TORONTO – The award-winning Bike Train Initiative is announcing ticket sales and new routes for the 2009 season. Get active, travel local and cycle Ontario this summer.



Originally developed by Toronto cyclist Justin Lafontaine and launched in partnership with VIA Rail 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.



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.



With 1,000 passengers to date and new routes that span the province, the Bike Train is putting Ontario on the map as a leading cycle tourism destination in North America.



Toronto-Niagara Greenbelt Express

Adults $62 return, $31 one-way; children 11 and under free
8 weekends from June to October
Stops in Toronto, Niagara Falls and St. Catharines

Ontario North Bike Train (Toronto-North Bay Pilot)

Adults $153 return; capacity 56
1 weekend: August 7-10
In partnership with Ontario Northland Rail

Pilot Bike Train routes to Eastern Ontario and Southwestern Ontario are also being developed for 2009. Visit www.biketrain.ca for schedules, tickets and updates.

This story was published on 22 May 2009.