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

[dowlingm]

Now, my guess is this wouldn't have happened pre-UP, because they probably would have taken a flat-rate cab from Pearson to downtown... but now, I'm wondering if there's going to be an issue of cabbies at Union refusing these shorter rides to downtown hotels, leaving the tourists with either an extra walking trip or an attempt to use our fair subway.

The old Airport Express buses used to do a circle of various d/town hotels. Maybe a UPX branded flat floor bus (like they use at airports to ferry people between terminals) to operate a similar circulator route?

 

[mdrejhon]

The old Airport Express buses used to do a circle of various d/town hotels. Maybe a UPX branded flat floor bus (like they use at airports to ferry people between terminals) to operate a similar circulator route?

I think at this stage, if the taxi driver refusals continue, a circular downtown hotel shuttle would be an excellent idea. I think the hotels would definitely be interested. It's relatively cheap.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

And the cab cartel wonders why Uber is growing leaps and bounds...

I made the mistake of using the Uber Taxi a few months ago when I wanted to go a few blocks down the street in a snow storm. More than half the price was the flag fee. Next time I'll be using Uber X for such trips. Unfortunately, I didn't understand that Uber Taxis were normal taxis back then.

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

The wayfinding for UPX at Union needs some serious work! One of my colleagues had trouble finding the terminal from our office on York Street, so I went for a walk today to get a feel for it myself. At York Street at Front there is zero signage indicating where to go, and even inside the York West teamway (which is right under the Skywalk) there is only a small sign above the elevator. If you happen to go into the main part of the teamway by mistake there is no signage there either. Even within Union station proper the signage is very poor - most people have no idea that "UP" is the train to the airport and the signs are mostly located in relatively subtle places. There were a ton of ads everywhere, but none actually showed you where to find the damn thing.

I spoke with the woman handing out cardboard train models at the terminal and she said that the #1 complaint by far was that people couldn't actually find the terminal - about 50 complaints a day.

 

[mdrejhon]

50 complaints a day on "can't find the UPX station"!

Would it help to fancy-up Platform 3 a bit more, and use it as the wayfinding route? And yes, more teamway signage to UPX.

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

It doesn't appear to be possible to access Platform 3 from the teamway either - only tracks 4 and up are accessible, or at least have signage.

In that area they just need a big arrow or sign pointing towards the elevator, then another giant arrow pointing left on the second floor. The terminal is so subtle that you can be 100 feet away and have no idea.

 

[vic]

At Bloor / Dundas West, they seem to have plastered every available surface between the two stations pointing people towards UP and GO. Nothing to point people to the TTC though.

 

[crs1026]

If we could hold a Pan Am event at the Airport, I bet the signage would be fixed in a hurry! I'm seeing Pan Am signs everywhere this week.

- Paul

 

[Adjei]

Metrolinx should go learn from Vancouver on wayfinding:

https://twitter.com/Sean_YYZ/status/614893935530344448

 

[animatronic]

I was on one of the free rides last sunday and overheard one of the train crew saying that there's an advertisement and a discount in Air Cnada's in flight nmgzine

Didn't check the magazine but they do have it listed in the Air Canada Café menu - you can get your ticket when you buy your food.

 

[animatronic]

Rode UPX from Bloor last week (cab from home would have been faster but wanted to try it out). Some random thoughts:

• The walk from the Dundas West platform to UPX took about 7 minutes. If you need to use the elevators (there is a small staircase at DW and a big one at UPX) book at least 10-15 minutes
• As others have noted the signage at ground level is quite good
• The station is Spartan but clean and functional
• The analog station clocks are a nice touch
• My Presto card was checked by an agent shortly after departure
• The system map was a bit confusing because it isn't clear that you are supposed to read the operator (TTC/Via/G0) icons and mode icons (metro/streetcar/train) horizontally - or at least it took a minute to figure it out. Some sort of connection (e.g., border, shading) to group them would have been helpful
• Couldn't connect to the Wifi en route and the in-train screens were down, but that's likely just teething pains
• The cabins are well-designed - even features like the luggage rack guards are well thought out
• It's very refreshing to take a train into YYZ vs taxi - great views and very smooth
• Printing a Presto receipt for the trip is not terribly straightforward (see next post)
• The UPX station agents look like Czechoslovakian border guards

Would definitely use the service for getting to/from downtown. Good to see Metrolinx essentially get this one right.

 

[animatronic]

I took UPX for a work trip and needed to print a receipt for reimbursement. Not sure if there is an easy way to get a paper receipt at the station, but here's what you need to do:

• Register your card at prestocard.ca
• Log in
• Click on "CARD MANAGEMENT: Transaction Summary"
• Click on "View Transaction History Now"
• Filter for the correct month and Union Pearson Express
• You will get a transaction summary that looks like this:

• Print or save the file

Interesting to note that it did an auto-load before tapping on, even though I had enough balance for an entire trip. Not sure what would have happened without the auto-load enabled. There doesn't appear to be a way to print an individual ride receipt.

 

[rbt]

View attachment 49344

• Print or save the file

Yeah, annoying to say the least. Particularly when the return trip (Pearson to Bloor Station) is $19 - $3.80 instead of a being consolidated to a single line-item.

That said, I recently submitted an expense report which included TTC, UPX, and OC Transpo. It was convenient having them all in one place.

 

[mdrejhon]

A separate Presto card with "FOR BUSINESS" written in Sharpie marker on it

It makes Presto pretty much a verbatim business expense report when done that way.

 

[EastYorkTTCFan]

Didn't check the magazine but they do have it listed in the Air Canada Café menu - you can get your ticket when you buy your food.

View attachment 49339

That may have been what they were referencing to and not using the right terminology