Toronto-Niagara Bike Train
Encyclopedia
The Toronto-Niagara Bike Train (known in short as "The Bike Train") is an award-winning initiative in Southern Ontario
allowing cyclists to travel by train
on Via Rail
to destinations across Ontario including Toronto
, Niagara Falls
, St. Catharines, and North Bay
, as well as the city of Montreal
in Quebec
. 2009 saw a large expansion of the Bike Train Initiative, with new routes and ore weekends of service.
The Bike Train initiative is independently coordinated, promoted, and ticketed service, utilizing existing Via Rail
passenger trains, with an additional baggage car
containing bike racks for 56 bicycle
s. Each passenger ticket for scheduled Bike Train departures includes both a passenger seat and a bike rack reservation.
The Bike Train initiative was developed in response to the growing tourism
demand and economic opportunity for improved transportation access for cyclists between Toronto and the Niagara Region.
to Grimsby, Ontario
. Impressed with the many trails, diverse landscapes, towns, cities and attractions, he was quick to begin planning another trip to the region.
When discussing the opportunities for cycle tourism with a fellow rider, Justin discovered that there was no convenient transportation option for cyclists between Toronto and the Niagara Region; the existing train service did not provide baggage capacity, and buses usually require bikes to be boxed prior to loading. This led him to Via Rail Canada and other partners to discuss the potential to introduce a Bike Train service – a concept that quickly garnered support from government contacts, tourism organizations, small businesses, media and the public.
A project proposal was subsequently developed for the Ontario Ministry of Tourism - Investment Development Office and funding for the Pilot Year of the Toronto-Niagara Bike Train Initiative was announced in January 2007.
In 2008, The Bike Train received further funding support from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation.
In 2009, with the support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation
, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation and the Ontario Ministry of Tourism the Bike Train successfully expanded to two new routes. The Ontario North route took passengers from Toronto
to North Bay
using the Ontario Northland's passenger rail service for a pilot weekend in August. The new Montreal
- Toronto
route provided daily service between Canada's two biggest cities.
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
allowing cyclists to travel by train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
on Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
to destinations across Ontario including Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903...
, St. Catharines, and North Bay
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
, as well as the city of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. 2009 saw a large expansion of the Bike Train Initiative, with new routes and ore weekends of service.
The Bike Train initiative is independently coordinated, promoted, and ticketed service, utilizing existing Via Rail
VIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
passenger trains, with an additional baggage car
Baggage car
A baggage car or luggage van is a type of railway vehicle often forming part of the composition of passenger trains and used to carry passengers' checked baggage, as well as parcels . Being typically coupled at the front of the train behind the locomotive, this type of car is sometimes described...
containing bike racks for 56 bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
s. Each passenger ticket for scheduled Bike Train departures includes both a passenger seat and a bike rack reservation.
The Bike Train initiative was developed in response to the growing tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
demand and economic opportunity for improved transportation access for cyclists between Toronto and the Niagara Region.
History
Project founder Justin Lafontaine conceptualized the idea for the Toronto-Niagara Bike Train Initiative during a trip to the Niagara Region in April 2006. On that trip, he accompanied the Waterfront Regeneration Trust and several others from the region on their annual Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail cycle tour from Niagara-on-the-Lake, OntarioNiagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
to Grimsby, Ontario
Grimsby, Ontario
Grimsby is a town on Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. Grimsby is a part of the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. The majority of residents reside in the area bounded by Lake Ontario and the Niagara escarpment...
. Impressed with the many trails, diverse landscapes, towns, cities and attractions, he was quick to begin planning another trip to the region.
When discussing the opportunities for cycle tourism with a fellow rider, Justin discovered that there was no convenient transportation option for cyclists between Toronto and the Niagara Region; the existing train service did not provide baggage capacity, and buses usually require bikes to be boxed prior to loading. This led him to Via Rail Canada and other partners to discuss the potential to introduce a Bike Train service – a concept that quickly garnered support from government contacts, tourism organizations, small businesses, media and the public.
A project proposal was subsequently developed for the Ontario Ministry of Tourism - Investment Development Office and funding for the Pilot Year of the Toronto-Niagara Bike Train Initiative was announced in January 2007.
In 2008, The Bike Train received further funding support from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation.
In 2009, with the support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation
Ontario Trillium Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation , is an agency of the government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading grantmaking foundations. It was created in 1982...
, Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation and the Ontario Ministry of Tourism the Bike Train successfully expanded to two new routes. The Ontario North route took passengers from Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to North Bay
North Bay, Ontario
North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:...
using the Ontario Northland's passenger rail service for a pilot weekend in August. The new Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
- Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
route provided daily service between Canada's two biggest cities.
Objectives
- Introduce and operate passenger rail service between Toronto and the Niagara Region with bike racks on-board
- Promote cycle-tourism and cycling destinations across Ontario
- Increase inbound cycle tourists to Toronto and the Niagara Region
- Improve accessibility while reducing automobile pollution and traffic congestion
- Promote Toronto and the Niagara Region as a leading cycle tourism destinations with unsurpassed natural beauty, well-developed cycling infrastructure, diverse accommodation and dining options, and world-renowned tourist attractions
- Increase overnight stays in Toronto and the Niagara Region
- Develop the project as a future model for other regions
2009 funding partners
- Ontario Ministry of Tourism
- Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation (website)
- Ontario Trillium FoundationOntario Trillium FoundationThe Ontario Trillium Foundation , is an agency of the government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading grantmaking foundations. It was created in 1982...
Lead organizations
- Transportation Options (website)
- Waterfront Regeneration Trust (website)
- Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce (website)
- Via RailVIA RailVia Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
Canada (website)
Project partners
- City of Toronto (website)
- Via RailVIA RailVia Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
Canada (website) - Ontario Northland Rail (website)
Promotional partners
- Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership
- Pedal Magazine
- Wine Council of Ontario (website)
Other supporters
- Brock UniversityBrock UniversityBrock University is a comprehensive university located in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Brock offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs that include co-op and other experiential learning opportunities to an enrolment of over 17,000 full-time students.The enabling legislation is...
- City of St. Catharines, Ontario
- Cycle Ontario
- Grimsby Chamber of Commerce
- Grimsby Downtown Improvement Area
- Grimsby Economic Development Committee
- I Bike T.O.
- Niagara Falls Downtown BIA
- Niagara Falls Tourism
- Niagara Freewheelers Bicycle Touring Club
- Niagara Fruit Education Centre
- Niagara Parks CommissionNiagara Parks CommissionThe Niagara Parks Commission, or Niagara Parks for short, is an agency of government of Ontario which maintains the Ontario shoreline of the Niagara River.- History :...
- Regional Municipality of Niagara
- Regional Niagara Bicycling Committee
- Ryerson UniversityRyerson UniversityRyerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
- Toronto Coalition for Active TransportationToronto Coalition for Active TransportationThe Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation was formed in 2006 to give a unified voice to over 43 groups working for a better cycling and pedestrian environment in Toronto...
(TCAT) - Toronto Cyclists UnionToronto Cyclists UnionStarted in 2008, the Toronto Cyclists Union is Toronto's largest cycling advocacy organization with over 500 members as of 2008. -History:...
- Tourism Toronto