In a move which pretty much everyone predicted, Metrolinx is slashing ticket prices for its underutilized Union-Pearson Express.
The Globe and Mail reports that fares will be reduced from $27.50 per trip to just $12 for travel between Union Station and the airport. Riders with presto cards will see their ticket fall from $19 to $9.
Fares for travel between the line's three other stations have been reduced to $6.
The move comes after reports that ridership for the line has been slowly declining. The UP Express needs at least 7,000 passengers per day to break even, but only averages about 2,500.
The $456 million Union-Pearson Express was originally constructed as part of Toronto's bid for the 2015 Pan-Am games. Since opening last Summer, criticism has been mounting over the project's high fares and low utilization.
“To think that there are as few as six people [at a time] on a significant piece of infrastructure that cost taxpayers almost a half a billion dollars is really a shame,” said PC transport critic Michael Harris.
At the current regular price, the UP Express is the most expensive direct air-rail link in North America, with similar trains in other large cities averaging around $10.
The services attracted as many as 40,000 passengers over the Family Day long weekend, when Metrolinx was offering a free ride promotion. With the reduces fares, the province is hoping to repeat that before the line becomes another costly white elephant.
Photo by Craig James White via Wikipedia. Used under CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
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