Bayview O-Train Station

The O-​Train is very useful and practical for those living or going to and from Carleton University but unless you go to CU or live right on the route, you won’t find a whole lot of use for this public train service.
It was built as a test for rail as part of OC Transpo’s service but it’s a real shame they couldn’t have extended it right to the Ottawa Airport (it comes within a couple of km’s of the airport but will require a bus transfer).
The train itself is great. The ride is very smooth, fast and there is lots of space — although it does get busy in the mornings and afternoons during school days.
Be sure to bring change to get a ticket/​pass on the boarding platform or else you can get fined for waiting around without having proof of payment!
If you can incorporate the O-​Train easily into your commute it’s worth it but otherwise you may end up living in Ottawa for years and never having a need to ride this train — which is a shame!

There are definite plans for expansion, but for now, Ottawa’s O-​Train runs north to south. It can get quite packed, but it can also be really, really convenient. I used it ALL the time when I was a student at Carleton and wanted to go to Loblaws for grocery shopping or visit other stores in the South Keys plaza. A friend of mine had a yearly bus pass and even went as far as riding the train in between classes or while she was waiting for something or someone in the winter, since the train has heating. What a way to waste time while abusing the system haha eeps!
The ride is fast and smooth, and if you have a bus transfer or pass, you can hop right on the O-​Train without having to pay an additional fare. Sometimes the ticket machines are out of order, which can be annoying, but will save you $ 2.75. I remember the fare only being $ 2 when I started university in 2004, so it hasn’t really increased very much in the last six years. Even if it’s only a couple bucks, though, make sure you pay the fare or have some kind of proof of payment, since officers will check often and I’ve seen people get caught and fined pretty hard for not having a transfer or pass.