Megabus increasing Canadian service over summer

People lined up waiting to board a bus. CREDIT: MEGABUS
The new increased service schedule will take effect May 3, doubling the trips between London and Toronto.

As of today, Megabus will be increasing its schedules for the summer, with trips from London to Toronto doubling over what was previously offered.

The intercity bus service will now offer eight trips per day from stops at Western University, the Flying J truck stop, or by the VIA Rail station.

Colin Emberson, the vice-president of commercial for Megabus, said the route chosen for the service increase was based on rising demand to travel since lockdown measures have started to loosen up.

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“We’re really excited to see what we're seeing in both Ontario and Quebec in terms of growth last summer and even over the winter, which is traditionally lower than the summer,” he said. “We’re expecting a really busy summer tourist season, especially to places like Niagara Falls and Toronto, so being able to increase our offerings to offer more flexibility in terms of times for trips will help more people get to where they need to go.”

Emberson added that while the COVID-19 pandemic affected the numbers, there’s usually a 40 to 50 per cent increase in service over the summer, with some of the more popular routes having even higher use.

Students are one of the biggest users of Megabus, according to Emberson, who said that anywhere there’s a big university, people tend to be riding their buses.

“Students use our buses for a couple different reasons, we’re safe, we’re economical, and it’s easy for students in college markets to get to places like Toronto or Montreal with the frequency we run at,” he explained. “Even across in the states, students are a big part of our customer base.”

Students unfortunately do not get a discount with Megabus, but Emberson said it’s due to the company putting their best price forward for anyone, not just specific groups. Prices for tickets are dynamic depending on how far out the trip is booked and the amount of demand for the specific date, but start as low as $25.

“It’s similar to what you might do for an airline or a hotel. So a short trip on a Tuesday in January is going to cost less than a long trip on Victoria Day weekend,” Emberson explained. “The best thing to do is to check ahead on the website and keep in mind that they may change the trip, get busier, which causes prices to go up. It’s always best to book as soon as you can.”

The new schedule will take effect May 3. Tickets can be purchased at ca.megabus.com.