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?
The REM solves the issue of dedicated tracks, but it’s a light rail stuck to a core metropolitan region, because it’s “for profit”. It wouldn’t reach the people complaining in the article, because they are too far, and not profitable.
Plus, the financing method for the REM, a public-private partnership, is cannibalizing public transit in the Montréal region. It has a non-compete clause with public transit, because profit.
The REM is not a model to follow.