Ottawa Bus Central Station
Encyclopedia
Ottawa Central Station, formerly known as Ottawa Bus Central Station (Station Centrale), is the primary inter-city bus terminus
in Ottawa
, Ontario
, Canada
's national capital city. It used to have the same management as Montreal
's major bus terminal, Gare d'autocars de Montréal before the latter was purchased by the Quebec government. On February 7, 2011, the terminal operations were sold to Corporate Customer Service Limited, a sub-contractor of Greyhound Canada. Corporate Customer Service formed a new company, Ottawa Central Station Inc., to manage the terminal. On September 1, 2011, Corporate Customer Service Ltd. handed over the head lease to Greyhound, who in turn negotiated and signed a long-term lease with the property's owner. Ottawa Central Station Inc. and Corporate Customer Service Ltd. remain as an agency within a Greyhound terminal. The building and the lot is owned by Crerar Silverside Corporation. The station is located at 265 Catherine Street, between Kent Street and Lyon Street, just north of Highway 417
, the primary expressway through Ottawa.
The Cisco Systems
Bluesfest
, Ideal Control Systems and First Student
offices are located on the second level of the terminal.
The majority of buses serving the station are operated by Greyhound Canada. Destinations from Ottawa include Toronto
(with connections to the United States
), Montreal
(with connections to the United States
, Quebec City
and the Maritimes
), Syracuse (with connections to New York City
and Philadelphia), and Sudbury (with connections to the Prairies
, British Columbia
and Northern Canada
).
Investigation Services Ltd. operates as the station's main security. The ATM
in the terminal is provided by Laurentian Bank. The new operators of the station now provide free Wi-Fi
to customers.
The station's operating hours are daily from 5:00 am to 2:30 am. The parcel department
's hours are Monday to Friday 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday/holidays 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
On December 15, 2008, new security measures by Greyhound came into place. All passengers must undergo random screening prior to boarding the bus, which includes the use of wand metal detectors and searching carry-on items. These measures are performed by the security firm Garda
. Any passenger refusing to be searched is not permitted to travel.
Other carriers stop on the road in front of the terminal to pick up and drop off passengers, such as Queen's University
's Tricolour Express (operated by Coach Canada
) and the YOW Airporter shuttle bus (on request only).
station on Tremblay Road, effectively creating a transport hub along with the proposed LRT. According to O'Brien, talks had been going on for a while and Greyhound seemed warm to the idea, however the Catherine station's owner, Stewart Robertson, was never consulted and only learned through the media about the proposed move. The move has sparked controversy and mixed opinions with the public and local politicians, stating that the proposed location is inconvenient as it's not central, or more convenient as it's along the Transitway
.
Robertson, the station's owner, released renderings of a proposed renovation that would see the inside and outside of the terminal's aesthetics improved as well as the terminal's heating and ventilation system, however these improvements would only come if Greyhound were to sign a long-term agreement with Robertson, which in the end would result in Station Centrale being phased out as the terminal's operators.
A website was created for the public to voice their opinion concerning the proposed move, Keep It Downtown, Ottawa.
On March 11th, 2011, it was revealed that Stewart Robertson had applied for rezoning of the lot to general mixed-use as a contingency plan if Greyhound were to leave.
In September 2011, Greyhound signed a long-term lease with Crerar Silverside Corporation. As a result, the terminal will not be relocated and extensive renovations are to done to the station in 2011 and 2012, possibly totalling over one million dollars.
Bus terminus
A bus terminus is a designated place where a bus or coach starts or ends its scheduled route. The terminus is the designated place that a timetable is timed from. Termini can be located at bus stations, interchanges, bus garages or simple bus stops. Termini can both start and stop at the same...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's national capital city. It used to have the same management as Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's major bus terminal, Gare d'autocars de Montréal before the latter was purchased by the Quebec government. On February 7, 2011, the terminal operations were sold to Corporate Customer Service Limited, a sub-contractor of Greyhound Canada. Corporate Customer Service formed a new company, Ottawa Central Station Inc., to manage the terminal. On September 1, 2011, Corporate Customer Service Ltd. handed over the head lease to Greyhound, who in turn negotiated and signed a long-term lease with the property's owner. Ottawa Central Station Inc. and Corporate Customer Service Ltd. remain as an agency within a Greyhound terminal. The building and the lot is owned by Crerar Silverside Corporation. The station is located at 265 Catherine Street, between Kent Street and Lyon Street, just north of Highway 417
Highway 417 (Ontario)
King's Highway 417, also known as Highway 417 and the Queensway through Ottawa is a 400-series highways in the Canadian province of Ontario which connects Montreal with Ottawa. It is the backbone of the transportation system in the Ottawa region, where it forms part of the Queensway along with...
, the primary expressway through Ottawa.
The Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
Bluesfest
Ottawa Bluesfest
The Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest is an annual outdoor music festival that takes place each July in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. While ostensibly focused on blues, the festival has increasingly showcased mainstream pop and rock acts in recent years...
, Ideal Control Systems and First Student
First Student Canada
First Student Canada, a subsidiary of the British company FirstGroup and a division of FirstGroup America, is a major contractor of school bus services and public transit systems. The company provides services in Canada comparable to those delivered by sister companies First Transit and First...
offices are located on the second level of the terminal.
The majority of buses serving the station are operated by Greyhound Canada. Destinations from Ottawa include Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
(with connections to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
(with connections to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
and the Maritimes
Maritimes
The Maritime provinces, also called the Maritimes or the Canadian Maritimes, is a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. On the Atlantic coast, the Maritimes are a subregion of Atlantic Canada, which also includes the...
), Syracuse (with connections to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Philadelphia), and Sudbury (with connections to the Prairies
Canadian Prairies
The Canadian Prairies is a region of Canada, specifically in western Canada, which may correspond to several different definitions, natural or political. Notably, the Prairie provinces or simply the Prairies comprise the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, as they are largely covered...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and Northern Canada
Northern Canada
Northern Canada, colloquially the North, is the vast northernmost region of Canada variously defined by geography and politics. Politically, the term refers to the three territories of Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut...
).
Investigation Services Ltd. operates as the station's main security. The ATM
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
in the terminal is provided by Laurentian Bank. The new operators of the station now provide free Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
to customers.
The station's operating hours are daily from 5:00 am to 2:30 am. The parcel department
Greyhound Courier Express
Greyhound Courier Express is a Canadian courier company run by Greyhound Canada. It provides courier & freight service to more than 1,100 destinations across Canada & internationally by bus or air.-External links:*...
's hours are Monday to Friday 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, Saturday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday/holidays 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
On December 15, 2008, new security measures by Greyhound came into place. All passengers must undergo random screening prior to boarding the bus, which includes the use of wand metal detectors and searching carry-on items. These measures are performed by the security firm Garda
Garda (security company)
Garda World Security Corporation is a Canadian private security firm, based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with 45,000 employees . Established in 1972, the company is the fifth largest consulting and security services firm in the world, with operations in North America, Europe and the Middle East...
. Any passenger refusing to be searched is not permitted to travel.
Main destinations
| Bus Company | Cities Served |
|---|---|
| Voyageur Colonial Bus Lines Voyageur Colonial Bus Lines Voyageur Colonial Bus Lines, commonly called Voyageur Colonial or just Voyageur, is a Canadian intercity bus company that serves Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, primarily the cities of Montreal, Ottawa and Kingston... |
Montreal Montreal Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America... , Kingston Kingston, Ontario Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post... , Cornwall Cornwall, Ontario Cornwall is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada and the seat of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Ontario. Cornwall is Ontario's easternmost city, located on the St... , Gatineau Gatineau Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census... , Grand-Remous Grand-Remous, Quebec Grand-Remous is a town and municipality in La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. The municipality is south of the Baskatong Reservoir, spanning both sides of the Gatineau River... |
| Greyhound Canada | Sudbury, Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... , Peterborough Peterborough, Ontario Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks... , Belleville Belleville, Ontario Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region... , Pembroke Pembroke, Ontario Pembroke is a city in the province of Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Muskrat River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley... , North Bay North Bay, Ontario North Bay is a city in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is the seat of Nipissing District, and takes its name from its position on the shore of Lake Nipissing.-History:... , Syracuse |
| Thom Transport | Quyon Quyon, Quebec Quyon is a village in Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. It is located within the Pontiac Municipality.-Geography:... , Shawville, Fort-Coulonge |
Other carriers stop on the road in front of the terminal to pick up and drop off passengers, such as Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
's Tricolour Express (operated by Coach Canada
Coach Canada
Coach Canada is the Canadian affiliate of Coach USA, and part of the North American operations of Stagecoach, the international transport group, with its headquarters in Perth, Scotland, UK....
) and the YOW Airporter shuttle bus (on request only).
Proposed Relocation
In early 2010, Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien announced that he was working with Greyhound to move to bus terminal to a new location next to the Via RailVIA Rail
Via Rail Canada is an independent crown corporation offering intercity passenger rail services in Canada. It is headquartered near Montreal Central Station at 3 Place Ville-Marie in Montreal, Quebec....
station on Tremblay Road, effectively creating a transport hub along with the proposed LRT. According to O'Brien, talks had been going on for a while and Greyhound seemed warm to the idea, however the Catherine station's owner, Stewart Robertson, was never consulted and only learned through the media about the proposed move. The move has sparked controversy and mixed opinions with the public and local politicians, stating that the proposed location is inconvenient as it's not central, or more convenient as it's along the Transitway
Ottawa Rapid Transit
In Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the public transit service operated by OC Transpo has two rapid transit systems: the Transitway, a bus rapid transit network, and the O-Train, a diesel-powered light rail transit service operated on one line.-Major routes:...
.
Robertson, the station's owner, released renderings of a proposed renovation that would see the inside and outside of the terminal's aesthetics improved as well as the terminal's heating and ventilation system, however these improvements would only come if Greyhound were to sign a long-term agreement with Robertson, which in the end would result in Station Centrale being phased out as the terminal's operators.
A website was created for the public to voice their opinion concerning the proposed move, Keep It Downtown, Ottawa.
On March 11th, 2011, it was revealed that Stewart Robertson had applied for rezoning of the lot to general mixed-use as a contingency plan if Greyhound were to leave.
In September 2011, Greyhound signed a long-term lease with Crerar Silverside Corporation. As a result, the terminal will not be relocated and extensive renovations are to done to the station in 2011 and 2012, possibly totalling over one million dollars.