VIA Rail

[plam]

I believe Via has a train or two with a bike rack, so you don't need to box your bike.  I don't know about transfers, I'm not even sure there is a transfer which has bike options on both legs.  

Out of curiosity, how did you take your bike on GO, I thought all our trains qualified as rush hour trains, and thus bikes were prohibited.  I've taken my bike on the GO bus once, the experience was acceptable, although it was a little nerve wracking having a bike on the front of a bus on the highway.

I have wanted to take my bike to Montreal, but have never been able to figure out an option which didn't seem like more trouble than just renting bikes there (where was pretty easy).  If you find a way, please let me know.  

As for missed connections, I know if you book book all your legs in one trip, even if some are on GO, Via should guarantee your transfers.  I didn't do that (because Via only books GO Train, not GO Bus), and as a result of very slow busses I missed my connection (I was pretty steamed that 3.5 hours was insufficient time to get to Union station).  I called Via as it became apparent that I would miss the connection, and when I got to union (at one minute past departure time) the Via attendant there was able to book me on the next train (which was the next day sadly).  They told me calling ahead was a good idea.

Via says most of their trains with baggage trains also have bike racks, but maybe you might get unlucky and get one without a bike rack. You can transfer from the Corridor (Toronto-Montreal) to the Ocean (Montreal-Halifax) and both of those trains have baggage cars (sometimes); that is the itinerary I'm planning for in April. The Canadian (Toronto-Vancouver) also has baggage cars.

I can't remember when I took my bike on GO or which bike I took. I have a suspicion it was my folding bike, which is always allowed. I have access to bikes at my parents' place in Montreal as well, so I don't usually rent bikes there. I can't remember if I took my bike on a GO bus and whether I put it in the hold. I have taken skis on GO buses. But it looks like the last train of the day to Kitchener leaves at 6:50pm, which is outside rush hour.

I missed a Via-Via connection once when the train from Kitchener got delayed by a demolition in Toronto which didn't go as planned and impinged on the tracks, so we had to backtrack and take an alternate route. That's when they rebooked me, despite separate itineraries.