Lessons in Transit Fares from Toronto's UP Express

Sean Marshall reports on lessons learned from the ongoing evolution of the Union Pearson Express (UP Express), Toronto's16-month-old rail connection between Pearson International Airport and Union Station in downtown Toronto. 

For the first year of its operation, the UP Express operated well below its ridership targets. "In June 2015, UP Express had an average daily ridership of 2,858; in July, the average daily ridership was 2,383," according to Marshall. "Metrolinx expected that daily ridership would grow to 5,000 within a year."

Earlier this spring, just under a year before the line's first birthday, Metrolinx took decisive action and reduced the one-way cash fare "from $27.50 to $12, and from $19 to $9 with a Presto card, and fares between Union and Bloor and Weston stations were reduced to match the GO Transit fares for the same trips."  Previously "the one-way fare between Union Station and Pearson airport was set at $27.50, or $19.00 with a Presto card. Discounts and special fares were available for families, airport workers, and same-day return trips," explains Marshall.

The results, in terms of ridership, have been unequivocally positive. "Since the new fare structure was introduced, UP Express ridership has more than tripled. By June 2016, the daily average ridership increased to 7,657, or 49 passengers per train."