VIA Rail

[crs1026]

The fiscal tradition in this country is that urban/suburban/regional transit is a provincial responsibility, whereas intercity passenger rail transport (especially of the interprovincial kind) is a federal reponsibility. I so far don’t see the Conservatives questioning this…

This is true, but it hasn't prevented Ottawa from setting up funding streams to pay for local transit projects and equipment. The Liberals have been very happy to write cheques for transit.
I would certainly expect a more spending-averse incoming government to reassess the funds and commitments that are in place. Doesn't mean they would yank previous commitments, but they might certainly curtail any further approvals. Or look with some new formula for distributing the money differently between regions.
We are still reading tea leaves here. Worth pointing out possibilities, but I don't have anything firm enough to go from to offer a prediction. Those who have firm views may be surprised, one way or the other.

- Paul

 

[micheal_can]

The fiscal tradition in this country is that urban/suburban/regional transit is a provincial responsibility, whereas intercity passenger rail transport (especially of the interprovincial kind) is a federal reponsibility. I so far don’t see the Conservatives questioning this…

That hasn't been true since 2008 when the CPC under Harper started throwing money at the provinces to build transit to rebound from the Great recession. It is how the Crosstown, REM, iON, HLRT,Finch LRT, and even the Ontario Line among others got funding.

 

[roger1818]

A coleague of mine had to go to Toronto for work and decided to take the train. She is finished earlier than expected today and when looking at the return schedule to Ottawa, was pleased to see that there is a train every hour at 3:32, 4:32, 5:32, and 6:32 (she was booked on the last train). Having train depart at predictbile and frequent times like this make things much easier as with a flexible ticket, you can just show up at the station and usually catch a train within an hour (assuming it isn't sold out). This will only get better with HxR.

 

[reaperexpress]

A coleague of mine had to go to Toronto for work and decided to take the train. She is finished earlier than expected today and when looking at the return schedule to Ottawa, was pleased to see that there is a train every hour at 3:32, 4:32, 5:32, and 6:32 (she was booked on the last train). Having train depart at predictbile and frequent times like this make things much easier as with a flexible ticket, you can just show up at the station and usually catch a train within an hour (assuming it isn't sold out). This will only get better with HxR.

Yes, service to Ottawa is almost hourly on Fridays but the problem is that if you just show up at the station and buy a ticket, they will charge a very high price for the ticket. Which eliminates most of the benefit of having that frequency, since you need to decide a month in advance exactly when you want to depart in order to get an affordable ticket. Though I did once buy a ticket from Ottawa to Toronto while I was in the station and it only cost $54 even though the same train was priced at >$100 when I'd checked a few weeks earlier.

The base price for Toronto-Ottawa is $54 + tax, which you can get if you book far enough in advance.

Theoretically the prices are supposed to vary based on demand, but they clearly aren't working optimally considering my trip from Toronto to Ottawa last week cost $107 for an Escape ticket yet the train was mostly empty. If the price had been under $80 or so I'm sure they could have sold out the train and would have gotten more revenue overall.

 

[roger1818]

Yes, service to Ottawa is almost hourly on Fridays but the problem is that if you just show up at the station and buy a ticket, they will charge a very high price for the ticket. Which eliminates most of the benefit of having that flexibility, since you need to decide a month in advance exactly when you want to depart in order to get an affordable ticket.
View attachment 626161
The base price for Toronto-Ottawa is $54 + tax, which you can get if you book far enough in advance.

Though I did once buy a ticket from Ottawa to Toronto while I was in the station and it only cost $54 even though the same train was priced at >$100 a few weeks earlier.

It all depends what type of ticket you have and what the rates are like when you want to travel. Most people traveling for business are not booking months in advance so aren't getting those discount rates. Companies also often buy flexible tickts even if cheaper options are available because they know plans can change.

 

[Urban Sky]

It all depends what type of ticket you have and what the rates are like when you want to travel. Most people traveling for business are not booking months in advance so aren't getting those discount rates. Companies also often buy flexible tickts even if cheaper options are available because they know plans can change.

VIA’s Economy/Business Plus tickets were and are not flexible when exchanging them. They can just be refunded without penalty or exchanged for the full fare difference (positive or negative) between the fare originally paid for the original train and the fare which is available right now for the desired train. Under the old reservation system, this didn’t matter because there was only a single price point for flexible tickets, but with the new system, an Economy Plus ticket bought 3 months ahead can easily be cheaper than an Escape ticket bought the day of departure.

Personally, I always book any train I might be taking as soon as I have reason to believe that I might need to travel on these days and then cancel (for a full refund) any trains I don’t need as soon as I’m sure I won’t need them. I currenty have 18 different single-trip Montreal-Toronto tickets (worth $1500, LOL) booked in Economy Plus and will almost certainly cancel the majority of them…

 

[micheal_can]

Maybe with HxR we can see the end of a different price for the same seat. Maybe still have a discounted rate on Tuesdays as they do now, or if they have seat sales, but having the ticket be the same price for the same type of fare (Economy, Business, etc) may make it better. We don't see GO having a different far, except for passes.

 

[bearcat]

VIA’s Economy/Business Plus tickets were and are not flexible when exchanging them. They can just be refunded without penalty or exchanged for the full fare difference (positive or negative). Under the old reservation system, this didn’t matter because there was only a single price point for flexible tickets, but with the new system, an Economy Plus ticket bought 3 months ahead can easily be cheaper than an Escape ticket bought the day of departure.

Personally, I always book any train I might be taking as soon as I have reason to believe that I might need to travel on these days and then cancel (for a full refund) any trains I don’t need as soon as I’m sure I won’t need them. I currenty have 18 different single-trip Montreal-Toronto tickets (worth $1500, LOL) booked in Economy Plus and will almost certainly cancel the majority of them…

Back in the day (2015 or 16 I think) when the 120 day $499 Unlimited Semester Pass existed (unlimited economy travel between Windsor and Kingston with fully refundable tickets), I absolutely abused the booking system, cancelling booked tickets last minute, and booking trains right before departure. I would take the train just for fun, for example for a spontaneous day trip from Windsor (where I was in school) to Chatham or London.

It was such a good deal, $125 per month for unlimited VIA rail travel.

 

[robmausser]

Back in the day (2015 or 16 I think) when the 120 day $499 Unlimited Semester Pass existed (unlimited economy travel between Windsor and Kingston with fully refundable tickets), I absolutely abused the booking system, cancelling booked tickets last minute, and booking trains right before departure. I would take the train just for fun, for example for a spontaneous day trip from Windsor (where I was in school) to Chatham or London.

It was such a good deal, $125 per month for unlimited VIA rail travel.

And this is why Via got rid of it and the commuter pass.

My friend lived in Port Hope and people would get the commuter pass, book every day, and then cancel half of the days they didnt go into the office 10 minutes before the train left, leaving VIA with an empty seat.

 

[bearcat]

And this is why Via got rid of it and the commuter pass.

My friend lived in Port Hope and people would get the commuter pass, book every day, and then cancel half of the days they didnt go into the office 10 minutes before the train left, leaving VIA with an empty seat.

They could have changed it to let's say two free cancellations then some fee after, $10-30. Though I am sure someone smarter than me analyzed the financials and decided it was not worth keeping.

 

[Urban Sky]

They could have changed it to let's say two free cancellations then some fee after, $10-30. Though I am sure someone smarter than me analyzed the financials and decided it was not worth keeping.

Instead they made all passes only valid as discount rate on Economy fare, which has a cancellation fee and thus discourages cancellations altogether…

 

[WB62]

Beautiful:

At least the new trains don’t look this dirty

 

[Urban Sky]

Beautiful:

View attachment 626558
At least the new trains don’t look this bad

As a non-foamer, I care significantly more about how they look from the inside…

 

[Andy_in_Toronto]

I’m on the #67 train from Montreal to Toronto. A few observations:
- Boarding: Started 30 min before departure .
- Depature: On-time
- Train: Still the old train set. Staff said this train will be the last to be replaced. Is that true?
Exterior: Not very clean. Windows are dirty and haven’t been cleaned for weeks.
Interior: Refurbished with the German Rail seat sets in grey leather. Never excepted that to see outside of Germany. lol
Staffed showed me how to open the doors in an emergency. Funny. Never saw happening in Europe that passengers would potentially run evacuation procedures on their own.
- Journey: - Speed around 160km/h. GO train speed like. I feel it’s embarrassing slow at times. 200km/h on a straight line should be standard in the year 2025.
- Before Brockville we are behind a slow freight train. Walking speed. I see flat land beside the double tracks. Why is the there no 3rd. or 4 th track? Sad!


Overall, more like a third world country experience. Where are the ambitions of a western country?

On the positive side I like the new German Siemens trains. When do we see those running as #67?

 

[micheal_can]

As a non-foamer, I care significantly more about how they look from the inside…

As someone with a mechanical background, I care that the outside is clean as well. That dirt can be a sign of bigger issues.