GO Transit

[danbrotherston]

If that were true the timetables would should reflect that. It should also be a two way service.

As far as I've heard neither of those are true.

What will the timetable look like? I have not been able to find it anywhere.

I have heard several non-official sources claim that the train will leave London between 5 and 5:30 am.

To arrive in Toronto between 9 and 9:30 but arriving far too early in KW between 7 and 7:30. This does line up with existing trips out of Kitchener.

But again, I cannot find an official source for this.

If they were willing to leave London at 7-7:30 and arrive in KW at 9-9:30 I would think that would be a reasonable time frame for Kitchener commuters, but that would be a new trip to Kitchener station.

The latest possible trip out of Kitchener is 8:39, which would mean 6:39 out of London. This is maybe in the realm of reasonable for Kitchener commuters.

[tomh009]

08:30 arrival in Kitchener would certainly be in commuter range: it would mean arriving at work somewhere between 08:35 and 09:00. Some people do start later, but many people start at 09:00 or earlier.

[Acitta]

The new terminal building and parking garage at Bramalea GO Station opened on Monday this week.See new images as Metrolinx prepares to open parking garage and station building at Bramalea GO Station

[jamincan]

I've not seen any sources for the time table that is floating around. I suspect someone threw those times out there as plausible times assuming commuters were heading into Toronto. If you time it instead for Kitchener, it's far more reasonable and also plausible under the existing timetable.

Code:

     London   St. Mary's Stratford Kitchener  Toronto
     ——————   —————————— ————————— —————————  ———————
GO   ~6:45~   ~7:29~     ~7:53~     8:39       10:28
Via   7:24     8:08       8:32      9:18       10:53

     Toronto  Kitchener  Stratford St. Mary's London
     ———————  —————————  ————————— —————————— ——————
GO    15:34    17:28     ~18:05~   ~18:33~    ~19:19~
Via   17:40    19:18      19:55     20:23      21:09

Basing the schedule off of Via's existing schedule, this is a very reasonable looking schedule geared toward commuters into Kitchener, but also workable for people going into Toronto for meetings or appointments.

[danbrotherston]

08:30 arrival in Kitchener would certainly be in commuter range: it would mean arriving at work somewhere between 08:35 and 09:00. Some people do start later, but many people start at 09:00 or earlier.

I suppose.

I am perhaps using "commuter" in the wrong meaning here. I hope nobody is doing a regular London -> KW commute. I more mean, traveling to KW for the occasional meeting. Generally those will be scheduled a little more conservatively than the usual 9-5 workday.

That being said, the flip side to that is the lack of a reverse commute option, I know we like to think we're great and all, but it's almost as likely that someone would be working in London and living in KW.  And frankly, that applies to the entire GO network outside of Toronto.

[danbrotherston]

I've not seen any sources for the time table that is floating around. I suspect someone threw those times out there as plausible times assuming commuters were heading into Toronto. If you time it instead for Kitchener, it's far more reasonable and also plausible under the existing timetable.

Code:

     London   St. Mary's Stratford Kitchener  Toronto
     ——————   —————————— ————————— —————————  ———————
GO   ~6:45~   ~7:29~     ~7:53~     8:39       10:28
Via   7:24     8:08       8:32      9:18       10:53

     Toronto  Kitchener  Stratford St. Mary's London
     ———————  —————————  ————————— —————————— ——————
GO    15:34    17:28     ~18:05~   ~18:33~    ~19:19~
Via   17:40    19:18      19:55     20:23      21:09

Basing the schedule off of Via's existing schedule, this is a very reasonable looking schedule geared toward commuters into Kitchener, but also workable for people going into Toronto for meetings or appointments.

I mean, while it's not impossible, the problem remains that for almost every purpose except a job where I am literally ON THE CLOCK for a 9 - 5 day, I'd rather take the Via train.

I dunno. I guess we'll have to wait and see, but I find it very frustrating, I can see far better options that were not taken.

[jamincan]

08:30 arrival in Kitchener would certainly be in commuter range: it would mean arriving at work somewhere between 08:35 and 09:00. Some people do start later, but many people start at 09:00 or earlier.

I suppose.

I am perhaps using "commuter" in the wrong meaning here. I hope nobody is doing a regular London -> KW commute. I more mean, traveling to KW for the occasional meeting. Generally those will be scheduled a little more conservatively than the usual 9-5 workday.

That being said, the flip side to that is the lack of a reverse commute option, I know we like to think we're great and all, but it's almost as likely that someone would be working in London and living in KW.  And frankly, that applies to the entire GO network outside of Toronto.

I think the problem with the reverse commute right now is that GO is constrained between Brampton and Bramalea. The frequency of trains heading east after 9am drops to every hour, which I guess allows them to start squeezing the westbound trains in.

[danbrotherston]

I suppose.

I am perhaps using "commuter" in the wrong meaning here. I hope nobody is doing a regular London -> KW commute. I more mean, traveling to KW for the occasional meeting. Generally those will be scheduled a little more conservatively than the usual 9-5 workday.

That being said, the flip side to that is the lack of a reverse commute option, I know we like to think we're great and all, but it's almost as likely that someone would be working in London and living in KW.  And frankly, that applies to the entire GO network outside of Toronto.

I think the problem with the reverse commute right now is that GO is constrained between Brampton and Bramalea. The frequency of trains heading east after 9am drops to every hour, which I guess allows them to start squeezing the westbound trains in.

I mean, that's absolutely true for trains coming from Toronto, but there's nothing to say that a train couldn't leave KW (or even Guelph) and reverse to London.

[tomh009]

I mean, while it's not impossible, the problem remains that for almost every purpose except a job where I am literally ON THE CLOCK for a 9 - 5 day, I'd rather take the Via train.

I dunno. I guess we'll have to wait and see, but I find it very frustrating, I can see far better options that were not taken.

Right. For "commuters" who "commute" to a job in K-W (in the usual sense of the word), this might work. And, given the number of tech jobs in the region, this might actually attract some reasonable number of regular commuters, at least post-COVID.

For an occasional trip for a few hours, you are correct, though, it's not very convenient. But if GO wants service on this route (or any route, for that matter) to be viable, the regular weekday commuters will understandably be their #1 target.

[danbrotherston]

I mean, while it's not impossible, the problem remains that for almost every purpose except a job where I am literally ON THE CLOCK for a 9 - 5 day, I'd rather take the Via train.

I dunno. I guess we'll have to wait and see, but I find it very frustrating, I can see far better options that were not taken.

Right. For "commuters" who "commute" to a job in K-W (in the usual sense of the word), this might work. And, given the number of tech jobs in the region, this might actually attract some reasonable number of regular commuters, at least post-COVID.

For an occasional trip for a few hours, you are correct, though, it's not very convenient. But if GO wants service on this route (or any route, for that matter) to be viable, the regular weekday commuters will understandably be their #1 target.

Yes, that is the usual meaning of the word "commuter" but when it comes to a ~2 hour trip, it doesn't seem like the kind of thing people are going to do on a daily basis.  And there is one possible schedule that *COULD* work without adding trips in Kitchener.


But that's the point, with the length of the trips, they aren't going to gain daily commuters (especially since London->KW is pretty uncongested and a much shorter drive).

[tomh009]

Yes, that is the usual meaning of the word "commuter" but when it comes to a ~2 hour trip, it doesn't seem like the kind of thing people are going to do on a daily basis.

There are a fair number of people who do (or did, at least) commute to Toronto by GO, daily. And that's the same two hours. At least some of these people have cars but would prefer to relax on the train instead of stressing out behind the steering wheel.

And we used to have a person on our team (here in Kitchener) who did a 2h reverse commute daily, using the GO bus service.

I wouldn't do it, but I'm not everyone. People make different choices about where to work and where to live, and their priorities aren't always the same as mine. But, that doesn't mean those people don't exist or that they don't need commuting options, too.

[danbrotherston]

Yes, that is the usual meaning of the word "commuter" but when it comes to a ~2 hour trip, it doesn't seem like the kind of thing people are going to do on a daily basis.

There are a fair number of people who do (or did, at least) commute to Toronto by GO, daily. And that's the same two hours. At least some of these people have cars but would prefer to relax on the train instead of stressing out behind the steering wheel.

And we used to have a person on our team (here in Kitchener) who did a 2h reverse commute daily, using the GO bus service.

I wouldn't do it, but I'm not everyone. People make different choices about where to work and where to live, and their priorities aren't always the same as mine. But, that doesn't mean those people don't exist or that they don't need commuting options, too.

Sure, I outright refuse to drive to Toronto, it's too stressful and the traffic makes it take too long. The same is not true of London -> KW. I do it regularly to visit family, there's generally no congestion, and it takes all of 1:15 to do it by car.

So while yes, there are people who commute 2 hours into/out of Toronto, and plenty of people, including myself will take the train for that commute, the same will not hold for London because the conditions are different.

[jeffster]

Can't see many using this service to commute from London to Toronto. And by that, do many commute to Toronto now in general?

[tomh009]

There are a fair number of people who do (or did, at least) commute to Toronto by GO, daily. And that's the same two hours. At least some of these people have cars but would prefer to relax on the train instead of stressing out behind the steering wheel.

And we used to have a person on our team (here in Kitchener) who did a 2h reverse commute daily, using the GO bus service.

I wouldn't do it, but I'm not everyone. People make different choices about where to work and where to live, and their priorities aren't always the same as mine. But, that doesn't mean those people don't exist or that they don't need commuting options, too.

Sure, I outright refuse to drive to Toronto, it's too stressful and the traffic makes it take too long. The same is not true of London -> KW. I do it regularly to visit family, there's generally no congestion, and it takes all of 1:15 to do it by car.

So while yes, there are people who commute 2 hours into/out of Toronto, and plenty of people, including myself will take the train for that commute, the same will not hold for London because the conditions are different.

I fully understand your thinking. But I refer back to my comment above: different people make different choices. I do agree that fewer people would take the train to Kitchener because the drive is easier, but it may still not apply to everyone.

[danbrotherston]