, at Pearson Airport, to find the new express train to Union, you just obviously follow the sign that points to "rental cars" and "parking" and makes no mention of any trains. Then you buy a ticket to Union in the lobby for the inter-terminal link train, which does NOT go to Union. That is a decoy train. The trains to Union are actually hidden around the corner from the ticket machines.

— at Toronto Pearson International Airport
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The GTAA definitely needs to step it up. I wonder if their delays in providing proper signage has to do with the loss of revenue they are expecting from parking?
 
When in Terminal one.If you are new to it or almost never use it,try finding your way back to the UPX station.There were no postings by the GTAA other than "Trains" I took a ride a week ago and found the ride very good.But after a walk thru Term.1,I got lost and found it difficult to get back.When I finally found my way back,I told UPX staff about this,and they said several folks had the same problem.I sent messages to GTAA and UPX to post better signage before the Pan am games come,or their staff will be flooded with inquiries.
Ross W
 
Yea, hopefully they do. If someone who has lived here for years can have that much trouble finding it, I cant even imagine how hard it would be for tourists to find it.
 
When I was in Terminal 1 a few weeks ago, heading to catch a TTC bus back to the city, I thought the TRAINS signage was clear in the arrival section of the terminal itself. Maybe there just needs to be more signs, rather than different ones?

I'm not sure you need anything more than that - as TRAINS can take you to both LINK and UPX trains in both terminals (well in T3 it to the LINK which you need to do to transfer to T1).

Compare to Union, when the last time I walked around the GO Concourses, I didn't any signage other than the UPX branded logo - and didn't see signage with any of the words "Airport, Pearson, Train, or Express - and not even the standard airport symbol. BUT I haven't walked around since UPX service started - so perhaps it's been done now. Though I can't say I spotted anything while in Union subway the other day - but I didn't walk towards the mainline station.
 
On the weekend, I took the bus out to the airport--I was already on the TTC when I had the idea--and rode the train back. ($19 Presto fare...) At Kipling, the 192 bus was well-signed with signes on the floor and everything.

I got off the bus at Terminal 3 and took the Link train to Terminal 1. When I stepped off the Link, right in front of me were signs that said 'Trains to City'. That was a thrill to see. Then I went and wandered around the terminal for a little while, in part looking for a washroom. I agree that the signage in the terminals is not as obvious as it might be... it simply says 'Trains'. Maybe it should say something like 'Trains to City and rest of airport'. In the Link station in Terminal 3, I seem to recall seing signs that said 'Trains to City via Terminal 1', so they're almost there. They just need to clarify things in the terminals themselves.

Meanwhile, at the Union Station end... they need to make things more obvious and maybe consistent... maybe 'Trains to Pearson Airport' alongside the UPX logo? And add the UPX logo in the airport terminal signage? And since we're talking about trains to airport, maybe mention 'Streetcars to Island Airport' as well. I know someone else mentioned this upthread.

Edit: The TTC signage has part of the answer, I think, for Union Station: their bus symbol is accompanied by a plane symbol taking off. We could do that at Union Station as well, with a train-and-plane symbol next to the UPX logo, and a streetcar-and-plane symbol necxt to the 509 streetcar.
 
June 14
I hit the send button before fixing Sat to Sunday as well the photo, but lost the net before I could. Wasn't up when I went to bed.

Also, had a look at Dennison Rd Grade Separation and fall opening finally.

Lot more up on site
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mdrejhon said:
If they don't want to do brand names, they should put small subheadings like:

TRAINS
To Terminal 1
To Downtown

Simple, to the point, and something that would possibly satisfy GTAA's desire to be simple to tourists. And if they prefer iconography, they can come up with an iconography for downtown Toronto (with the word "Downtown" or "To City") like they have the concourse number with the word "Concourse"). Something symmetric to that.
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Like, maybe, the standard front-of-railcar graphic with the CN Tower beside it?

- Paul
 
The plan grade separation for Scarboro is dead at this time, as Metrolinx not prepare to pay for one. It was more like close the road off with dead ends.

To put in a grade separation would require everyone to find an other way to one side while it was being built. The locals and the ward councilor wanted away across the track as it would be about an extra 20-30 minute walk to get to the other side while the separation was being built.

I know from various council meetings that a pedestrian tunnel was strongly call for and assume it was part of the separation.

As another note, next to no signage from the airport to the UPX station and various emails flying around about it.
 
drum118 said:
The plan grade separation for Scarboro is dead at this time, as Metrolinx not prepare to pay for one. It was more like close the road off with dead ends.
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Clarification. Do you mean:
"The plan to close the road off with dead ends, is now dead." (keep the level crossing)
or
"The plan to close the road off with dead ends is now the official plan, instead of an overpass/underpass grade separation" (eliminate the level crossing)
 
I like the small square they have in front of the station. We should have more of that here and they should have used better paving materials instead of concrete.
 
mdrejhon said:
Clarification. Do you mean:
"The plan to close the road off with dead ends, is now dead." (keep the level crossing)
or
"The plan to close the road off with dead ends is now the official plan, instead of an overpass/underpass grade separation" (eliminate the level crossing)
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I would say its "eliminate the crossing" which is not a problem for cars, but a bitch for pedestrians without a tunnel being put there for them.
 
Adjei said:
I like the small square they have in front of the station. We should have more of that here and they should have used better paving materials instead of concrete.
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When we did the Station Master Plan a few years ago, paving material along with benches, chairs & tables where to go in along with a retail where the plaza could be used 7 days a week all day. Plug in for cars and a PA system so events could take place was also part of the plan. Even the entrance from Lawrence was to look a lot better than it does now. Lack of funds or not wanting to pay the extra cost has lead to what there now. More is to come as things wrap up this summer.
 
I took the UP on Friday night (late) and again this morning (early) on my trip to Vegas.
Overall it was a really pleasant experience. Can't wait to ride it again.
Impressions:

-trip seemed to take less than 25 minutes. It was a quick ride and I appreciated that after a red-eye last night.

-ridership was strong this morning around 7 am. My cab was nearly full. Friday night at 8 pm was decently busy as well. This bodes well!

-I'll echo the concern about signage at Pearson. I figured my way only because I had taken the trip from Union to Pearson only two days before, so I remembered the station was next to the LINK train.
Even then, I felt a little unsure that following the signs that said "Trains" would take me there. Not a good sign.
Just put the UP logo up wherever "Trains" is on a sign. Seems like a deliberate oversight to me.

-finally, I found way too much "soft selling" of the line on the train. The brochure, the station announcements, the TV screens all had some level of hyperbole about how awesome this line is. This was unnecessary ego stroking. Other cities with good public transport to the airport don't have to do this. The infrastructure just exists. But somehow UP must be "marketed" even on the train itself and I found that slightly nauseating.
 
pstogios said:
-finally, I found way too much "soft selling" of the line on the train. The brochure, the station announcements, the TV screens all had some level of hyperbole about how awesome this line is. This was unnecessary ego stroking. Other cities with good public transport to the airport don't have to do this. The infrastructure just exists. But somehow UP must be "marketed" even on the train itself and I found that slightly nauseating.
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You should visit Shanghai and take the Maglev. They have a model of the train and track in the station at the airport station, videos of the construction and how maglev works, and even a museum for the line.
 
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