As a bustling metropolis, it's pretty easy to get around Montreal. As far as its public transport is concerned, you have a lot of options to choose from in this city. You can either take the STM Metro system, ride a bus, or get a taxibus. And when all else fails, you can always book your own ride via a transportation app. Part of what makes a city such a great destination is that you can easily get around. Traveling from one place to another is no hassle. And here in Montreal, commuting is a piece of cake!
Every major city offers its own travel pass/es and Montreal is no different! Here, you can get the OPUS Card to make for easier commutes and quicker transactions. You can get them at any metro station and they only cost around C$6.00 each. Not too bad, right? Especially since you can reload them online or at kiosks in the various metro stations. You won't have to get in line to pay for your public transit fares anymore. Moreover, the OPUS Card is one of the very few travel passes out there that you can use on car-sharing services too.
All About The STM Metro System
Just like the
metro in Paris or the
subway in New York, the underground STM Metro System is arguably the most efficient way to get around Montreal. It offers various routes throughout the city and they're determined by color. The orange route travels from east to north, starting at Ville St-Laurent and going to Laval. The green route starts from the Angrignon metro in southwest Montreal and goes to the Honoré-Beaugrand metro station. The blue route moves from Downtown Montreal to Saint Michel, intersecting with the orange route. And the yellow line starts at Quartier Latin and travels all the way to Longueuil, intersecting with orange and green routes.
Taking The STM Buses
Depending on your destination, you might find it easier to travel by bus instead. Compared to the STM Metro system, the STM buses cover a lot more ground on the Montreal public transport map. The former mostly covers the
central neighborhoods and urban areas while the latter goes way beyond them. There are some lines that can take you all the way to the airport, the West Island, and beyond! Furthermore, the buses run 24/7, making it a convenient alternative for when the metro closes at either 12:30 am on weekdays or 1:30 am on weekends.
The Taxibus
Although there are standard taxis in Montreal, you'll also find what they call the '
taxibus' here too. But what exactly are they? It's a special bus service that can take you to places that the other modes of public transportation in Montreal don't cover. However, you'll need to book your taxi bus at least an hour or 40 minutes before your departure. You can also share your ride with others as long as their destinations are on the same route. And as for payment, you can only use your OPUS card or credit card to pay for the ride. The taxibus doesn't accept cash!
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ JasonVogel
Cycling Around Montreal
Despite how big of a city Montreal is, you can still ride your bike to get around here. In fact, cycling has become quite popular in Montreal public transport for various reasons. Firstly, it helps the cyclist maintain fitness since it's also a form of exercise. Secondly, riding a bike helps you discover different routes, shortcuts, and even avoid traffic to get to your destination. And third, thanks to Montreal's premiere bike service,
BIXI, you can easily rent a bike at only C$5.25 per day. It's a great and more affordable alternative compared to the other public transport options in the city.
Montreal's Exo Train
While you can easily get around the more urban areas and popular neighborhoods in Montreal, what about when want to venture beyond the city? To the neighboring towns, for example. How can you reach them via Montreal public transport? Take the Exo Train! Consisting of six separate lines in total, the Exo Train can take you to the outer parts of the city and beyond. Their many destinations include Candiac, Deux-Montagnes, Mascouche, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Saint-Jerome, and Vaudreuil-Hudson. And don't worry! Even when the Exo Train goes outside of Montreal, you can still use your OPUS Card to pay for your ride.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Mtlfiredude
The Airport Shuttle Service
You already know that buses and the taxibus can take you to the airport and back. However, there's also the 747 Airport Shuttle Service to consider as well. Montreal public transportation relies on it as it is the main and most affordable way to get to the airport from Downtown Montreal. The ride only costs C$10.00 and you'll reach the airport in no time! Just remember to buy your ticket at the STM kiosk or reload your OPUS Card beforehand since this shuttle service doesn't accept cash.
And finally, when all else fails, you can always rely on your transportation app. Even beyond the well-known ride-hailing apps and journey-planning programs, Montreal even offers its own transportation apps too! One of the most prominent of which is
car2go, a car-sharing app. Make no mistake, this isn't a ride-hailing app like Uber or Lyft. Just as its name says, car2go allows you to rent and drive a car when you need it. The app rates you C$1.00 per minute so how much you pay depends on how long you need the car.
Need to get around Montreal? Not to worry! Montreal's public transport offers up a ton of easy and efficient options to get you to where you need to be. Whichever way you commute, you will reach your destination in no time!
