UP AND AWAY The Union Pearson Express

Posted on 04/18/2016 | About Toronto, Ontario

It has that new train smell, that white noise sound, lots of space for luggage, and everything is geared for ease of travel. There is no heavy lifting - your suitcase rolls easily on the train. There is a washroom about three times the size of the one on planes. Plus free wifi and plugs to juice up a low battery on a cell phone. It's the Union Pearson Express, and I am embarking my maiden voyage.

The trip from the airport to Union Station takes 25 pleasant minutes, with trains running every 15 minutes from 5:30 am to 1 am. It's a nice way to decompress after a flight. Think European TGV, minus food or beverages. Why has it taken me so long? First the $27 price, which the public was told was appropriate for the expected customers - business travellers. Really? When the customers stayed away UP had to listen. As of March 9, the price has dropped to $12 one way - and it gets better. Seniors pay only six dollars one way, and a family of two adults and three children is out only $25 for the trip. With a presto card (not available on the family fare), the adult fare drops to nine dollars one way, and the senior fare is a negligible $5.64. The message: lower the prices and they will come.

"UP Express ridership has more than doubled on the first day of the new fare structure," noted UP Marketing Manager, Una MacNeil. Over 80% were air travellers going between Union Station and Pearson Airport, she added. Over 50% of all riders were taking UP Express for the first time, and the majority of these new riders were airport bound to Pearson. Airport bound had to do with the other reason I did not take the UP Express before: I wasn't sure I could find it. Anyone expecting to get off the subway at Union Station and onto the train will be, well, frustrated. It's at the far west end of Union Station, so getting off the subway you have to take the Walkway towards the Convention Centre to the area just across from the tourist centre. A moving sidewalk would seem to be the perfect solution, but there are no plans for it, according to Una MacNeill, explaining that, "we recognize that wayfinding is an issue and we are working on it". There are also stops on Bloor at the Dundas West station and at Weston, so there is a connection with GO trains. From downtown Toronto, one wayfinding solution is to enter the UP Express station directly, at 97 Front Street West, near the corner of York Street. This nifty, impressively designed station, has arched glass ceilings, blond wood, and a Balzac's cafe. Upstairs there's a lounge featuring Mill Street brews. The whole area is small enough to be a charming refuge from the chaos of Union Station, with its endless construction. The 97 Front Street entrance could be particularly attractive to people going to the airport without luggage to meet an arriving passenger. The Meeter and Greeter category fare allows a round trip ticket for the one way price, as long as the trip occurs within a four hour period. And for those with long layovers, the one-way price buys a round-trip ticket for a seven-hour period, as long as the trip begins at Pearson.

What about finding the Departures area at the airport? It is connected to Terminal 1, but if you arrive at Terminal 3 there is a Terminal Link train located on the platform just before the escalators. Once you get there (it takes three minutes) take the escalators/elevators down. Follow the signage past the parking garage and through the pedestrian bridge to Terminal 1. Go to the Departures area on the upper level. From the plane to the train: from Terminal 1 follow the signs saying "Train to the City" and "Trains". There is an UP Express service counter next to the international Arrivals hall for information and ticket purchases. Once you're in Arrivals, take the escalator up to the mezzanine level (2) and cross the pedestrian bridge to the parking garage. Then turn left into the train station and take the escalator up to the train. Walk to the far end of the Terminal Link platform. There are ticket vending machines on either side of the entrance to the station. If this sounds like a lot of directions, it is easier when you actually do it. And when you enter the hushed, high tech atmosphere of the train, you'll be glad you did. For more information, go to www.UPexpress.com