The London Underground (Elizabeth Line) offers a currently operational and reliable service with detailed information available to passengers. Via Rail Canada's High Frequency Rail project aims to improve connectivity, frequency, and environmental impact but faces challenges with on-time performance and has a completion date in the mid-2030s. The Elizabeth Line provides more immediate benefits and transparency in pricing, while Via Rail's project represents a long-term investment in Canadian rail infrastructure.
| Attribute | London Underground (Elizabeth Line) | Via Rail Canada (High Frequency Rail project) |
|---|---|---|
| Route Coverage | Greater London and nearby towns, from Reading/Heathrow in the west to Shenfield/Abbey Wood in the east. 41 stations. Western, Central, and Eastern sections. | Quebec City-Windsor corridor, connecting major cities such as Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City. |
| Service Frequency | Monday-Saturday: ~5:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Peak: every 5 mins (Paddington to Abbey Wood), every 5 mins or less (Paddington to Whitechapel). Off-peak: every 10 mins average. Outer sections: every 10 mins peak, 15-30 mins off-peak. Sundays: ~7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., every 10 mins. Saturdays: TfL plans to increase service frequency to 20 trains per hour. Peak time frequencies increased to 24 trains per hour in each direction between Paddington and Whitechapel. | Aims to provide more frequent departures, with a goal to triple the number of trains per day in the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal-Quebec portion of the corridor. |
| Ticket Pricing and Options | Similar to London Underground, varies by time and zones. Oyster cards and contactless accepted. Zones 1-2: ~£2.80 off-peak, £3.50 peak. Paddington to Heathrow: ~£12.80 off-peak, £13.50 peak. Children under 11 travel free. Youths (11-15) 50% discount with Zip Oyster card. Students/seniors reduced fares with Oyster card. Heathrow Airport and Paddington will cost £10.70 off-peak and £12.70 at peak times. Travel on the Elizabeth line starts from £13.90 for a journey to or from Heathrow airport, where that journey starts, ends or goes through Zone 1. | Not available |
| Accessibility Features | All 41 stations step-free access. Paddington to Woolwich and Heathrow: step-free to trains. Staff assistance available. Boarding ramps available. Carriage 5: wheelchair spaces. Trains: wheelchair spaces and priority seating. Help points on platforms. iPads with up-to-date station accessibility information. | New trains with accessible washrooms, wide aisles, adjustable seating and tables, boarding ramps, and attendant call buttons. Station upgrades include tactile guide paths, elevators, and accessible parking spaces. Online platforms comply with WCAG 2.0 standards. |
| Station Amenities | Toilet facilities at many stations. Brighter, spacious ticket halls and waiting areas. Refurbished waiting rooms/toilets, platform shelters/canopies. Key stations connect to other lines and attractions. | Information on specific station amenities is limited in the search results. |
| Real-time Information Availability | TfL travel tools or National Rail website. Digital screens and public address announcements. Staff assistance. iPads with up-to-date station accessibility information. | Modern engines communicate directly with maintenance centers for real-time status updates. Enhanced online platforms and mobile app. |
| Ridership Capacity | Nine-carriage trains: 1,500 passengers. Central section: 200 million passengers/year. Increases central London's rail capacity by 10%. Carries 600,000 passengers a day. The central underground stations are designed for 11 car trains and the signalling can cope with up to 32 trains per hour. | Aims to increase ridership. Forecasted to host 17 million riders per year by mid-century. In 2023, VIA Rail transported 4.1 million passengers within the Quebec City-Windsor corridor. |
| Environmental Impact | Environmental and economic sustainability. 98% excavated material re-used. Energy-efficient trains. LED lighting (62% more efficient). Green/brown rooftops. Platform screen doors and under platform heat extraction. | Aims to be a greener alternative to cars and planes, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The plan calls for new tracks to be electrified. Aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to 2005 levels by 2030. |
| Integration with Other Transit Systems | Connects with London Underground, National Rail, and DLR. Key stations: Paddington, Liverpool Street, and Farringdon. | Expected to improve integration with other modes of transportation, including regional and local public transit and airports. Aims to improve connections with local transit systems and airports. |
| Projected Completion Date (for HFR) | Not explicitly mentioned when the High Frequency Rail project will be completed. | Mid-2030s for the start of passenger operations. |
| Average Travel Time | Paddington to Canary Wharf: 17 minutes. | Aims to reduce travel times. Trains are expected to run up to 200 km/hour and cut travel times in half on certain routes. |
| Safety Record | Newly built/redeveloped stations and trains. Bright, spacious, staffed stations. Walk-through carriages, CCTV. Short distances between stations. Annual security plan. Help points on platforms. | Achieved its best-ever safety record in 2022 and received the 2022 Railway Association of Canada Safety Award. |
| On-time performance | Overall reliability between April 2024 and March 2025: 89.5% of trains arrived within 5 minutes of their scheduled time, 85.8% of trains arrived within 3 minutes, 77.7% of trains arrived within 1 minute. 4% of trains were cancelled. | In 2022, only 56% of VIA trains arrived on time. In the first quarter of 2025, on-time performance fell to 30%, compared to 72% in the same period last year. |