Some Thoughts on New Pearson Express
Dec 7, 2015 | 12:20 pm
#121
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: YTZ
Posts: 503
I finally had the opportunity to ride the UPX a few weeks ago. My condo is within a few minutes walking of Bloor Station (in fact I can see it as i'm typing on my couch right now!). I was very impressed with the service. to YYZ is was only $15 with my presto card and it got us there much faster than a limo would have.
Even my partner thought it was a good service, and she DETESTS public transit! Though, unless i lived so near the station I don't think I would use the service often, and definitely only on trips where I've packed light. It would be a pain in the butt walking along Bloor with anything that would be checked.
I know it will be successful, i just think metrolinx needs to find the right price for it.
Even my partner thought it was a good service, and she DETESTS public transit! Though, unless i lived so near the station I don't think I would use the service often, and definitely only on trips where I've packed light. It would be a pain in the butt walking along Bloor with anything that would be checked.
I know it will be successful, i just think metrolinx needs to find the right price for it.
Dec 7, 2015 | 8:23 pm
#122
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Toronto
Posts: 486
https://www.upexpress.com/Tickets/Tickets
Dec 8, 2015 | 7:28 am
#123
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YVR
Programs: OZ Diamond, Jiffypark Manhattan Gold
Posts: 4,784
Their website offers a discounted "Long Layover Return" round-trip fare for $27.50 that is valid for up to 7 hours when departing from Pearson.
https://www.upexpress.com/Tickets/Tickets
https://www.upexpress.com/Tickets/Tickets
Next time, next time.
Dec 8, 2015 | 8:31 pm
#124
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: The electrified part of North Carolina
Programs: UA GM, AA GM, DL GM
Posts: 4,157
Their website offers a discounted "Long Layover Return" round-trip fare for $27.50 that is valid for up to 7 hours when departing from Pearson.
https://www.upexpress.com/Tickets/Tickets
https://www.upexpress.com/Tickets/Tickets
Dec 8, 2015 | 9:05 pm
#125
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,795
One can probably print out the page just in case
Feb 8, 2016 | 9:14 am
#126
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YYT/YYZ
Programs: AC*SE, AC*MM, SPG Gold, FPC Plat, HHonors Diamond, PC Plat Elite, R&C Club 5C, Hyatt GP
Posts: 2,201
Union Pearson Express ridership slumps to all-time low
Story here.
Also:
I believe the fare is only one problem for this project. It's really a product for a niche market, and the niche just isn't big enough to sustain it.
Ridership on Toronto’s struggling airport train took a dive after October, closing out last year with the two lowest months yet.
The Union Pearson Express, which launched with much fanfare last summer, had the goal of carrying 5,000 riders a day within a year. But after taking about four months to reach half that goal, ridership stalled and then started going in the wrong direction.
In November, the provincially run train averaged 2,186 riders a day, down from 2,549 the month before. The situation got slightly worse in December, when the train averaged 2,168 people each day. In December, the train carried about 200 fewer people a day than in August, which had previously been the worst month.
The Union Pearson Express, which launched with much fanfare last summer, had the goal of carrying 5,000 riders a day within a year. But after taking about four months to reach half that goal, ridership stalled and then started going in the wrong direction.
In November, the provincially run train averaged 2,186 riders a day, down from 2,549 the month before. The situation got slightly worse in December, when the train averaged 2,168 people each day. In December, the train carried about 200 fewer people a day than in August, which had previously been the worst month.
Toronto’s new airport train is struggling to attract riders amid continuing criticism that the $456 million Union Pearson Express is simply too expensive.
On Friday, Metrolinx, the provincial agency that runs the train, said it will consider price adjustments among other options for building ridership.
The standard one-way adult fare on UPX is $27.50 but riders paying with a Presto card can board for $19.
Six months after it launched, Union Pearson Express (UPX) ridership levels were down significantly from the summer, hitting a low of 65,593 riders in November, 13,000 fewer passengers than the October high of 79,000.
On Friday, Metrolinx, the provincial agency that runs the train, said it will consider price adjustments among other options for building ridership.
The standard one-way adult fare on UPX is $27.50 but riders paying with a Presto card can board for $19.
Six months after it launched, Union Pearson Express (UPX) ridership levels were down significantly from the summer, hitting a low of 65,593 riders in November, 13,000 fewer passengers than the October high of 79,000.
Last edited by antirealist; Feb 8, 2016 at 9:28 am
Feb 8, 2016 | 1:10 pm
#127
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,665
UPE hasn't asked for suggestions but lowering the price doesn't seem to make any difference based on recent results. One idea would be to have a special no-charge bus from the Union Station terminal that does a circuit of the major hotel areas, like the PWT buses did, perhaps even connecting with the YTZ terminal. In any case, the problem with a railroad is that despite what Ali G has to say (
see 3:13), they are limited to where there are tracks.
Feb 11, 2016 | 10:11 am
#128
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YYT/YYZ
Programs: AC*SE, AC*MM, SPG Gold, FPC Plat, HHonors Diamond, PC Plat Elite, R&C Club 5C, Hyatt GP
Posts: 2,201
A world-class, gold-plated, half-billion-dollar empty train
From the Globe and Mail:
UPX never made sense as a business model. A product of political imperatives, it was powered by political choices, not a careful analysis of where the greatest number of underserved commuters are, and what would be the most cost-effective way of serving them. Canadas busiest airport and largest city badly needed a better transit connection, but it should have been neatly integrated into an expanded mass-transit network, not hived off into a boutique line designed to look good in international business brochures and Olympic bids.
Aug 12, 2016 | 5:14 pm
#129
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Why? Why? Zed! / Why? You? Elle! / Gee! Are You!
Programs: Irrelevant
Posts: 3,543
Regular evening commute delays or just my bad luck?
I have experienced up to 30 minute waits for the UP Express during the evening commute at least once a week now for the past few weeks.
Is anyone else having the same experience, or is it just my bad luck?
It's getting to the point where cabbing it from downtown to YYZ is faster now. :-/
The story I hear is either signal issues due to GO trains or equipment problems. The occasional equipment issue I can accept - those things happen from time to time, but schedule conflicts with GO? Sorry, that I don't buy, there's no reason for that other than poor central track control management.
Is anyone else having the same experience, or is it just my bad luck?
It's getting to the point where cabbing it from downtown to YYZ is faster now. :-/
The story I hear is either signal issues due to GO trains or equipment problems. The occasional equipment issue I can accept - those things happen from time to time, but schedule conflicts with GO? Sorry, that I don't buy, there's no reason for that other than poor central track control management.
Aug 12, 2016 | 5:39 pm
#130
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 11,078
There has been a speed limit place on trains due to the prolong heat wave recently and the thermal expansion of the rails. Affected services are UP, GO and Via.