Buses and Trains

Coach Buses

Tricolour Express

The Tricolour Express, operated by the Alma Mater Society, between Queen’s and either Toronto, Ottawa, or Montreal. It is the cheapest bus out of town, but it only runs on the weekends. Tickets can be purchased from Destinations in the JDUC and should be booked ahead of time, especially for busy weekends like Thanksgiving. There are also nine-trip packs that save you about 10%.

Coach Canada · Greyhound

For more frequent service, Coach Canada fits the bill. It doesn’t hit all the small towns along the way to Toronto or Montreal, which is good if you want to go to the city, but less-than-good if your destination is somewhere in between. For those who need to visit the smaller places, Greyhound is your only option, but the ride may take quite awhile. A cab ride to the bus station at 1175 John Counter Boulevard costs about $13, but the city bus will get you there for free with your student card.

Train

VIA Rail

Train service out of Kingston runs from the Via Rail station at 1800 John Counter Boulevard. Service to Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa is fairly frequent. Although the train does cost more than the bus, you can reduce the costs significantly by obtaining a ISIC card from any student travel centre, which costs $14. There is a multiple trip pack for students, so ask at the train station for pricing. As well, the OMA provides some nice discounts on train ticket pricing. A cab ride to the train station costs about $15, but there is also a city bus—free with your student card—that runs to the train station.

Approximate Prices for Buses and Trains