VIA Rail slashes E&N Dayliner fares

By Mike Kozakowski • Published on Monday, April 19, 2010 • Categorized as Infrastructure, Local News

The E&N Dayliner makes its way into downtown Victoria alongside Esquimalt Road in Vic West. Photo © by VibrantVictoria.ca.

This morning VIA Rail announced a sizable fare cut for travel on its E&N Dayliner route through July 31, 2010.

VIA Rail operates a once-daily E&N Dayliner train service between downtown Victoria and the mid-Island town of Courtenay. The trip takes approximately 4 and a half hours, with the train departing Victoria in the morning and returning by the early evening.

Fares must be purchased by the April 25th deadline to qualify for the discount up to 60% off the regular rates.

For more information on the deal, click here.

To discuss E&N Dayliner operations on the VibrantVictoria.ca discussion forum, click here.

Responses to this Headline or Article

The five most recent replies to VibrantVictoria.ca's discussion forum's E&N Railway (VIA Rail) discussion thread, the most relevant thread to the above headline or article:

JohnN

Jan 25, 2012 at 12:28 pm

While 1889 Island Highway (one of the Capital City addresses) has high ranking on Walkscore.com (82 - Very Walkable), 700 metres or 1.1 kms is at the outer-edge of a walkshed, especially on a dark rainy early morning or evening. E&N was really a route for downtown Langford to downtown Victoria, but with CRD going for LRT, seems that E&N may not be a "rail-trail" in the future, but just a trail. In fact, rejection by Songhees/Esquimalt Band of the "trail" part might have influenced CRD decision-makers to go for LRT route that avoids traversing reserve lands?

Bingo

Jan 25, 2012 at 1:41 pm

Quote: While 1889 Island Highway (one of the Capital City addresses) has high ranking on Walkscore.com (82 - Very Walkable), 700 metres or 1.1 kms is at the outer-edge of a walkshed...

In fact, rejection by Songhees/Esquimalt Band of the "trail" part might have influenced CRD decision-makers to go for LRT route that avoids traversing reserve lands?

Because the Songhees rejected the idea of the E&N trail going through their land doesn't mean they rejected the continuation of the E&N service.

If 1 km is toooo far to walk to get to the E&N or the LRT (if it is ever built) then they are going to need a huge LRT network to cover anything beyond that 1KM distance.

While we are pondering the feasibility of building the LRT for the next few decades, why not fix up only the Langford to Admirals Road section to see how it works. If that were done perhaps more development would occur along the E&N right-of-way.

We don't have to replace all the ties from here to Courtenay. Why not let the various jurisdictions rebuild their own sections if they want to keep the rail line?

JohnN

Jan 25, 2012 at 2:10 pm

I don't think its Songhees who are rejecting E&N, but rather that the CRD decision to go with LRT may in some small part have included consideration that to invest in a rail-line route that could be subject to treaty negotiations might not be prudent if there is an option. I'm speculating on that point.

Langford to Admirals first leg of a renewed E&N would be to serve the several thousand Dockyard workers? Seems a pity not to continue the E&N right over the Johnson street bridge.

As an option to LRT or E&N, I think the bus transit system is probably the way to go, just adding more buses and linking to inter-city buses better (ie, Duncan).

However, just like the unnecessary land-based sewage treatment plant, I think the fix is in to build the LRT as a monument of poor public policy.

Bernard

Jan 25, 2012 at 5:55 pm

Quote: I don't think its Songhees who are rejecting E&N, but rather that the CRD decision to go with LRT may in some small part have included consideration that to invest in a rail-line route that could be subject to treaty negotiations might not be prudent if there is an option. I'm speculating on that point.

Langford to Admirals first leg of a renewed E&N would be to serve the several thousand Dockyard workers? Seems a pity not to continue the E&N right over the Johnson street bridge.

As an option to LRT or E&N, I think the bus transit system is probably the way to go, just adding more buses and linking to inter-city buses better (ie, Duncan).

However, just like the unnecessary land-based sewage treatment plant, I think the fix is in to build the LRT as a monument of poor public policy.

How many dockyard workers are there and how many of them would be coming in from Langford? How much use is there of the #25 at the moment? Do they use the blue boat?

People keep saying Dockyard worker would use the service, but I see little evidence there are enough of that could use it or would use it.

JohnN

Jan 25, 2012 at 5:59 pm

Good point because when the Base Commander tightened-up on the rules for the Navy base workers to get off early - he wanted them all to go at 4pm, there didn't seem to be a huge car jam like many figured there could be. Click here for link to news article.

Quote: How many dockyard workers are there and how many of them would be coming in from Langford? How much use is there of the #25 at the moment? Do they use the blue boat?

People keep saying Dockyard worker would use the service, but I see little evidence there are enough of that could use it or would use it.

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