OT:Ottawa to Mississauga - cheapest (non-auto) transportation option?

My sister-in-law, presently living with us in Ottawa, would likely be going to Mississauga to visit the other sister (and other relatives and friends) 1/2 dozen times a year. She would prefer not to drive (that distance alone), and does finds the cumulative price of 6 return airline tickets (even a tango type ticket on AC, or equivalent on Westjet) beyond her ability to easily afford it (therefore, the tango plus Rapidair AC flight pass is out).

I guess the options are bus or train to Toronto, and then some connection (Go bus or Go Train?) from Union Station to Square One (the other sister lives 1/2 way between Square One and Heartland Town Centre). I guess that there are no direct non-stop and price-competitve transportation options between Ottawa and Mississauga?

Porter :-) + GO?

I checked the Porter site - it is not really that much cheaper (for its cheapest fares) than the cheapest AC fares.

Why would you fly Porter to go to Mississauga? Surely AC/WS would make more sense?

Cheapest option is to find a car pool -- you can find forums/websites that have people saying "I'm going to Toronto, who wants a ride? $25..."

Btw, you're SE (and your wife is E as is your daughter), so why don't you just cash AP points (which you accumulate everytime you fly on *A carriers) every time she wants to visit her other sister (and friends and relatives) in Mississauga (and others who are scattered across the western part of the GTA).

We have been doing that for the two years, or so. However, now that she has a job and some ability to pay her own way (but not enough to buy 1/2 dozen return air tickets between Ottawa and Toronto each year) - she is asking how she can go to Toronto on a cost-efficient basis, outside of driving her own car. Secondly, we do spend most of the Aeroplan miles (points) almost as rapidly as we earn them; if we were to give her 90,000 points per year, it would negatively impact our ability to use the points for overseas awards.

Then you have the Greyhound to downtown Toronto and then switch on the subway train to get to Kipling. Call for a pick-up from there or take Mississauga Transit.

That's your cheapest option.

Well, I love VIA 1. I don't think I would ever fly to YOW.

And for the next few months, you can get VIA 1 r/t to Toronto for just over $200. I'm sure that's less than AC or Porter and it's much nicer (Internet + full meals)

http://www.viarail.ca/fairmont/

This is the English version link:

http://www.viarail.ca/fairmont/en_index.html

The question is whether there is a nonstop bus service between Ottawa and Mississauga - after doing a google and yahoo search, I could not find any such service.

Nor could I find any bus service from any point in Ottawa to Pearson Airport (which is just 15 minutes by car, from the relative's house).

It's a bit hit-and-miss, but Allo Stop (http://www.allostop.ca/english/default.htm) a car-sharing/pooling service, can be good.

Often you can find people doing Ottawa to Mississauga, or even on to Guelph, Waterloo or London and the driver is often willing to make a drop-off in Mississauga.

Here's a way:

Take VIA from Ottawa to Toronto's Union Station, then take either the Milton GO train from Union to the Cooksville station in Mississauga (afternoon rush-hour service weekdays only, outbound from Union) then a cab, or the GO bus from Union Station (cross Bay St. to get the GO bus) to Square One, where she can take a local bus or cab to Heartland.

Or take the Lakeshore GO train to Port Credit, then Mississauga Transit to Square One, to transfer to a Heartland bus. Fare on Miss.Transit is only 50c if you show your GO ticket when boarding.

bj-21.

As per the link below, Allo Stop no longer operates in Ontario.

http://www.allostop.ca/english/default.htm

No, there isn't a non-stop bus service from Ottawa to Mississauga or YYZ.

Then cheapest way is probably coach to Toronto and TTC out to the airport.

=aw