News & Media

Over the next several weeks, you will be seeing the UP Express trains in a variety of scenarios as they undergo intensive testing to ensure we are running at peak performance and staff are fully trained prior to launch. This final schedule of testing signals a major step towards welcoming our first passengers in the coming months. UP Express is on schedule for a spring 2015 start. The official date for the start of service will be announced after the successful completion of this important testing phase.

Starting Monday February 23, 2015 people may see the UP Express trains along the route from Union to Pearson and on various GO corridors, undertaking a wide variety of tests. Some of the testing will be done off hours and late at night so as not to interfere in regular rail service. All efforts have been taken to minimize disruption.

The testing will focus on four key areas:

• Vehicle Operational trials: These are “End-to-End” tests with one or two trains moving from Pearson to Union and on to Scarborough on the Lakeshore East GO line. Trains may stop for a period of time along the guide way for braking and speed tests; there will also be simulation testing of switches and signal failures. During this phase there will be intermittent bells as the train approaches the stations.
• Emergency Procedures and Service Recovery tests: These types of tests include specific emergency scenarios to exercise the co-ordination and communications among various parties. These tests will include scenarios such as a disabled train on the elevated spur requiring evacuation, medical emergencies on board vehicles and at stations, and malfunctions of the Platform Screen Door system (PSD).
• Experiential/Procedural tests: These tests may/may not involve trains and are designed for building staff experience and familiarization with various guest situations and procedures. Staff will be engaged in skills demonstration for ticketing processes, opening and closing of the stations and other guest related services.
• Simulated Revenue Service Trials: This testing will simulate the actual service with a fleet of trains running “end to end” in 15 minute intervals from Pearson to Union Station and back. The trains will pull into each station, open and close the doors and depart. Staff will be performing on-the-job training at each of the stations. Normal operational noise levels can be expected during these trials, including train bells and whistles as required by operating rules.

For further information please contact GO Transit Contact Centre 416-869-3200 or visit gotransit.com/gts.

Union Pearson Express (UP Express) and CIBC (TSX: CM) (NYSE: CM) today announced a strategic partnership that will see the bank provide innovative services that will enhance the travel experience for riders of the new express rail service between Union Station and Toronto Pearson International Airport, opening this spring.

"We are proud to be a Founding Partner in this legacy project that will greatly improve Toronto’s transit service and provide an important train link from the city core to the airport," said Stephen Forbes, CIBC’s Executive Vice-President of Brand, Corporate and Client Relationships.

"With more than 2.5 million people expected to use UP Express annually, we see this strategic partnership as an extension of our collaboration with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority and a further opportunity to bring value to our clients and travellers by enhancing their banking and air travel experience."

"CIBC brings its significant knowledge of what travellers need and want, as well as a history of innovation, to our partnership," noted Kathy Haley, President of UP Express. "This is more than just financial support – it is a strategic partnership based on mutual benefits and a shared vision of contributing to the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area."

"As a division of Metrolinx, our goal is to improve the transportation and transit network in our region, specifically by creating a faster, more convenient and reliable choice for getting to the airport from downtown. This partnership strengthens our ability to achieve that aim."

Under the innovative agreement, CIBC will have exclusivity in offering and marketing its financial services directly to air travellers, as part of an overall focus to enable its clients to bank when, where and how they want.

In return, UP Express will be able to offer improved services and amenities that will enhance the traveller experience:

• CIBC will provide travellers with access to Canadian and foreign cash through multi-currency ATMs at UP’s stations at Union and Pearson.
• The "CIBC UPstairs" lounge at Union Station will provide travellers with a chance to meet colleagues and friends, and to relax or recharge before or after their trip.
• CIBC will sponsor the Wi-Fi service aboard UP Express trains and at its stations, helping travellers stay connected while they travel.

"CIBC is thrilled to be part of a world class option for passengers travelling between Canada’s two busiest transportation hubs," stated Forbes.

"CIBC’s involvement is a major vote of confidence from the business community, and a reflection of their high interest in UP Express," said Haley. "This is the first of several partnerships we will be announcing with national and local companies to help us offer more services and amenities for air travellers."

About CIBC

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with nearly 11 million personal bank and business clients. CIBC offers a full range of products and services through its comprehensive electronic banking network, branches and offices across Canada, and has offices in the United States and around the world. You can find other news releases and information about CIBC in our Press Centre on our corporate website at www.cibc.com.

About UP Express

Union Pearson Express is a division of Metrolinx, an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one project among $16 billion of transportation improvements Metrolinx is bringing to the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Launching this spring, UP Express will be a dedicated express air-rail service connecting Union Station in downtown Toronto and Toronto Pearson International Airport in just 25 minutes.

For further information

CIBC
Caroline Van Hasselt, Director, Media Relations
(416) 784-6699 or caroline.vanhasselt@cibc.com

Metrolinx
Anne Marie Aikins, Manager, Media Relations (416) 202-5796 or annemarie.aikins@metrolinx.com

Nomad Digital has been chosen to deliver the Passenger WiFi solution for Union Pearson Express (UP Express). As the leading global provider of wireless solutions to the transportation industry, Nomad offers best-in-class technology, and will provide platform-to-train roaming and multi-lingual, real-time customer support for UP Express Guests.Read the full press release.

“The launch of online ticketing is a key step in preparing for service launch on June 6,” said Bruce McCuaig, President and CEO of Metrolinx. “UP Express is a significant proof point of our regional transportation plan in action and represents a major achievement for the city, the province and for Metrolinx.”

UP Express is also PRESTO enabled, providing Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) customers the option of using their PRESTO card to travel for a discounted adult, one-way fare of $19 from Union Station to Toronto Pearson International Airport. This allows PRESTO customers to tap on and off and seamlessly connect to UP Express, without having to purchase a separate ticket.

“This is an exciting time as we get closer to seeing UP Express in full service on June 6 and seeing Toronto join the ranks of other global cities,” said Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation. “It will give people one more option they can choose to get to and from the airport and the downtown core. This is proof of our government’s commitment to making transportation investments that benefit the entire region.”

PRESTO cards are available for purchase at service counters located at all four UP Express stations. Commemorative UP Express PRESTO cards will be available for purchase for a limited time, beginning June 6.

Tickets bought online will be sent to customers via email and will be valid for up to a year from the date of purchase. Immediate-use tickets can be purchased beginning June 6 at UP Express station service counters, Ticket Vending Machines, and on-board the train.

UP Express launches on June 6, as North America's first dedicated express air-rail link, providing reliable, predictable train service between Union Station and Toronto Pearson International Airport in just 25 minutes, with trains departing every 15 minutes, 19 ½ hours a day. It is one of several options to move travellers and tourists between these two major transportation hubs, and in the first year alone it will take up to 1.2 million cars off the road.

About Metrolinx

Metrolinx is an agency of the Government of Ontario. The goal of Metrolinx’s regional transportation plan is to provide residents and businesses in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area with fast, convenient and integrated transit. Working through its divisions – GO Transit, PRESTO, and Union Pearson Express – Metrolinx is transforming the way the region moves. For more information, visit www.metrolinx.com.

For further information and interview requests, please contact:

Metrolinx
Anne Marie Aikins, Manager, Media Relations
annemarie.aikins@metrolinx.com or (416) 202-5796

Founding Partner CIBC and Mill Street Brewery joined UP Express for an inaugural keg-tapping to commemorate the grand opening.

The event also featured Mill Street Brewery Brewer Evan Bauer, who paired his unique craft beer selections with Canadian inspired recipes from the lounge menu.

The CIBC UPSTAIRS lounge is on the second floor of UP Express Union Station, conveniently located in Canada’s busiest transportation hub, with easy access to the Skywalk and other popular Toronto tourist destinations.

The CIBC UPSTAIRS lounge is open to the public and is a welcoming place to have an impromptu meeting with clients or colleagues, have a quick lunch after visiting the city’s many attractions, or relax before or after taking a trip on UP Express.

The lounge is licensed and features Mill Street Brewery’s craft beer brands as well as wine and spirits.

The CIBC UPSTAIRS lounge is a proud collaboration between UP Express, CIBC and Mill Street Brewery.

The new station will be located between Terminal 1 and the parking garage, directly adjacent to the Automated People Mover (APM) station.

In late November 2013, hoarding was installed on the west wall of the APM station which will eventually serve as the entrance to the new UP Express station. The hoarding displays details about the service as well as renderings of the stations at both Terminal 1 and Union Station.

The station platform will be enclosed and will have free Wi-Fi, ticket-vending machines and fare card validators. Guests will be able to access Toronto Pearson’s two main terminals either by walking to Terminal 1 or by taking the APM to Terminal 3.

UP Express will provide a convenient, 25-minute service to and from Toronto Pearson and Toronto Union station with departures every 15 minutes. The service will begin running in spring 2015.

Bruce McCuaig, outlines the benefits of the soon-to-launch UP Express, a service expected to take more than one million car trips off the road. Read the full article.

has come to end. CTV News Toronto offers the first glimpse of the new UP Express train, spotted in a Toronto area rail yard on Friday. Read the full article.

The new trains will run along the Union Pearson Express corridor when service launches next year, right in time for the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games. Read the full article.

the division of Metrolinx set to launch the anticipated Union Pearson Express airport link in 2015. The full 18 DMU fleet will undergo testing at the Nippon Sharyo plant in Rochelle, IL, before heading home to Toronto. Read the full article.

Union Pearson Express station construction continues for the fixed link rail transport to Pearson Airport from downtown Toronto.

By:Tess Kalinowski Transportation reporter, Published on Thu Aug 14 2014

The Union Pearson (UP) Express terminal at the airport is already complete. Soon commuters will see the new airport trains being tested on Toronto area tracks

The downtown terminus for the airport shuttle remains under wraps. But it, too, is only weeks away from having its giant tarps pulled back to reveal the new station on the north side of the Union Station tracks just west of the train shed.

At that point, the exterior construction, which began last July, will be in its final stages and crews will begin installing the interior finishes as the train service linking the country’s two busiest transportation hubs prepares to open next spring.

GO riders can already see the ballast for the rails and the station platform as they approach Union Station from the west.

But it’s the view from inside the UP terminal that will be most arresting once the wrap comes off, said UP Express president Kathy Haley during a recent tour of the construction.

That’s when the ribbed glass facade looking south over the tracks will be visible. The interior of the terminal features a broad, sky-lit effect enhanced by a window at the west end where travellers can watch the trains coming into Union from the airport.

An artist's rendering shows what the interior of the new downtown terminal for the UP Express is expected to look like when it is finished.

It is a “picture postcard view of Toronto,” said Haley.

“It’s so impressive. When people come to the city they’ll be able to see the CN Tower. It’s so perfect for our services,” she said.

The CN Tower is the obvious landmark. But travellers approaching Union Station on the UP Express and those inside the 18,500- square-foot terminal will survey some of the city’s key attractions, including the Rogers Centre, Ripley’s Aquarium and the Fairmont Royal York hotel.

The UP terminal is being built on two levels and will be accessible from the Skywalk between the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Union Station. Most of the public areas will be on the ground floor; the upstairs will be reserved for staff and mechanical rooms.

Walking west from Union, UP customers will get a view of the airport trains alongside the GO tracks through a peek-a-boo window. The Skywalk floor in front of the terminal will be sloped for accessibility.

Immediately inside the doors, there will be a guest services desk. To the right, travellers can buy an UP Express ticket or tap their Presto card to board the train.

They can also check in for their flight, obtain a boarding pass and baggage tags and confirm their flight status via the wall-mounted displays.

Initially only Air Canada and WestJet passengers will be able to check in downtown for flights. But Haley expects travellers will eventually be able to check in from Union Station for 90 per cent of flights from Pearson.

To the left of the terminal entrance, at the east end, travellers will be able to buy a coffee, use the washroom or shop in one of the un-announced retail outlets.

The 18 UP Express trains will run seven days a week during all hours when flights are arriving at and departing from Pearson. The diesel multiple units that incorporate an engine with the coaches — unlike the traditional GO locomotives that pull coaches — will be linked into three-car units that can carry up to 180 passengers.

Built by Sumitomo Corp. , the trains have been assembled in the U.S. Their $53-million price tag is part of the overall $456 million UP Express cost.

The trains were tested on Chicago’s Metro Line on the weekend at speeds of about 110 km/h, according to Haley. But they will eventually run at more than 140 km/h in Toronto.

The service and atmosphere in the terminals and on the trains will be similar to that of other airport and airline amenities, she said. The trains even have trays for drinks and snacks as well as Wi-Fi and on-board ticketing.

The experience will hearken back to the romantic age of rail travel, she promised.

UP Express service will run every 15 minutes in both directions for the 25-minute trip to the airport, stopping twice — once in Weston and once at Bloor St.

There will be a five-minute wait at Union before the trains head back to Pearson. As on the airport end, passengers will board through platform screen doors that line up exactly with the train on the platform.

The downtown station will mirror the Pearson station design with Y-shaped supporting beams to suggest a light, open atmosphere. The interior finishes that will begin to be installed in September will include the same forest and stone colours said to be inspired by Ontario nature.

Haley anticipates about 30 per cent of UP Express passengers will be Americans, 30 per cent will be international and the remaining 40 per cent will be from Ontario.

The Union terminal has only one platform. In the event of a signal failure or other service interruption, UP Express will use a mobile platform and staircase to allow passengers to exit or board the train, said Robin Woolfrey, Metrolinx project manager.

He calls the new airport train shuttle “a game changer.”

“This is one of the first pieces of the puzzle that makes us one of the big players,” he said, referring to the transit expansion that has Toronto mired in construction designed to ward off worsening traffic congestion.

mid-August was an exciting time, marking the arrival of the first UP Express train in Toronto!

The train’s 20,000 kilometre journey home was a long one. Built in Nagoya, Japan by Nippon Sharyo, the train, comprised of two vehicles, travelled by boat across the Pacific, through the Panama Canal, and into the Savannah, Georgia arrival port where it was loaded onto its flatbed escort bound for Rochelle, Illinois for testing and final assembly. By February of next year, the full seven train fleet will make the same journey—and undergo similar testing—before riding under its own power into Toronto.

For UP Express employees, the arrival of the train on August 16th signaled a major milestone. “Our train coming home was a pivotal moment for us. It made everything real,” said Digital & Marketing Program Manager, Jannine Krish.

Similarly, for rail enthusiasts, the arrival presented a unique opportunity to be among the first to photograph and videotape the train, and to share the footage on Facebook and YouTube. Some fans even adopted the #trackthetrains hashtag on Twitter, helping to further spread the word about the train’s arrival in the city.

All Dressed UP

As the vehicles moved along the tracks and into VIA Rail’s Toronto Maintenance Center, their unique colour palette, chosen as a reflection of Ontario’s vibrant landscape and changing seasons, made them impossible to miss. But something was missing: the UP logo. UP Express Director of Operations Robert Fuller explained, “During the design and building phase, some elements were ready before others. In this case, the vehicles were ready first, so they were sent to Toronto in order to stick to our important schedule. We were, however, able to install the decals before we did any mainline testing. Our future trains will come already decaled, so keep an eye out for them!”

Within a week of coming home, the train was outfitted with its distinctive finishing touches: three UP Express logo decals applied by skilled workers with care and precision. The trio of identifying markers signaled the end of a long journey, bringing the Union Pearson Express one big step closer to our start of service in spring 2015.

Five simple words rarely if ever seen in the same sentence in Toronto, especially when they’re associated with a major piece of public infrastructure development.

Yet they are the only descriptors possible for the new Pearson International Airport to Union Station rail link now racing to completion.

Simply called the UP Express, the half-billion-dollar project will take passengers from the busiest airport in the country to its busiest downtown railway station in less than 30 minutes.

It will be finished for the Pan American Games in 2015 and be ready to serve the five million people who make the journey between downtown Toronto and Pearson every year.

Along the way, the UP Express is expected to remove 1.2 million car trips from Toronto roads in its first year of operation alone.

There are a host of other benefits expected when the line is open. If nothing else it shows just what is possible when urgent community need meets political will.

Given the state of the heated debate now swirling around the $50-billion, 25-year Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area transit plan known simply as The Big Move, it’s not before time.

Toronto needs a reminder that it can tackle big projects and drive them to completion as its manifest future needs will demand.

Kathy Haley, president of UP Express, is aware of the power of this symbolism because the project, which only started in July 2010, is a piece of that Big Move puzzle.

“Over the years there has been plenty of debate about the need for this link,” Haley told the Toronto Sun, “and once the Pan American Games were confirmed for 2015 then there was a defined end point in place. It had to be ready.

“Tens of thousands of visitors and sports people will be coming to Toronto and there had to be a way to get them smoothly and efficiently from their arrival point.

“The UP Express tapped into that urgency and has been quietly moving ahead.

“I’m not sure how many people in Toronto are really aware of just what they will have at their disposal in 24-months time.” If not, then here is a quick snapshot.

The Union Pearson Express will operate on a 25-km rail route. Twenty-two kilometres of that journey will share Metrolinx’s upgraded Kitchener GO rail corridor (formerly the Georgetown corridor), and a new 3-km rail spur will connect the Kitchener line to Toronto Pearson Terminal 1 via its own dedicated station.

The latter is the most visible sign of construction for commuters as they travel on the approaches to Pearson international.

Soaring reinforced concrete pillars mark the spot where the connection line branches off from the GO Kitchener rail corridor on the west side of Highway 427, east of Goreway Drive, and from there runs adjacent to Highway 409 to Terminal 1.

Its dual rail tracks cross over several roadways — Goreway, Zahavey, Network, Viscount and Airport roads — as well as Mimico Creek and at their highest point rise 28 metres above ground level.

This spur line connects to the new passenger station across from the Pearson Terminal 1 parking garage, directly adjacent to the People Mover station connecting Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.

Construction of the new line, along with the passenger station at Pearson Terminal 1, is being delivered under Infrastructure Ontario’s Alternative Financing and Procurement process, as a design, build and finance model.

The contract was awarded in late 2011 to AirLINX Transit Partners, a 50/50 joint venture between Aecon Group Inc. and Dufferin Construction Co., while the design portion is being completed by AECOM.

Improved transit connections to Pearson airport have been of interest since the late 1980s and the UP Express is the final step in that tortured journey.

Before the specific pursuit of an airport rail link, three formal studies were conducted and released in 1989, 1990 and 1991 but never attracted a critical mass of support. The latter two presented options for either making a connection from the GO Georgetown train line or the TTC’s Bloor/Danforth subway line.

That’s all in the past. Kathy Haley says building the service is one thing. Providing a viable business model for its efficient running is another. That’s why every effort has been made to ensure the service will be fast, modern and streamlined.

“You look at big cities around the world that give their visitors a strong first impression — like, say London, Tokyo and Hong Kong — and it comes via a dedicated rail service to the downtown precinct.

“Our service will have trains departing Union Station and Toronto Pearson every 15 minutes with just two stops at Bloor and Weston GO stations. The cars will be modern and deliver comfort and a host of other features like Wi-Fi, laptop plugs and video monitors that make them a pleasure to ride,” Haley said.

“We want to make sure it is the first choice of travellers and gives them a great first impression of the city. It will be a premium service.”

This focus on delivery is something that Haley brings as part of her management baggage. She has previously worked at large entities like Canada Post, RBC, CIBC and Imperial Oil and is determined that the new rail link gives superior customer experience.

The new train sets planned for the UP Express are a critical element in that plan. Each train will provide comfortable, spacious seating for approximately 180 people.

Eighteen Tier 4 clean diesel vehicles have been purchased from Sumitomo Corporation of America. These vehicles are 75% cleaner than standard diesel trains and will be convertible to electric propulsion if the decision is made to electrify the Kitchener corridor.

Currently being manufactured, the first vehicle is expected to arrive in early 2014 and be ready to roll the year after when Toronto has its ticket to ride the UP Express.

Part of Metrolinx’s The Big Move, the Union Pearson Express will provide rapid, stress-free, direct rail service to Toronto Pearson Airport with shuttles departing every 15 minutes. The Union Pearson Express will be “UP” and running in time for Toronto to welcome the world to the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games.

As the chief executive officer of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015), Troop says nothing but an outstanding success will convince people of the merits of hosting the event.

To that end he has just one thing to say to Torontonians.

“Get involved and help make it something special,” Troop said. “We can get the facilities, the buildings and all the associated work up and ready on time but ultimately it is the people who make these games special.”

For his part, Troop is delivering on the built framework. every year.

The most visible example is the newly constructed athletes’ village, fast taking shape on an 80-acre site next to the Don River in Toronto’s waterfront district.

The collection of high-rise and medium-density buildings will be home for 10,000 athletes, coaches and team officials, incorporating a full range of conveniences and amenities.

Located just east of downtown Toronto on the edge of the Don Valley Parkway, the village is within 45 minutes of most venues and less than 25 minutes from Pearson International via the planned UP Express rail service from Union Station.

The village is just one part of a games venue puzzle that is spread across the GTA and boasts not one but two new dedicated swimming pools in Scarborough.

Troop acknowledges that appearances are important. That’s why he is so encouraged by progress at the athletes’ village.

“Tens of thousands of drivers head past this site every week,” Troop enthused, pointing across a wide arc of bustling activity from atop the newly completed Don River Park. “Hopefully, they are looking at what was once a vacant brown-field site and seeing the cranes here, the building, the workers and wondering ‘what is going on over there.’

“Well, I’m here to tell them it’s the biggest sporting event Toronto has ever seen. It will stop the nation and show what we are capable of.

“After it is over, we have memories but more importantly legacy projects that will live on long after the happy times evaporate. We are committed to excellence in everything we do and this is just one small example.”

Troop realizes excellence only comes through dedication and hard work. It is something that his life exemplifies.

In the world of sport, Troop was an all-star varsity football player at Wilfrid Laurier University and a member of the 1978 Yates Cup team that was inducted into the Laurier Hall of Fame.

The CFL’s Hamilton Tiger Cats drafted him in 1981. Laurier named him Alumni of the Year in 2009 and one of their 100 Alumni of Achievement during their centennial celebrations in 2011.

In the world of business, he has worked across the globe including a stint at ConAgra Foods as president of the International Division, building it into a $1.5-billion business. Later, he moved to OMERS and managed a $42-billion pension fund.

Troop has also sat on numerous boards in Mexico, the Philippines and Canada, including the National Hockey League Players’ Association.

Which is all well and good but Troop’s challenge lies in the future not the past. It is also linked to keen stewardship of unprecedented levels of public funding provided by three levels of government.

TO2015 will have a budget of about $1.4 billion to spend in upgrading and building new venues across the Golden Horseshoe.

The provincial and federal governments each provide 35% of the funding, with the municipalities covering the remaining 30% of the cost.

There is also a separate one-off allocation of $1 billion dollars now being spent on the athletes’ village. After the games, the residential precinct will be marketed and on sold to the private sector.

The total spend in 2010 dollars in the original bid was estimated to be close to $2.4 billion, the highest ever spent for a Pan American Games.

Later in 2011, Toronto’s contribution to the games almost doubled from $49.5 million to $96.5 million for several reasons: the athletics stadium was moved to York University from Hamilton and soil remediation work at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus was needed before the aquatic centre could begin to take shape.

All up, the money spent to build and renovate infrastructure across Ontario will be close to three times what was outlayed for the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Are we getting a return on financial investment provided via taxpayer dollars?

“I am sure of it,” Troop said. “Look at how the Olympics helped transform London in 2012 and Sydney in 2000.

“There were plenty of doubters in the run up to both those events but they stand as two of the perhaps the best organized games in the modern era. Our games may not be as big but they are just as symbolic.

“That is what we want for Toronto in 2015. As for a legacy, look at the built environment.

“After 2015 you’ll see 787 units of market housing available for occupancy with five per cent of the total number of residential units set aside for affordable ownership. There will be shopping precincts, food and recreation areas and a vibrant new part of the city that will mesh perfectly with the neighbours at the Distillery District.

“If the Pan Am Games opportunity hadn’t been grabbed by Toronto then this would have been a pile of dirt for another generation.

“As for sporting facilities, look at Scarborough and the Pan Am Aquatics Centre alone. Where there were no Olympic sized pools, now there will be two to help train the champions of tomorrow.

“There will be a field house with flexible gymnasium space for competition and training as well as a walking track and fitness. All part of the games legacy and something I am sure that will be valued by generations of Scarborough residents to come.”

at Toronto Pearson Airport’s Terminal 1, and recommitted the Ontario government’s support for the new express rail link to downtown.

MPP Laura Albanese, Minister of Transportation Glen Murray, Kathy Haley (President, UP Express), and Howard Eng (President and CEO, GTAA) display a rendering of the UP Express Terminal 1 Station.

“Construction is on track to build the Union Pearson Express in time for the 2015 Pan/ParaPan American Games,” said Minister Murray. “It will provide high-quality service that will transform the way we travel to and from the airport, removing an estimated 1.2 million car trips from Ontario roads in its first year of operation alone."

Construction of the Toronto Pearson station is getting underway, joining the work already in progress on a new three-kilometre rail line that will connect the new station at Terminal 1 to the existing GO Train corridor to Union Station.

Travel time between Union Station and Toronto Pearson Airport will be about 25 minutes, with trains departing every 15 minutes and stopping at the Bloor and Weston GO Stations. Improvements are currently underway at Weston and Bloor GO stations to accommodate the express trains.

Construction on the elevated rail line, which at its highest point will sit approximately 28 m above the ground, began this spring and continues to meet its project milestones on time. Part of The Big Move series of transportation infrastructure improvements in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, the Union Pearson Express service is slated for completion in in time for the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games.

at Union station on July 11, 2013 to formally announce the start of construction on Union Pearson Express (UP Express) station at Union.

UP Express President Kathy Haley, Minister of Transportation Glen Murray, and Metrolinx President and CEO Bruce McCuaig at the future site of UP Express station in the Skywalk at Union Station.

Located in the SkyWalk, west of the Union train shed, the 18,000 square foot station will be steps away from the TTC and GO terminals and Toronto’s financial district. The August start on Union station marks another milestone for UP Express with all construction projects underway.

Metrolinx's construction team has been at work for six months now on the Toronto Pearson International Airport Station for the Union Pearson Express at Terminal 1. The station, sitting between the tracks of the temporarily shut LINK train, is now 75% complete, and the tracks for the LINK train will be turned back over to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority. The LINK has been replaced by buses since it closed in March to allow for the new UP Express station to be built. The LINK train will be operating again mid-October, normalizing travel around the Pearson site for airport workers and users again.

The UP Express station in context out front of Terminal 1, image courtesy of Metrolinx

The new train meanwhile, now branded UP Express, will connect travellers to and from the airport with Union Station in Downtown Toronto, stopping twice along the way at Weston GO station at Lawrence Avenue, and at Dundas West subway station at Bloor Street. The spur line leading to the airport from GO Transit's Georgetown South corridor and the new station itself are being constructed by AirLINX Transit Partner Inc., which is a consortium of Aecon Construction and Materials Limited and Dufferin Construction Company. The work is being delivered using the Province of Ontario’s alternative financing and procurement (AFP) delivery model. The contract is for a fixed price and a fixed completion date, and is overseen by Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario.

Close-up on the UP Express station at Terminal 1, image courtesy of Metrolinx

The Union Pearson Express station will open adjacent to the LINK station at Terminal 1, better facilitating passenger transit throughout Pearson Airport. Travellers will be able to head straight into Terminal 1, or hop the LINK train for the short ride over to Terminal 3.

Location of the UP Express station at Terminal 1, Pearson Airport, image courtesy of Metrolinx

The UP Express is on schedule for service to begin in 2015, prior to the summertime Pan and Parapan Am Games. UP Express is one component of Metrolinx's transportation plan called The Big Move, set to improve travel throughout the GTHA.

Want to know more about the Union Pearson Express? Check out UrbanToronto's dataBase file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Choose the associated Forum thread link, or leave your comment in the space provided on this page.