VIA Rail

[MidTowner]

In Canada, a 50 minute connection means:
1) First train arrives 30 minute late
2) Be instructed not to leave the train/waiting area, as the next train is scheduled in 20 minutes
3) Second train arrives 30 minutes late
4) Leave 40 minutes late, 90 minutes after your scheduled arrival time, having accomplished nothing.

That was hilarious!

You’re dead right, though, Via has no choice but to pad connection times. Too bad.

Between Kitchener and London, about four out of five trains I take or pick people up at are off schedule. The last time I went to the station with someone to buy a ticket, we were criticized for leaving it so late because it was about to arrive- but it was running early…

I just checked, and I might not even be exaggerating when I say four out of five. The On-time performance for Train 84 is 58.4% over the last twelve months- but ‘On-time’ for that train is defined as arriving at the final destination “within 15 minutes of its scheduled arrival time.” If it’s ten minutes early or late, it’s actually on-time, no matter what the passengers might think. And it only achieves that three out of five times. Not so good.