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Take the Bike Train to Montreal

By Val Dodge

2009-08-19-ride-to-montreal.jpg
A gaggle of cyclists departs for Montreal. Photo by @ThetaState from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.


Starting soon—Monday, in fact—you’ll be able to take your bike on the VIA train between Toronto and Montreal without boxing it up: the Bike Train has just announced a new twice-daily service to Montreal starting August 24 and continuing six days per week through October 8. For seven weeks stretching into the autumn, one morning and one evening train running in each direction will include space in the baggage car for six bikes.
The Montreal route differs from other Bike Train routes in two important ways: first, it’s a daily service that offers many more opportunities and more flexibility for cyclists to travel with their bikes. Second, it uses only a portion of the baggage car for bike storage rather than dedicating an entire baggage car to the purpose. Taken together, these are important steps forward because they indicate that travelling with a bike is on track from the fringe to being treated as a normal activity. This is a service that can be used by commuters and business travellers, not just by weekend tourists.
This is the Bike Train’s second new route this year, following an inaugural trip to North Bay two weekends ago. It also builds on other expanding intermodal transportation options for Toronto cyclists, including broader availability of bike racks on local and regional buses, GO train service (for cyclists and non-cyclists alike) to Niagara Falls, and the ongoing Bikes+Transit awareness campaign.
From August 24 through October 8, the Toronto-Montreal Bike Train leaves Union Station at 7:05 a.m. Monday through Saturday and at 5:00 p.m. Sunday through Friday. Return trains to Toronto leave Montreal at 6:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 5:00 p.m. Sunday through Friday. Tickets are $109 each way ($218 return) and must be reserved at least three days in advance through the Bike Train’s website.

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Comments

  • http://undefined fearofcorners

    Unless they’re insuring the unboxed bikes, I don’t see how this is different from what they already offer. They will already take your bike sans box. If you’re handy enough to take your pedals off and turn your handlebar so that it will fit in the box, they insure it against damage for free.
    Also worth noting is that compared to what it cost me to travel just last week, this is $11 more than a regular ticket + $20 bike surcharge. Not a big difference, but I will stick with the box.

  • http://undefined Luciano Galasso

    I think it’s great that public transit is doing more and more to encourage bike use. I think the next step would be creating more direct bike paths from outside of the city into downtown Toronto so that bike travel can be more efficient. More bike lanes also need to exist
    Luciano Galasso

  • http://toguritraining.ca Cycling Coach

    I think thins is great service, as a business traveler who has to get to multiple appointments around downtown Toronto being able to get around on a bike saves me a bundle in cab fare not to mention I find the ride back to the station at the end of the day relaxing. One nice thing for travelers coming to Montreal is the Bixi bike rental service that allows travelers to rent a bike for short tripe for a reasonable cost of 5$ for 24hrs. I think any initiative that takes cars of the road is a good one.