Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is shown at the controls of the Union Pearson Express train from Union Station to Pearson airport in Toronto on April 22, 2015.FRANK GUNN/The Canadian Press
Decades after it was first proposed, the train linking Toronto's downtown and main airport will begin service 6-June.
The launch date for the $456-million project was made public Wednesday by Premier Kathleen Wynne, who rode the train to the airport and back, accompanied by a flock of media.
"Today is a milestone," she said in the new station at the airport for the Union Pearson Express. "This is going to change the city and it's going to change travel."
The train offers a 25-minute trip from the city centre to the airport, running 19.5 hours a day. As it rolled out of Pearson Wednesday for the return trip of the media event, a gentle voice on the intercom suggested people "sit back and enjoy the ride."
The view from the UPX train ranges from dramatic to bucolic to urban grit. There are sweeping views of the downtown, a glimpse of historic Fort York and the plush greenery of a golf course. There are also a lot of industrial scenes and concrete walls, many of them showcasing the city's street art.
Wednesday's event was the first end-to-end trip for members of the public, though it did not fully replicate what passengers will experience in June. The Weston and Bloor West stations are not complete and the train was required to go slow in some areas. But it offered the first taste of a train that has been discussed since the 1980s.
The UPX train promises a higher level of service than regular transit. There will be wi-fi for passengers, check-in kiosks at the three stations in the city and a generally classier appearance.
There will also be a higher price for what is being billed as a "premium" offering. The regular one-way fare will be $27.50. There will be a variety of discounts available and those with a Presto fare-card will ride for $19 each way.
Oliver Moore