Originally Posted by
hkskyline
Is it really progress that a diesel train in this modern era is used for a "new" line that prices out average commuters yet used public funds for construction?
I think questions about this service's viability are indeed valid. This isn't London. Heathrow Express is supported by plenty of business travelers who can claim the bill. Toronto does not have the same volume of business traffic that can sustain a frequent premium train service to the airport. Then you price out the families who can drive or take a taxi that costs less net. So who else do you have left? The yuppies who prefer to fly out of Billy Bishop, or the backpackers and commuters that can't afford it?
They should have included a commuter service so at least to do some public good but would take longer to get to the airport to justify the savings. They spent so much money on the infrastructure already - they should make the best use of it.
It isn't built near Wher families live, why would it target them? It's built at the foot of Bay Street where finance, law, accounting, engineering and now tech and medical or booming.
I don't know what People expected this to be, it connects the downtown core to the airport - both areas are people of higher income and tilted towards business. To build a km of subway costs 500 million, that's what this whole project cost.
It's never going to be perfect or fit all people but nothing is, I suspect prices may change or we will see some type of variable pricing. People pay 300/month for go train passes now, parking at my office building is 400/month, people pay 40 for parking for leaf games and concerts. If it actually makes it easier for business to stay downtown, attract more conferences and take some congestion off the road it's fine.
I think people forget the buses from the airport to the hotels were over 20 bucks and they took the highway a while. This is a similar price point for a way better service.