299 bloor call control.
Senior Member
My question is how this will compete with GO's plans to eventually serve Kitchener.
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VIA Rail: New Funding
- Thread starter 299 bloor call control.
- Start date
RedRocket191
Senior Member
Probably the same way GO and VIA compete today at the runs in from Georgetown/Brampton. About 10 people board the existing 7:45~ VIA departure at Brampton, while hundreds of people wait on the platform for the ~8:00 GO trip.
dowlingm
Senior Member
right, and the same on the Lakeshore.
Of course, it would be great if some VIA services could just stop at the outermost GO station and skip stops like Oakville but I guess if through VIA1 bookings are high enough they'll have to keep stopping.
Of course, it would be great if some VIA services could just stop at the outermost GO station and skip stops like Oakville but I guess if through VIA1 bookings are high enough they'll have to keep stopping.
xtremesniper
Active Member
Honestly who can really afford to take Via Rail anywhere often?
A train from Toronto to Ottawa and back is $150, and that's even on youth fare. What a way to encourage people to drive instead of ride. I'm positive the gas cost to go there and back by car would be much less.
I took the ride once, but I'm hard pressed to justify it a second time. It rivals airlines in pricing, and that's sad.
A train from Toronto to Ottawa and back is $150, and that's even on youth fare. What a way to encourage people to drive instead of ride. I'm positive the gas cost to go there and back by car would be much less.
I took the ride once, but I'm hard pressed to justify it a second time. It rivals airlines in pricing, and that's sad.
kEiThZ
Superstar
I disagree. I do this trip regularly. I have a mid-sized car and its costs me about 120 in gas these days. Given the depreciation and maintenance costs that result from putting on nearly 1000 km in mileage on one return trip, its far better to take the train. In my case, that would easily come to more than 150. It works out even better, if you buy the multi-ride packs that VIA sells.
xtremesniper
Active Member
I suppose that makes sense, however it still discourages people like me who would only really take the trip two or three times a year because the maintenance costs in the long run wouldn't really concern me at decision time. I have a Toyota Echo so I would presume it would run on much less gas than a mid-sized car (I've read it does 50 mpg on highways).
But since I don't make the trip that often, I never looked into a multi-ride pack. Plus, I'm sure those tickets expire at some point.. But I might be wrong.
TOareaFan
Superstar
Aren't the taxes alone on air fare more than this? I doubt that you could fly to Ottawa and back for $150!
edit...just faked a booking on Porter and picked the cheapest options it gave me....total fare (at their cheap end) came out at $321.65......double your $150 via fare!
xtremesniper
Active Member
So as I speak I'm on Westjet.com booking a fake flight to Ottawa.
I'm given the option for a seat sale fare of $45.00 but for the sake of it, I'll go with the regular fare (which depends on the time of departure).
If I choose regular fares there and back, my total comes to: $300.65 CAD taxes and everything.
If I choose seat sale fares: $208.25 CAD
Note that I said that VIA was rivaling airline prices, not matching. There isn't a whole lot of difference between $150 and $208, and the shortened travel time would be something to consider.
rbt
Senior Member
For most of the summer last year Air Canada had $38 flights for the Toronto/Ottawa run during non-peak periods with lots of restrictions. Came to about $130 round trip including taxes TTC fare and Ottawa Transit fares. This was before the $40 fuel surcharge was added.
I did that round-trip about a dozen times last year.
Just checked. Flights are $59 now. Eliminate points, baggage, cancellation and you get down to $48 per direction + Taxes.
6:10pm departure from Pearson on Sept 19th, 7pm departure from Ottawa on Sept 21st.
With surcharges, taxes, etc. it comes to $214.
The differences over last year seem to be: $20 per direction fuel surcharge + $5 extra airport improvement fee + $10 extra per direction on ticket price + $3 per direction insurance surcharge= $71
urbanboom
Active Member
I just got back from France, and took the TGV from city to city, and I must say that it was just fantastic. The service was incredibly smooth, on-time and it was hassle-free getting on and off the train. Plus, its electric and more comfortable because there is more space, due to a larger vehicle.
I understand the great cost with TGVs, but why don't start investing that infrastructure (or just starting a nest egg) now, so that we could begin when the proper time comes, say, when the Quebec-Windsor corridor is more heavily populated. Lets have that half a billion dollars ready when we lay down the first tracks.
One of the major reasons that not many people take trains in Canada, is the time factor. Even with airport security and the like, it is still faster to fly to Montreal than take VIA. A TGV would be faster than them all. Unless gas prices go to $200 a barrel, (and that is a possibility), I don't see VIAs ridership increasing too much. However, as stated above, it is a better option than driving.
I understand the great cost with TGVs, but why don't start investing that infrastructure (or just starting a nest egg) now, so that we could begin when the proper time comes, say, when the Quebec-Windsor corridor is more heavily populated. Lets have that half a billion dollars ready when we lay down the first tracks.
One of the major reasons that not many people take trains in Canada, is the time factor. Even with airport security and the like, it is still faster to fly to Montreal than take VIA. A TGV would be faster than them all. Unless gas prices go to $200 a barrel, (and that is a possibility), I don't see VIAs ridership increasing too much. However, as stated above, it is a better option than driving.
xtremesniper
Active Member
It's simple. That's way too logical and forward thinking for our politicians.
MisterF
Senior Member
I drive a Hyundai Accent and maintenance alone costs as much as gas. It's a few years old now but still, the cost of driving somewhere is easily double what you spend on gas.
The Windsor-Quebec corridor could support it now, it doesn't need more people. There's a lot of good information here, a summary of high speed rail studies hosted on www.highspeedrail.ca. The Quebec-Windsor High-Speed Rail Tripartite Feasibility Study, completed in 1995, is particularly interesting. It found that the Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto portion would not only make a profit, it would pay for itself within the first 30 years. I'd be surprised if the study that's happening now doesn't come to even more favourable conclusions.
xtremesniper
Active Member
I guess it pays to know people in the auto body business...
I just don't ride VIA enough to comment further, so I'll just say that the high fares turn me off as a rider. That's all.
urbanboom
Active Member
That would be incredible if it happened here!
And it makes perfect sence too: 2/3 of the Canadian Population on just one TGV line! Now, that would be good infrastructure!
And it makes perfect sence too: 2/3 of the Canadian Population on just one TGV line! Now, that would be good infrastructure!
AnarchoSocialist
Active Member
The Ottawa-Montreal line has really become one of the best in the network. I take it on a regular basis and rarely have delays. Even if the investments just ensure that all trains can do the trip in 1 hour 45 minutes and reduce the chances of delays that would be great. The only thing the line lacks is a late train. A train leaving both nds at 8:30pm or so would have come in handy a few times for me. The afternoon train they added seems to be well used too. I used it once for catching a flight out of Dorval which I think many others on the train were doing too.
I think right now some of the best investments VIA could make are adding new markets too its network (really old markets that were taken away in the 80s and 90s). Sherbrooke is one that I know they are planning right now. In the Ottawa region there is a lot of talk about commuter rail services out to Wakefield, Carelton Place, Arnprior, the Pontiac, and a few other places. This could be a good opportunity for VIA as well. If they were able to bring more, or greatly improved (such as in the case of Niagara Falls, or Kitchener-Waterloo) service to more markets across Ontario and Quebec it would probably make it much easier to gain quick political support for high speed service in the heart of the corridor.
I have also wondered about serving new places as well and how those could fit into the VIA network. Service to Mont Tremblant and some stops in between might be a consideration. Same with bringing places like Markham or Richmond Hill into the network. At the very last things are starting to change and VIA has finally stopped contracting.
I think right now some of the best investments VIA could make are adding new markets too its network (really old markets that were taken away in the 80s and 90s). Sherbrooke is one that I know they are planning right now. In the Ottawa region there is a lot of talk about commuter rail services out to Wakefield, Carelton Place, Arnprior, the Pontiac, and a few other places. This could be a good opportunity for VIA as well. If they were able to bring more, or greatly improved (such as in the case of Niagara Falls, or Kitchener-Waterloo) service to more markets across Ontario and Quebec it would probably make it much easier to gain quick political support for high speed service in the heart of the corridor.
I have also wondered about serving new places as well and how those could fit into the VIA network. Service to Mont Tremblant and some stops in between might be a consideration. Same with bringing places like Markham or Richmond Hill into the network. At the very last things are starting to change and VIA has finally stopped contracting.