Alto high-speed rail: Canada picked HSR over HFR

Alto high-speed rail was selected over high-frequency rail for the Québec City–Toronto corridor. Officials compared infrastructure, travel time and longer-term economic effects.

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As Railway-News reported, Canada’s proposed Alto rail project explained this choice during public consultations. Officials say the federal government compared high-speed rail and high-frequency rail for the corridor. Also, they assessed how each option would meet current and future travel needs.

Infrastructure was one of the central issues. Existing tracks are shared with freight trains. So neither option could operate reliably on that network. In addition, both high-speed rail and high-frequency rail would require dedicated tracks. Alto is planned to run on separate tracks. Still, choosing HFR instead would not have removed the need for that investment.

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Travel time and the economic assessment

Travel time was another major factor. High-frequency rail would operate at 160–200 km/h. Alto’s high-speed trains will operate at more than 300 km/h. Meanwhile, the plan is to connect Montréal to Toronto in around three hours. In addition, Québec City to Montréal would take about one and a half hours.

Analyses indicate that travel times are key in influencing how passengers choose transport. For example, international experience suggests high-speed rail can shift travellers from road travel to rail. It can also shift them from air to rail. At the same time, that can support more efficient use of the transport network. Also, it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The initial construction cost of high-speed rail is estimated at 20–30% higher than high-frequency rail. At the same time, forecasts indicate the broader economic impact of high-speed rail is greater. Estimates suggest it could increase Canada’s GDP by 24.5 billion CAD, or 1.1%. Meanwhile, the figure for HFR is 0.2%. Separately, the HSR project is expected to create approximately 10,000 more jobs during construction.

Once operational, ridership is projected to rise to thirteen times current levels on conventional routes. That could help offset ongoing operational and maintenance expenses. Also, existing rail services currently require about 297 million CAD annually in government support.

Combining speed and frequency on the Alto network

Officials also stress that the choice was not a matter of prioritising speed over frequency. Alto is designed to combine both. In addition, travellers are expected to have more scheduling options. This applies between Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal, and Québec City, as previously covered by Railway Supply.

The aim is to provide frequent departures alongside higher speeds. Still, it is also meant to address long-term mobility needs.

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