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

'So wrong?' Not just wrong? Why should Weston deserve a TTC fare to downtown, but equidistant GO fares be more?

Sorry -- let me answer for you: because you live walking distance to the Weston UPX station. Correct?
I do not. I have no idea what traffic is like to go west in the morning. I go east and drive to Sheppard and Yonge for work presently. I am not far from planned Keele LRT though and am looking at houses to be even closer
 
And I should care about that -- as opposed to every other neighbourhood in the GTA -- why?

Improving transit access for different parts of the city is a good thing. Neighbourhoods in this city aren't equal. They have strengths and weaknesses to consider when choosing a place to live. If you can get from Weston to the CBD in 15 minutes throughout the day for a commuter fare, you have it better than most people.

Perhaps some people are uneasy with Weston enjoying such amenities. They bought into more expensive neighbourhoods and are now jealous that Weston, a neighbourhood associated with the working class, will have some great amenities they won't as they spend at least 30 minutes on an overcrowded streetcar or subway train or in a traffic jam to get downtown.

I don't even live in Weston, but I think their community activists achieved admirable things. They wanted a low-fare train with multiple stops when the province pushed a premium train that proved a failure. Everything they said was right while people derided them as NIMBYs. Everything they fought for will become a reality to everyone's benefit. Electrification across the system is on its way. Everyone will have easier access to the airport (including airport workers) with the low-fare UP Express, which is what they advocated for from the beginning.
 
Improving transit access for different parts of the city is a good thing. Neighbourhoods in this city aren't equal. They have strengths and weaknesses to consider when choosing a place to live. If you can get from Weston to the CBD in 15 minutes throughout the day for a commuter fare, you have it better than most people.

Perhaps some people are uneasy with Weston enjoying such amenities. They bought into more expensive neighbourhoods and are now jealous that Weston, a neighbourhood associated with the working class, will have some great amenities they won't as they spend at least 30 minutes on an overcrowded streetcar or subway train or in a traffic jam to get downtown.

I don't even live in Weston, but I think their community activists achieved admirable things. They wanted a low-fare train with multiple stops when the province pushed a premium train that proved a failure. Everything they said was right while people derided them as NIMBYs. Everything they fought for will become a reality to everyone's benefit. Electrification across the system is on its way. Everyone will have easier access to the airport (including airport workers) with the low-fare UP Express, which is what they advocated for from the beginning.
I agree with everything you said. People do begrudge the people having access to the UPX in the Weston region and that why all this unfair to pay a TTC fare to access it.
 
Cheaper fares start today. They should have had these prices from day one. This is Toronto not some ultra rich city like Tokyo or Dubai.

I have a meeting next month at the airport hotel. I will be taking this thing for sure. From Bloor it's only $5.02 with presto.
 
It would appear that UP fares and GO fares are fully integrated (at least as far as presto users are concerned).

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It would appear that UP fares and GO fares are fully integrated (at least as far as presto users are concerned).

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I would be very, very surprised if you can tap on at Weston UPX and tap off at GO Exhibition. I know it works that way for GO trains and it figures out the interlining/transfer through Union, but the UPX Presto machines are different and the prices aren't exactly GO fares. If they say you only pay $5.02, while I'm surprised I'll believe it, but I think they might be making a mistake regarding not having to tap off UPX and then on GO at Union. Might be worth trying out.

Edit: Checked @GoTransit's tweets and found another from your conversation where they say "No default - must tap on GO @PRESTOcard machine at Weston even if you are taking UP train; must tap off at GO machine at Ex. ^ML" Huh...that's very interesting.
 
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I would be very, very surprised if you can tap on at Weston UPX and tap off at GO Exhibition. I know it works that way for GO trains and it figures out the interlining/transfer through Union, but the UPX Presto machines are different and the prices aren't exactly GO fares. If they say you only pay $5.02, while I'm surprised I'll believe it, but I think they might be making a mistake regarding not having to tap off UPX and then on GO at Union. Might be worth trying out.

Edit: Checked @GoTransit's tweets and found another from your conversation where they say "No default - must tap on GO @PRESTOcard machine at Weston even if you are taking UP train; must tap off at GO machine at Ex. ^ML" Huh...that's very interesting.
Overheard an info person today (at Weston) telling someone to only tap on the UPX terminal if they're going to Pearson, to otherwise use the regular GO terminals.
 
Found this page: http://www.metrolinx.com/en/projectsandprograms/upexpress/youchoose/go.aspx

Where do I tap on/off?
From Bloor or Weston
For travel between Bloor, Weston and Toronto’s Union Station, continue to tap on and/or off on the PRESTO fare payment device. Once you’ve tapped on, you can decide whether you want to take GO Transit or UP Express. You’ll continue to get your loyalty discount as long as your tap ON/OFF on the GO Transit PRESTO fare payment device.

Also:
*For a short period, while we implement technological changes, there will be a slight difference between GO and UP fares between Bloor and Weston GO Stations. A thirty five cent ($0.35) difference will be eliminated later this spring when the GO fares at these two stations are adjusted.
 
Overheard an info person today (at Weston) telling someone to only tap on the UPX terminal if they're going to Pearson, to otherwise use the regular GO terminals.
That's a bit messy of a confusion.
Hope they resolve this Presto reader confusion.

One problem with this approach is tapping on the Presto readers, they will no longer be able to reliably count Presto boardings of UPX versus GO. They really need to see passengers exceed 5,000 per day at these new GO fare prices, hopefully they will be able to count passengers properly through other means.

However, that does mean, technically yes, you can tapout at Exhibition without fear! LSW won't be able to tell whether you took UPX or GO, since you tapped-on via the regular GO Transit Presto machine and then boarded a beast that wasn't a Bombardier BiLevel (without letting the Presto Card know!).

Fare inspectors on UPX will just know you legally tapped on at Weston/Bloor, and doesn't know your intention to travel to Exhibition.
Fare inspectors on LSW will just know you legally tapped on at Weston/Bloor, and doesn't know you took the UPX instead of a GO Train.

I suppose the new fare design of "UPX equals GO", means parity here too. Makes sense.
(Though I wonder how they will count UPX boardings!)
 
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One problem with this approach is tapping on the Presto readers, they will no longer be able to reliably count Presto boardings of UPX versus GO. They really need to see passengers exceed 5,000 per day at these new GO fare prices, hopefully they will be able to count passengers properly through other means.

I think they are still checking/scanning everyone's ticket/presto on board the trains...surely that would be the count?
 
the interesting thing will be the return trip....explaining to the conductor that a tap on at the Ex is as valid as a tap on at Union!
 
the interesting thing will be the return trip....explaining to the conductor that a tap on at the Ex is as valid as a tap on at Union!
Though, this isn't always in your benefit.

For example, the direct fare from Danforth GO to Weston GO without tapping in/out at Union is $7.42. But if you tap off and on at Union it's only $5.34.

It does raise an interesting question though about what happens when they scan your card on the UPX.
 
Though, this isn't always in your benefit.

For example, the direct fare from Danforth GO to Weston GO without tapping in/out at Union is $7.42. But if you tap off and on at Union it's only $5.34.

It does raise an interesting question though about what happens when they scan your card on the UPX.
I am sure there are a ton of permutations....the answer I was looking for today (and received) was about how integrated presto on UP was going to be with general presto/go system. I had asked the question of a few people on twitter when the lower fares were first announced and received no answer...there seemed to be the possibility that while UP fares were lowered to (or below) current GO levels there was still going to be a duplication.....I thought (perhaps wrongly) that you also questioned them on that at the time.

As you know I am a TFC attendee and most matches I take the LSW to and from the matches....even though I live nowhere near the line. I may continue to do that but it is good to know there is an alternative and that they have integrated the fare somewhat (at least for the specific trip I was talking about).

It does raise a bunch of questions in my mind about other trip possibilities but, at least, there is now a quasi GO service (and a GO fare) from the NW to the Ex.
 
I would be very, very surprised if you can tap on at Weston UPX and tap off at GO Exhibition. I know it works that way for GO trains and it figures out the interlining/transfer through Union, but the UPX Presto machines are different and the prices aren't exactly GO fares. If they say you only pay $5.02, while I'm surprised I'll believe it, but I think they might be making a mistake regarding not having to tap off UPX and then on GO at Union. Might be worth trying out.

Edit: Checked @GoTransit's tweets and found another from your conversation where they say "No default - must tap on GO @PRESTOcard machine at Weston even if you are taking UP train; must tap off at GO machine at Ex. ^ML" Huh...that's very interesting.

Next week, I will be going to the National Home Show at the Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place. Might use the UPX from Weston to Union and then transfer to GO from Union to Exhibition. This is to avoid the transfer from the streetcar to the bus at the Fleet loop if I use the TTC. (And all the other transfers and waiting along the way, if I use the TTC.)
 

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