Originally Posted by
laidback71
Three people took three different routes to the airport one morning: car, UPX and TTC. The longest and most expensive route was UPX!
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015...etter-way.html
Granted, leaving from Riverdale does put UPX at a disadvantage. A fairer test would have been to leave from the core, which is the target market for this service.
Major issue with the departure point related to taking the TTC. That morning there was a breakdown on the subway line which impacted the travel time. It would normally take 25-30 minutes from Riverdale (Broadview Stn) to Kipling Stn, between 5-10 minutes wait for the 192 Airport Express, and 15-minutes max to T1/3. Elapses time just under an hour. That's the route I take, adding a 15-minute bus ride from my condo to the Sherbourne Stn, so TTC generally takes me just over an hour (when all goes smoothly).
As I noted above, it would take me about 20-minutes to walk to Union Station (taking a King streetcar would take just as long with the wait) then 15 minutes to get to the UPX platform and wait for the next train. 25-minutes on the train for a total an hour. Then another 5-minutes if I was going to T3.
The UPX would cost me $12 more than the $2 TTC fare (Presto/seniors) and a bit of a sweat walking -- though good exercise.
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As for the Dundas West transfer, it doesn't really doesn't make much sense. The transfer is almost a half kilometer between stations and as yet there's not protected, direct walkway. But more to the point, anyone using the Bloor/Danforth subway line either coming or going is best to go right to Kipling (another 10-15 minutes) and catch the 192 Airport Express. The hassle of the transfer is hardly worth the extra $10++ for the UPX.