Travellers to and from Canada's biggest city can now speed between the airport and the downtown core with the launch of the Union Pearson Express.

The train, which started running regularly on Saturday morning, provides a direct link between Pearson International Airport and Union Station downtown. Pearson and Union are the busiest transit hubs in Canada.

Trains are scheduled to run every 15 minutes, and each trip takes approximately 25 minutes along a track elevated 28 metres above the highway.

"It’s going to be just great to help people get around a city that has a real congestion problem," Toronto Mayor John Tory said Saturday morning.

After riding the train, the mayor described the experience as "fabulous."

"The ticket-buying was easy, we just got on the train and it left on time and just brought us right down here. It’s absolutely fantastic," Tory said, adding Torontonians can take pride in the new transit service. "I think visitors are going to love it, especially on one of those snowy wintry days or in one of those traffic jams that we get far too often."

By 2031, 190 million passengers are expected to ride the UP Express.

One-way adult tickets cost $27.50, and are valid for a year after purchase. Other ticket options are:

  • Adult return - $53
  • Student or senior one-way - $23.40
  • Student or senior return - $44.80
  • Child one-way - $13.75
  • Child return - $25.50
  • Family one-way - $55
  • "Meeter and greeter" return - $27.50
  • Long layover return - $27.50

More details, including ticket information and stop locations, are available online.