Quote:
Originally Posted by MTLskyline
Montreal already has an underground train station at the airport which was built several years ago. It is currently unused. Authorities are squabbling over whether to use CN or CP track (linking to Central Station or Lucien-L'Allier Station). The Montreal Airport authority (ADM) wants CN/Central Station option while the AMT commuter train operator prefers the CP/Lucien-L'Allier route. There are so many stakeholders (ADM, AMT, STM, CN, CP, VIA Rail, Transports Québec, City of Dorval and the City of Montreal) and bureaucratic games for a relatively small amount of new track.
http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/montre...e-25-millions-investis-sans-garantie.php
Overview of the whole area
http://www.bing.com/maps/#Y3A9NDUuNDUwMj...YW5lbFRhc2slMjQlMjQwJTIyJTNBbnVsbCU3RA==
Here's a closeup of the AMT (grey shelters on the northern track to the left) and Via stations (red roof on the southern track to the right). The AMT station is on CP's track which goes to Lucien-L'Allier (slightly more direct), and the VIA station is on CN's track which goes to Central Station via Point St. Charles.
http://www.bing.com/maps/#Y3A9NDUuNDUwMj...YW5lbFRhc2slMjQlMjQwJTIyJTNBbnVsbCU3RA==
Via currently offers a free shuttle to their station (I don't think it goes to the AMT station): http://www.viarail.ca/en/travel-info/transport-services/intermodality/airconnect
The service at VIA is obviously not frequent enough to be of much use to travelers. The service at the AMT station is also not frequent enough (and the station can't easily be reached from the airport anyway). http://www.amt.qc.ca/train_gares.aspx?id=260&LangType=1033
So instead, the STM offers the 747 express bus with frequent departures. It's by far the easiest way to get downtown.
http://www.stm.info/en/info/networks/bus...eroport-p-e-trudeau-centre-ville-shuttle
Currently in the Montreal municipal election, Denis Coderre, Marcel Côté and Mélanie Joly all favour improving bus service as opposed to projects like an airport rail link. Only Richard Bergeron seems to be in favour of an airport rail connection at the moment. |
Thanks for the post. What a mess though. The station is already built. The airport is surrounded by rail tracks.
And yet, nobody can agree. And CN, a company that has been headquartered here since it was founded almost a century ago, shame in them for stalling the airport rail link, and for killing the AMT commuter train potential.
And shame on our next mayor (whoever he'll be) who won't even bother trying.