toronto ottawa bus red arrow

Toronto is getting a new bus service with luxury amenities like an airliner

It's about to get a whole lot easier to travel between Toronto and our nation's capital in style, thanks to a new bus service launching in early December that will connect the two cities seven days a week.

Inter-city bus operator Red Arrow will launch its service between Toronto and Ottawa — making stops along the way in Scarborough and Kingston — on December 4, initially rolling out with four trips per day before upping its service to a full six-trip-per-day schedule starting Dec. 8.

"This introduction of service between the province's two most populous cities proves our continued commitment to the travel needs of Canadians," says Raelene Miller, Vice President of Red Arrow's Motorcoach division.

"With higher gas prices, continued hassles with flying, and limited rental car availability, we're a stress-free, convenient, and reliable alternative."

While no prices are mentioned in Red Arrow's announcement of the route on Tuesday, the service is hailed as an "affordable premium experience."

A quick search on the service's website reveals that the just over five-hour trip will set you back $97 for a standard fare.

That's about twice the price of competitors FlixBus and MegaBus, though passengers will notice why upon boarding these fancy Red Arrow coaches.

Travellers will be treated to much more than the typical intercity coach bus experience, with Red Arrow known for including a range of amenities that are more comparable with the perks of air travel than your standard bus trip.

Like its other routes out west, Red Arrow's new Toronto-Ottawa service will offer passengers single-row privacy seating and advanced seat selection, as well as amenities like onboard entertainment, free Wi-Fi throughout your journey, and plenty of snacks and beverages to keep your energy up.

Travellers can get the jump on securing a seat with advanced reservations now available to book online by phone.

If the bus operator is not yet on your radar, Red Arrow has been a presence in Western Canada since 1979, and has since set itself apart from other services with a range of passenger perks that make bus travel a bit less miserable.

Lead photo by

Red Arrow


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