Bike Train - Cycle Ontario This Summer

The Bike Train Initiative introduces bike racks onboard select passenger rail trains to destinations across Ontario, making cycling holidays easy and accessible.  The initiative is a project of Transportation Options, a non-profit organization dedicated to stimulating sustainable systems of transportation.

Originally developed by Toronto cyclist Justin Lafontaine and launched in partnership with VIA Rail Canada between Toronto and Niagara in 2007, the Bike Train has proven to be a fun, economic and environmentally friendly way to enjoy a cycling getaway. Getting to the destination is made easy as passengers travel in comfort while their bicycles are safely secured in a baggage car with bike racks. In 2008 the Bike Train Initiative won two Ontario Tourism Awards: Best Tourism Marketing Partnership and Excellence Award for Tourism Innovation, and in 2009 was selected as a Finalist for the Deloitte Tourism Innovator of the Year TIAC Award.

Knowledgeable Bike Train staff are available onboard to provide cycling maps and useful information. Passengers join a community of travellers who are happy to share stories and anecdotes about their trip during the train journey.

This summer the Bike Train will connect Toronto with destinations across Ontario, providing cyclists of all abilities easy access to the Greenbelt, wine and culinary regions, northern lakes and forests, off-the-beaten-path towns and villages, world-renowned natural and historical sites, and thousands of kilometres of recreational trails and on road cycling routes.

"The Bike Train is a unique and remarkable success story within the tourism industry," said the Honourable Monique Smith, Minister of Tourism. "By expanding the bike train service to select parts of the province, this initiative is helping revitalize local tourism and is positioning Ontario as a go-to destination for cycling holidays."    (May 20, 2009)

With 2,000 passengers to date and new routes that span the province, the Bike Train Initiative is putting Ontario on the map as a leading cycle tourism destination in North America.  

Partners and Supporters

The Bike Train Initiative was developed in partnership with:

Funding Partners:
- The Ontario Trillium Foundation
- Ontario Ministry of Tourism
- Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation

Lead Organizations:
- Transportation Options
- Waterfront Regeneration Trust
- Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce

Project Partners:
- City of Toronto
- Ontario Northland
- VIA Rail Canada
- GO Transit 

Promotional Partners:
- Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership
- NOW Magazine
- Ontario Wine Council
- Pedal Magazine

...and with support from over 45 organizations including Tourism Toronto, Tourism Niagara, St. Catharines Tourism, Niagara Regional Bicycling Committee, Niagara Freewheelers, City of North Bay, Discovery Routes, Northumberland Tourism, Tourism Kingston, Rideau Heritage Route, Brockville Chamber of Commerce, St. Lawrence Parks Commission, Cornwall Tourism, and Tourism Windsor, Essex County and Pelee Island. 

Legal Advisor:
- Michael Carey, Lawyer, Macdonald Sager Manis LLP

Project Conception

Justin Lafontaine, Project Founder and Director, conceptualized the idea for the Toronto-Niagara Bike Train Initiative during a trip to the Niagara Region in April 2006. On that trip, he accompanied the Waterfront Regeneration Trust and several others from the region on their annual Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail cycle tour from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Grimsby. Impressed with the many trails, diverse landscapes, towns, cities and attractions, he was quick to begin planning another trip to the region.

When discussing the opportunities for cycle tourism with a fellow rider, Justin discovered that there was no convenient transportation option for cyclists between Toronto and the Niagara Region (the existing train service does not provide baggage capacity, and buses usually require bikes to be boxed prior to loading). This led him to VIA Rail Canada and other partners to discuss the potential to introduce a Bike Train service – a concept that quickly garnered support from government contacts, tourism organizations, small businesses, media and the public.

A project proposal was subsequently developed for the Ontario Ministry of Tourism - Investment Development Office and funding for the Pilot Year of the Toronto-Niagara Bike Train Initiative was announced in January 2007.

Transportation Options' Team

Justin Lafontaine
Projects Director, Transportation Options
Founder, Bike Train Initiative and Welcome Cyclists Network
416-392-1556
jlafont (at) toronto (dot) ca
Justin has been developing innovative tourism initiatives and collaborative partnerships for over 10 years.  He is the Project Founder of the Bike Train Initiative and was awarded the Ontario Tourism Innovator of the Year Award in 2008.  He developed the Welcome Cyclists Network, a cycle tourism industry standards and destination development project now expanding across the province.  As Director of the Ontario Cycle Tourism Forum and numerous public and industry events, he works collaboratively with colleagues and partners to establish Ontario as a leading sustainable tourism destination in North America.  Justin earned a B.A. with Specialization in Urban Studies from Concordia University in 1998. 

Peter Lipscombe
Bike Train Operations and Marketing Manager
416-338-0499
plipsco (at) toronto (dot) ca
Peter has been working at the Bike Train since the beginning of the 2008 season, He supports the Bike Train initiative by adapting his marketing experience, passion for cycling and enthusiasm for sustainable living to the realm of cycle tourism. Having recieved a bachelors degree in Environmental Science from Mcgill University, he is well versed in the positive aspects of alternative transportation.  

Louisa Mursell
Welcome Cyclists Network Manager
416-338-5083
lmursel (at) toronto (dot) ca
Louisa has been working on sustainable,  green and new tourism initiatives for a number years. As the Greenbelt Express and Operations Manager for the Bike Train Initiative she brings much knowledge of the cycle tourism in Ontario to this project. Additionally, assisting with the coordination of Ontario's Cycle Tourism Industry Forum has introduced her to many of the business owners, partners and organizations interested cycle tourism across the province. Louisa holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo.