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I’m taking VIA to/from Belleville in October. How reliable is the gps tracking of one’s train on the VIA app? My event ends around 9pm, the same time as the last train to Toronto. I don’t want to leave early to catch. The train if it’s late. Cheekily, only the backwards facing seats are no additional charge.
 
Admiral Beez said:
I’m taking VIA to/from Belleville in October. How reliable is the gps tracking of one’s train on the VIA app? My event ends around 9pm, the same time as the last train to Toronto. I don’t want to leave early to catch. The train if it’s late. Cheekily, only the backwards facing seats are no additional charge.
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Lol you sure there isn't some ridiculous VIA policy that they won't let you board if you arrive after the train's scheduled departure time even if the train is late? I wouldn't be surprised 😂.
 
bearcat said:
Lol you sure there isn't some ridiculous VIA policy that they won't let you board if you arrive after the train's scheduled departure time even if the train is late? I wouldn't be surprised 😂.
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I am sure of nothing. It's a business event and I thought I'd try it over driving four plus hours return.
 
bearcat said:
Lol you sure there isn't some ridiculous VIA policy that they won't let you board if you arrive after the train's scheduled departure time even if the train is late? I wouldn't be surprised 😂.
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There obviously is no such ridiculous rule and nobody is stopping you from boarding, as long as you arrive before boarding closes…
 
Urban Sky said:
There obviously is no such ridiculous rule and nobody is stopping you from boarding, as long as you arrive before boarding closes…
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I mean they could technically? "For operational reasons, VIA Rail reserves the right to restrict platform access five (5) minutes before your scheduled departure." As per "https://www.viarail.ca/en/conditions-contract" and you would have no recourse as you agreed to these rules when you bought the ticket.

I mean it's very very unlikely that they would.... but stranger things have happened.

Not the same situation but there was a Reddit post recently where someone got refused boarding as they arrived 5.minues before the departure time on their ticket at Ottawa station.

Off topic, but just like with the GO trains at Union, I don't care when the train actually departs but when the doors close. That's what should be on the public facing schedule and tickets.
 
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bearcat said:
I mean they could technically? "For operational reasons, VIA Rail reserves the right to restrict platform access five (5) minutes before your scheduled departure." As per "https://www.viarail.ca/en/conditions-contract" and you would have no recourse as you agreed to these rules when you bought the ticket.

I mean it's very very unlikely that they would.... but stranger things have happened.

Not the same situation but there was a Reddit post recently where someone got refused boarding as they arrived 5.minues before the departure time on their ticket at Ottawa station.
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In stations where VIA controls access to the platform, VIA does not let you on the platform before the train has arrived. Therefore, you can be sure to be able to board the train if you arrive no later than the train.
bearcat said:
Off topic, but just like with the GO trains at Union, I don't care when the train actually departs but when the doors close. That's what should be on the public facing schedule and tickets.
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I couldn’t agree more, but the UK does the same crap: closing the doors 40-60 seconds before departure time and then sitting with closed doors until the clock hits the dot, whereas in Germany, that would be the time where the conductor blows his whistle before activating the doors…
 
Admiral Beez said:
I’m taking VIA to/from Belleville in October. How reliable is the gps tracking of one’s train on the VIA app? My event ends around 9pm, the same time as the last train to Toronto. I don’t want to leave early to catch. The train if it’s late. Cheekily, only the backwards facing seats are no additional charge.
Click to expand...
VIA's website tracker is very accurate in my experience. It even shows the speed the train is going, how many minutes to next stop etc. The issue of boarding/platform access is more acute at originating stations than those en route. (Just one more way VIA is emulating airline procedures.."OK, we're just about to push away from the gate so we've closed boarding" and there is no walkway to the plane. That's a little bit different.)

It's one thing if your train is shown to be operating 40 minutes late en route (actually very likely if it's a Venture consist) but I've often said I'd rather spend five minutes sitting at the station than rushing getting to the station and missing the train for the sake of five minutes. Especially the last train of the day!
 
bearcat said:
I mean they could technically? "For operational reasons, VIA Rail reserves the right to restrict platform access five (5) minutes before your scheduled departure." As per "https://www.viarail.ca/en/conditions-contract" and you would have no recourse as you agreed to these rules when you bought the ticket.
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It would take me both hands to count the number of times I have stepped onto a VIA train and had it start moving before I had a chance to sit down.

If the crews see you hustling for the train, they will wait for you.

Dan
 
smallspy said:
It would take me both hands to count the number of times I have stepped onto a VIA train and had it start moving before I had a chance to sit down.
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I miss the days where you could still board as the train was starting to move ... not really an option now with these new-fangled LRC doors.
 
cplchanb said:
Maybe didn't work logistically
Or a legal solution to the 32 axle count rule is incoming
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I like your optimism re: the legal solution. Finally? Can our optimism be disguised as a misguided leap of faith?
Actually, a third option. Possibility of two Legacy cars being coupled to non-doublavay joint Venture consists to skirt the axle count.
 
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