High Speed Train Coming?-split from boosting Canada’s military spending"

[Brad Sallows]

not to mention: beer both before and during

Makes sense. Porter is, after all, a beer.

 

[ytz]

not to mention: beer both before and during

Only if flying from Toronto. No pre-boarding beer from Ottawa.

I like Porter. But it does kinda suck when coming back from out west, we always get routed back through Toronto at night.

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

How Metrolinx’s plan to deliver European-style train service went off the rails

GO Expansion will still transform Greater Golden Horseshoe transit — but likely won’t be as ambitious as what was planned just three years ago

www.thetrillium.ca

How the plan for a World Class Rail network to bring Toronto in to the 21st century ran in to a wall of good old fashioned Canadian Ineptocracy

Also, we have two World Class railways already, they just transport freight instead of passengers.

 

[QV]

How Metrolinx’s plan to deliver European-style train service went off the rails

GO Expansion will still transform Greater Golden Horseshoe transit — but likely won’t be as ambitious as what was planned just three years ago

www.thetrillium.ca

How the plan for a World Class Rail network to bring Toronto in to the 21st century ran in to a wall of good old fashioned Canadian Ineptocracy

Also, we have two World Class railways already, they just transport freight instead of passengers.

I suggest the reason they are world class is because it makes much more economic sense to move freight than people.

 

[mariomike]

Good news for HSR and UPX enthusiasts.

Nov 21, 2025

National Post

Liberals propose bill to streamline, pre-approve Toronto-Quebec City high-speed rail line

Liberals propose bill to streamline, pre-approve Toronto-Quebec City high-speed rail line

Carney government is proposing to grant the Crown corporation behind high-speed railway between Toronto and Quebec City sweeping new powers.

nationalpost.com

And, good news for UP Express passengers.

Veterans do not tap PRESTO on GO Transit.

As of, 1 Jan., 2026 Veterans no longer tap on UP Express either. Just show your NDI 75 upon request. Or, CAF ID.

Veterans and Canadian Armed Forces Fare Type

Find out how to access the Veterans and Canadian Armed Forces fare type.

www.upexpress.com

25 minutes Union < > Pearson.

Union Pearson Express - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[PrairieFella]

Excellent news. HSR is a no-brainer in the Golden Horsehoe. For these intermediate distances HSR is vastly superior to flying.

 

[FSTO]

Excellent news. HSR is a no-brainer in the Golden Horsehoe. For these intermediate distances HSR is vastly superior to flying.

Because I couldn’t make up my mind, I waited until the last week before buying tickets to the Grey cup. By that time, tickets to fly from Ottawa to Winnipeg were crazy expensive and rare. So we decided to train to Toronto and fly from there. The experience was actually pretty good because we took the train from Fallowfield to Union Station Toronto, and then the up train to Pearson if we get the high-speed train between Quebec city and Toronto trips to Toronto will be Uber simple. Next, I hope that Alberta asked for federal funding for a high-speed train from Calgary to Edmonton, eventually a high-speed loop that goes from Winnipeg Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and back to Winnipeg would be amazing and then a high-speed train from Calgary to Vancouver and from Edmonton to Vancouver would make the whole thing complete.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Because I couldn’t make up my mind, I waited until the last week before buying tickets to the Grey cup. By that time, tickets to fly from Ottawa to Winnipeg were crazy expensive and rare. So we decided to train to Toronto and fly from there. The experience was actually pretty good because we took the train from Fallowfield to Union Station Toronto, and then the up train to Pearson if we get the high-speed train between Quebec city and Toronto trips to Toronto will be Uber simple. Next, I hope that Alberta asked for federal funding for a high-speed train from Calgary to Edmonton, eventually a high-speed loop that goes from Winnipeg Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and back to Winnipeg would be amazing and then a high-speed train from Calgary to Vancouver and from Edmonton to Vancouver would make the whole thing complete.

There's a $200B+ plan, right there...

'Alto' means 'Stop'. Unlike the the bottom line on the budget estimate:

Federal government to expedite Alto, Canada's first high-speed rail project​

At this preliminary stage of planning, there is no estimated construction cost, but it will certainly be in the tens of billions of dollars. It will likely be exponentially higher than the previous preliminary estimate of $6 billion to $12 billion for the original HFR concept.

For the extensive technical design, engineering, and planning work alone required for high-speed rail, the federal government has already set aside $3.9 billion — before shovels can hit the ground.

Federal government to expedite Alto, Canada's first high-speed rail project | Urbanized

The Government of Canada will expedite the planning of Alto high-speed rail to enable construction to begin in four years from now.

dailyhive.com

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

There's a $200B+ plan, right there...

'Alto' means 'Stop'. Unlike the the bottom line on the budget estimate:

Federal government to expedite Alto, Canada's first high-speed rail project​

At this preliminary stage of planning, there is no estimated construction cost, but it will certainly be in the tens of billions of dollars. It will likely be exponentially higher than the previous preliminary estimate of $6 billion to $12 billion for the original HFR concept.

For the extensive technical design, engineering, and planning work alone required for high-speed rail, the federal government has already set aside $3.9 billion — before shovels can hit the ground.

Federal government to expedite Alto, Canada's first high-speed rail project | Urbanized

The Government of Canada will expedite the planning of Alto high-speed rail to enable construction to begin in four years from now.

dailyhive.com

We could have provided them with a simpler solution:

High-Frequency Rail aka fix VIA Rail. Which like Canada Post et al... is a failing crown corporation.

 

[dapaterson]

We could have provided them with a simpler solution:

High-Frequency Rail aka fix VIA Rail. Which like Canada Post et al... is a failing crown corporation.

High frequency would still require new tracks, new rights of way, as sharing with freight is one of the issues VIA faces.

If you're laying new track, might as well also make it faster.

 

[Brad Sallows]

What will be the cost per mile?

What will be the operating subsidy per mile?

What else could we build using the first and operate using the second that would move more people more often more usefully, anywhere in the country?

 

[Humphrey Bogart]

High frequency would still require new tracks, new rights of way, as sharing with freight is one of the issues VIA faces.

If you're laying new track, might as well also make it faster.

Disagree, the cost $$$ of HSR vs HFR track is astronomically more.

There are lots of things that could be done with existing trackage to greatly increase train speed/velocity....which is our primary concern when speaking about the current problems plaguing VIA.

Things that would be a heck of a lot cheaper than +$200 billion... which is a lowball estimate for this project.

 

[FSTO]

Dedicated tracks for VIA is an imperative for HFR.