sixrings
Senior Member
Is this not super long for a regional transit agency. Should I expect a go train to Ottawa. How much would a fare be?
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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)
- Thread starter drum118
- Start date
Richard White
Senior Member
To Ottawa I would estimate around 35 dollars each way.
Out of curiosity, I checked Via Rail. The lowest fare is $49.
Richard White
Senior Member
In 2012, I paid $29 each way in March. Times they are a changing...
innsertnamehere
Superstar
I believe VIA still has the odd promotional $40 ticket to Ottawa but they are pretty challenging to grab.
sixrings
Senior Member
I was under the impression that via lost money operating. And now we’re going to service those same lines, reduce the fares and increase the frequency with GO?
ShonTron
Moderator
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GO has economy of scale that VIA doesn’t have, such as maintenance with a very large fleet with only a single type of passenger rail car. GO also has very limited on-board service, with only a single customer service representative, while VIA has several on-board crew members serving passengers, with two per business class car alone. A typical corridor train will have 4-5 crew in the cars, plus those in the locomotive.
That does not mean that GO would make any profit by expanding to London. It also doesn’t mean their rail cars or on-board experience are suitable for such long distance operations. But overall it’d be a smaller burden for GO than for VIA to provide multiple daily trips between Kitchener and London. Which in itself, is unfortunate.
Allandale25
Senior Member
crs1026
Superstar
I don’t have any detailed knowledge of the contract between VIA and GO, other than to say that VIA would have had a service contract with CN when ML bought each of its lines, and VIA would have assumed the landlord’s obligations and remuneration rights.
VIA is a “tenant” on ML’s lines, just as it in on CN and CP.
So long as Ottawa shows largesse towArds Ontario transit projects, I’m sure ML is not going to bite a friendly hand by raising the rent, but whatever rent VIA was paying to CN previously, I’m sure ML would seek its fair share.
- Paul
reaperexpress
Senior Member
I'm sure VIA pays track fees to Metrolinx just as they do to any other rail owner. What I'm more curious about is what CN negotiates for itself when it sells lines to VIA or Metrolinx. Do they give themselves trackage rights without needing to pay track fees?
sixrings
Senior Member
would via continue to exist if go does so much of its service cheaper
crs1026
Superstar
From Metrolinx' most recent Annual Report:
It's anybody's guess if this represents a good deal for CN/CP vs Metrolinx.
- Paul
reaperexpress
Senior Member
Ah, so the rate they get from CN covers their net dispatching costs, but not net track maintenance costs.
crs1026
Superstar
So it seems, although copywriters often mangle that kind of detail. Certainly, $9M doesn’t sound like much considering all the VIA movements, plus freight to Ford at Oakville and CP at Lambton, plus roadswitching.
It’s a bit of goose vs gander….the more ML can charge CN/CP, the more CN/CP can charge ML in return. So offering a bargain rate might get more in return.
- Paul
smallspy
Senior Member
Yes, VIA has to pay for track usage to Metrolinx. In fact, Metrolinx's revenue forecasts include a line item for Track Access.
What the rates are, I don't know. But I do know that VIA feels that its service on Metrolinx's tracks has gotten worse with their takeover of the dispatching.
Dan