299 bloor call control.
Senior Member
My question is how this will compete with GO's plans to eventually serve Kitchener.
My question is how this will compete with GO's plans to eventually serve Kitchener.
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.
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.
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. ......... It rivals airlines in pricing, and that's sad.
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!
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!
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.
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.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.
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.I just got back from France, and took the TGV from city to city, and I must say that it was just fantastic. The servis 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 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.