The removal of morning Via Rail stops in Kingston threatens to complicate travel plans, according to Queen’s students.
On Sept. 21, Via Rail announced a three-month direct service pilot on key Montreal-Toronto routes starting Sept. 29. Trains 60, 61, 68, 69 and 50 will no longer stop at Kingston, Belleville, Cobourg, Oshawa or Guildwood during morning runs. Passengers at these stations will need to transfer to other trains if seats are available. On average, about 80 Kingston passengers use trains 60, 50, 68 and 69 each day.
Via Rail reassured that Kingston would continue to be the most served in Canada, with 154 weekly departures or up to 25 trains a day. The company went on to write that Kingston “remains at the heart” of its network with more departures than Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal or London.
The program aims to shorten end-to-end journeys by up to forty minutes, believing faster travel times will make trains more competitive with planes and cars, according to Via Rail’s statement to The Journal.
Still, Queens students are frustrated.
Roshan Jaitly, ArtSci ’29, relied on the morning train to visit friends and family.
“Losing the morning train means I have to hang around for hours before I can even leave. I’ve seen students miss plans waiting at the station,” he said in an interview with The Journal. “It’s inconvenient.”
Jaitly also expresses the difficulty in planning these trips with a tight school schedule.
“It’s not just me, I know other students who rely on this to visit home or see family. Having to wait for later trains messes up schedules and makes it more stressful.”
Nathan Senior, Sct ’29, said it’s a cost factor.
“Trains are already expensive compared to buses,” he said in an interview with The Journal. “If it gets harder to get home, I’ll probably take the bus. It’s cheaper but not as quick or comfortable.”
As a full-time student, Senior also finds it hard to balance the scheduling.
“Waiting around for transfers can add hours, and when you’re balancing school and responsibility, every hour counts,” he said. “The train was my go-to because it was predictable.”
Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson and MP Mark Gerretsen both criticized the cuts, arguing they hurt regional access and warned of further isolation for the city.
Via Rail acknowledged this change will inconvenience some customers but said the trains selected for the pilot have fewer passengers than others on this route. According to Via Rail the project will be evaluated based on ridership, punctuality, and community feedback.
“It’s too early to determine whether the program will continue beyond this pilot phase,” the statement read.
Passengers affected by the change will still have access to other Via Rail services stopping in Kingston, but transfers may mean longer travel times and uncertainty about available seating.
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