# Maple Leaf out of Toronto Union Station, what time should I arrive?



## rms492 (Aug 8, 2016)

Hello, I plan on riding the Maple Leaf out of Toronto Union Station on a Sunday morning.

Being that its a Sunday morning, should the station be somewhat not busy? (as compared to a weekday).

I am not familiar with this station, how early should I arrive? Is it easy to navigate?

I believe the train departs at 8:20am.

Thanks for any advice concerning Toronto Union Station.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 9, 2016)

Union Station is a large, busy Station, similar in usage to NYP or Chicago Union, that serves VIA, the Subway, Amtrak (Maple Leaf is Amtrak Equipment but uses VIA Crews between Toronto and Niagara Falls, ON where it becomes an Amtrak Train to NYP) and Go Trains and Buses.

I would say you should arrive at least an Hour early (.no checked baggage) and suggest using a Red Cap to board the train since Union Station is hard to get around in if you don't know it well!

I also strongly suggest you ride in Business Class ( it's in a Split Cafe/Biz Class Cat with the nice 2x1.seating and you get priority on clearing US Customs and Immigration @ the Border) though technically VIA doesn't offer Biz Class on this Train, you pay $1 to ride from Toronto to the Border, then whatever the Amtrak upgrade costs from the Border to NYP in Biz Class!

You'll have two tickets, a VIA ticket and an Amtrak ticket. Definitely Worth it!


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## Everydaymatters (Aug 9, 2016)

The cafe is also staffed by the Via crew until the border. Then they take all of their food off the train and the Amtrak crew gets on the train with all of the Amtrak food.

I was getting off the train in Buffalo and figured I would have breakfast on the train. Word of advice: if you're getting off in Buffalo, get your cafe food while the VIA food is still available.

By the time the Amtrak cafe attendant slowly got the food out and took a long break, she was finally able to open for business after the Buffalo stop was announced. I literally hurried and bought food as I was on my way off the train.


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## Palmetto (Aug 9, 2016)

Union Station was being renovated in early May, and it was a mess. Signage was temporary and poor on the lower level. It may be back to normal by now. That being said, I would imagine that early on a Sunday morning, things will be calm, both on the streets and at the station.


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## Tennessee Traveler (Aug 9, 2016)

I rode the Maple Leaf Toronto to Albany, NY early June in Business Class. I only had one ticket issued by Amtrak. Amtrak has a separate Customer Service Rep at the ticket counter in Toronto. Construction was still going on but getting to the gate and boarding was not hard for me, 74 year old. I don't know about coach but there was plenty of room at the back of the business class card for both my 24 inch bag and my carry on bag. At the border US Customs did come on board to process everyone and took our passports to process them and then returned the passports to us. After all of this, they did ask everyone coach and business to get off and go into the customs office while leaving our luggage on train. This was so that they could take K9 dogs through the train to sniff out drugs, etc. After completing that process, we were allowed to re board the train. All in all, the customs agents were professional and courteous.

I should note that the customs process was performed before entering the Buffalo station at a location just inside the border where a custom's office was located. With the opening of the new Buffalo station, i don't know if the customs process will continue where I experienced it or at the new station.

As to how early to arrive in Toronto Union Station, I suggest at least an hour since boarding actually begins at least 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Incidentally, the conductor only processed my ticket one time as we departed Toronto and not twice - once for Via and second for Amtrak so i did not have two tickets for the one trip.


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 9, 2016)

US Customs and Immigration is located in the Niagara Falls, NY Station, not Buffalo. ( a new Station,closer to the Border, is being built in Niagara Falls,NY)

The Northbound Maple Leaf does Canadian C&I Check inside the VIA Station in Niagara Falls, Ontario where the Crews change over from Amtrak to VIA.

Good to know that they've gone to a one ticket policy, the Amtrak e-tickets weren't compatible with VIA operations last time I rode last November so I had two tickets.

I still recommend a Red Cap to board in Toronto if you're not familiar with the Station or have Luggage. ( I have boarded various trains here probably 500 times and still use them when I have Luggage).


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## Dayliner381 (Aug 10, 2016)

The renovations that Palmetto noticed in May will not be over anytime soon. They are part of a multiyear project, originally budgeted at CAD 800 million, but the actual cost far exceeding that.

The hoarding and temporary signage in the concourse is due to the closure and rebuilding of the GO Transit Bay Street Concourse at the east end of the building. That began in 2015 upon completion of a brand new GO Concourse on the York Street side, the construction of which involved excavating a new level below the former parking garage. A separate project is to rebuild the platforms and train shed. The renovations to the facade along Front Street is complete, as is the rebuilding of the adjacent subway station.

Torontonians have been living with construction at the station since about 2012, but the finished product will be impressive.


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## OBS (Aug 11, 2016)

Dayliner, do you know the "projected" completion date?


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## NS VIA Fan (Aug 11, 2016)

Good video clip here on the revitalization project:

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=dfacd50749604510VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD


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## Dayliner381 (Aug 12, 2016)

The projected date for "substantial completion" currently is early 2018. There were delays in the excavation under the station to build the new concourse and retail space. Also the train shed revitization (a separate sub-project) has been complicated by the need to accommodate plans to electrify GO Train service. Electrification requires greater clearances, but the Bush train shed is subject to a heritage designation.


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