I can’t imagine commuting with Via Rail. As someone using Via once in a while, I don’t think it’s more expensive than it was. If anything sometimes you can get some accepable deals if you reserve a few weeks in advance. But it sure is absolutely overpriced of you are last minute. It’s $50 if I want to see my family tomorrow even if there are still seats in the train, but $25 if I plan the visit a week or two in advance.
It’s the whole problem with their pricing system. They don’t see themselves as a replacement for cars. You can’t get a monthly pass for Via. They see themselves as a tourist attraction.
And unlike other rich countries, we don’t even have regional trains. It could also help to have more than 5 trains a day. But again, they don’t want to be a commuter service.
Sometimes I wish Exo and GO trains would cover Via rail routes in their respective provinces. It would be so much more convenient for everyone. And with Alto eventually coming, will Via ever be improved?
I understand why Germans whine about their trains but I’m so damn jealous. If we could only have half of their system. At least some regional trains!
In case you haven’t seen it, watch and weep. This is what neoliberalism does to a country.
Everytime, I watch “Not Just Bikes”, I get a little more radicalize.
You should. Me too. There’s damn good reasons to get radicalized.
Why can’t I take a train from Montréal to Lévis???
Huh? I’m not sure if you’re serious but I can give it a try.
Short answer : The tracks to Lévis have been removed decades ago and it’s now a bike path.
Cynical answer: There are still tracks close enough to the city that a connection and new station could be built. However Via Rail is required to be profitable so it wouldn’t happen. It’s North America, just use a car (electric)!
Car-less person answer: You kind of can. Take a train to Québec City and use the ferry to Lévis.
But to me the bigger rhetorical question is, why the hell doesn’t the Québec region have any kind of commuter trains.
The Quebec city route + ferry is a 5 hour trip, compared to 2.5 hours by car, so I don’t really consider it viable.
You can’t take a direct train to Lévis, you have to stop somewhere first.