Transportation: VIA Rail
Contents
[ Introduction | Fares | Transfers | Customer Service & Information | Rural Transit| Customer Lost & Found | Access for Persons with Limited Mobility ]
Introduction
OC Transpo provides the public transit on the Ontario side, while the Hull buses are run
by the Societe de transport de l'Outaouais (STO). Both buses run on inter-provincial routes
in the core, and you can use either's transfer to change to the other's routes. OC Transpo
buses are red & white while STO buses are blue and white. The federal government has designed
transportation policies (over many years) to encourage taking transit to work instead of
private vehicles. There are extensive routes throughout the region, with Park & Ride zones
along major Transitways. Buses operate 6 am to 2 am daily. Visitors are encouraged to get
a $5 one day pass for unlimited travel
Bus routes on each stop are colour-coded. Black routes run throughout the day, red numbers
are rush-hour routes, and green numbers are rush hour express routes. You can see a full
system map at: http://www.octranspo.com/maps_menue_systemMap.htm
Rack & Roll program is OC Transpo's program to put bike racks on buses. There are racks,
each holding 2 bikes, on over 150 buses on most major routes. There is no cost, other than
the usual bus fare.
Transitways
There are three key transitway routes:
- #95 which connects Fallowfield & Baseline in the west end, with downtown and Blair Road and Orleans in the city's far east.
in the city's east end.
- # 96 connects Kanata & Bayshore in the city's west end, to Hurdman in the city's east.
- # 97 connects Bayshore with downtown and Hurdman, ending at the Airport in the city's south.
There is also the #99 Queensway Cross-town bus route /transitway
These routes are shown on the OC Transpo map.
"O-Train" Light Rail Transit
In September 2001, the city begins light rail transit service. Light rail uses an existing
Canadian Pacific rail line that runs from Greenboro Transitway Station in the south to
LeBreton Flats ("Bayview" Station). Each Bombardier Talent train (manufactured in Germany) is made up
of three cars that each accommodates 135 seated and 150 standing passengers. The front
and back cars are diesel powered and enable the train to operate in either direction.
A total of five stations will provide a range of new commuting options and enhance service to
Bayview (Tunney's Pasture/LeBretton Flats), Carling Avenue, Confederation Heights and Carleton University. The
proposed schedule offers two-way, 15-minute service during weekday core hours and every
half-hour at other times at regular fare.
Fares
You must pay bus fares with exact change, since the drivers do not carry change.
To qualify for students or seniors passes, yo must have a student or seniors'
ID (at nominal initial cost). You can buy tickets for $8.50 for a book of ten.
- Regular Cash Fare on OC Transpo buses $3.00 or 2 tickets
- Express Fare on "green" routes $4.00 or 3 tickets
- Children age 6 to 11 $1.50 or 1 ticket
- Children age 5 and under ride for free
- O-Train ticket is $2.25
Transit passes are available to significantly reduce your monthly transit costs:
- Adult Regular $71.25
- Adult Express $87.00
- Student Regular $58.25
- Student Express $67.75
- Seniors $28.25
Valid O-Train Fares - Transit pass, DayPass, Bus Transfer, and a $2.25 O-Train Ticket are accepted as valid fare on the O-Train. Children 11 and under ride free on the O-Train. Bus tickets are not accepted as valid O-Train fare.
(Verified Jan 30, 2007)
Transfers
You will need a "transfer" if you need to use more than one bus to complete your trip, and are using cash or tickets as fare payment. Be sure to request the correct transfer as you board the bus:
If you transfer from the O-train to a bus, give your O-Train ticket to the bus operator. Request a bus transfer only if you need to take another bus route or if you’re on an articulated bus. If transferring to green express routes, a top-up of one bus ticket or $1.00 is required with your O-Train ticket. If transferring to Rural Express routes, top up is $2.00 or two tickets.
Children 11 and under ride free on the O-Train, though children age 6-11 who transfer to a bus, must pay a child's fare on the bus.
Transferring to STO Bus Service
You can transfer downtown to an STO bus (serving Hull, Gatineau and Aylmer)
with an OC Transpo bus pass, DayPass or transfer, but you cannot use our
tickets or DayPass "voucher" (keep this in mind for your return trip).
OC Transpo passes are accepted on regular STO service, but on their express service
you will have to pay extra. You'll also have to pay extra if you use our DayPass
or transfer on any STO route. For further information, call STO at 770-3242.
Customer Service & Information
You can get information about OC Transpo services, routes, and buy tickets and
passes from the following offices:
- Rideau Sales Centre
(near Mackenzie King Station)
Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Place de Ville Sales Centre
The Lost and Found Office, Kent at Albert
Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- St. Laurent Sales Centre
Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Place d'Orleans Sales Centre
Monday to Friday from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Lincoln Fields Sales Centre
Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Rural Transit
OC Transpo offers a number of routes servicing rural parts of the Ottawa Region.
- In the West, the following communities are serviced: Almonte, Antrim,
Arnprior, Carleton Place, Dunrobin, Kinburn, Munster Hamlet, Perth, Richmond, Stittsville, and Woodlawn.
- In the South, the following communities are serviced:
Gloucester South, Greely, Kars, Kemptville, Manotick, Merrickville, Metcalfe, North Gower, Osgoode, Vernon, and Winchester
- in the East, the following communities are serviced:
Bourget, Carlsbad Springs , Cumberland Village, Casselman, Embrun, Hawkesbury, Limoges, L'Orignal, Navan, Notre-Dame-des-Champs, Plantagenet, Rockland, Russell, Sarsfield, Vars, and Wendover
Fares are #3.00 per trip (2 tickets), $ 5.00 for express routes (4 tickets), with monthly pass options available.
Lost & Found
If you left or lost an item on a transit bus today, phone the Transit Information Centre at
613-741-4390. If the item is found today the Info Centre will contact you to arrange its return.
If the item was lost before today, phone the Lost & Found Office at
613-563-4011. The Lost and Found Office is at Kent at Albert, and is open
Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Access for Persons with Limited Mobility
Para Transpo is a door-to-door transportation service for persons with disabilities
who are physically unable to board conventional transit services. Passengers must
be registered to use the service, and make advance reservations (phone 613-244-1289 TTY 244-4833).
OC-Transpo has several low floor busses for those who are in wheelchairs and
who have difficulty climbing stairs. Unique in design, low floor busses are equipped with retractable ramps.
Fourteen OC Transpo bus routes use fully-accessible low floor
buses, (note that a few trips each day may use non-accessible
buses, the schedules indicate exceptions): 2, 5, 6, 7, 16, 18, 85, 140, 141, 146, 151, 156, 166, 172, 174, 306, 316
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