All aboard the UP Express

On June 6, the Union Pearson Express (UP Express) will officially open for business, providing a fast and simple route between downtown and the airport. On June 3, media were treated to a special preview ride, complete with presentation and treats from station retailers.

“We’re here in the heart of Union Station and the Skywalk. There are so many passengers that scurry through here in the run of a day – about 240,000 passengers a day, 65 million passengers a year,” said Kathy Haley, president, UP Express. “And now once and for all, we will connect it with the second busiest transportation hub, Toronto Pearson International Airport – about 40 million passengers.”

The UP Express will travel this 25 km, 25-minute journey along a rail corridor between Union Station and Toronto Pearson Terminal 1, with trains departing every 15 minutes, 19.5 hours a day.

A new three-kilometre connecting “spur line” connects the Kitchener Corridor directly to the UP Express Pearson Station. The spur is entirely elevated and gives visitors spectacular views of the city.

The trains, stations and even uniforms were designed to give a sense of place, including a sense of Ontario’s geography and creative and manufacturing history.

“You can see it in the wood, the colors in the signage, the colors of the four seasons in pumpkin, sage and coppers,” said Haley. “We wanted to promote the pride and prosperity of Ontario.”

A fully accessible service, UP Express will offer a host of conveniences including modern and comfortable interiors, WiFi, charging stations, infotainment screens and luggage racks. Outbound guests waiting at the UP Express Union Station can enjoy amenities such as airline check-in kiosks and flight information screens. UP Express Union Station also offers a retail zone, featuring Balzac’s Coffee Roasters, Drake General Store, Mill Street Brewery in the CIBC UPstairs Lounge, as well as pop-up retailers.

“We wanted to promote vendors who are quintessential Toronto and really unique, a little edgy,” said Haley.                        

Other amenities and services at this station include ticket vending machines, e-ticketing and fare card validators, multi-currency ATMs, a comfortable seating area, guest service representatives available for any questions and platform doors that provide level, fully accessible boarding to trains and a comfortable, climate-controlled environment.

Pearson Station is a spacious, open design of 808 square metres (8,700 square feet) designed with travellers in mind. The station platform is conveniently adjacent to the existing APM train, allowing travellers to easily access the UP Express train from other parts of the airport.

UP Express will also service stops at its Bloor Station, located on Bloor St. just east of Dundas Street West near the TTC Dundas West subway station, and at Weston Station, which is located near Lawrence Ave. West, just east of Weston Road on the GO Kitchener line.

The UP Express one-way adult fare from Union Station to Toronto Pearson is $19 with a PRESTO card or $27.50 without a PRESTO card, and includes discounted prices for families, children, students, seniors, round trips and qualified airport employees. Additional discounts are available for travellers who have a long layover at Toronto Pearson, as well as friends and family who wish to “meet & greet” their loved ones at the airport.

“Having UP Express will really put Toronto on a world stage,” Haley said.

For more information about UP Express, visit www.upexpress.com.