Overview
Montreal's public transport is anchored by the Metro (French: Métro de Montréal, pronounced [metʁo də mɔ̃ʁeal]), a rubber-tired underground rapid transit system operated by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM). It opened on October 14, 1966, under Mayor Jean Drapeau, and has grown from 22 stations on two lines to 68 stations on four lines, totalling 69.2 kilometres (43.0 mi). It is Canada's second busiest rapid transit system and North America's fourth busiest, behind the New York City Subway, the Mexico City Metro and the Toronto subway.
For a visitor, riding end to end is straightforward. You buy a fare or load an OPUS card, tap or insert it at the turnstile, and ride. Trains start at 5:30am daily, with the last departures at 1:00am on weeknights and 1:30am on weekends. At peak hours trains run every 3–5 minutes. Transfers between Metro lines cost nothing extra, but if you leave the system and re-enter you pay again. Local buses run 24 hours a day, every day, including after the Metro closes, so you are never fully stranded.
The network
Montreal has two rapid transit systems: the STM Metro and the Réseau express métropolitain (REM). Around them sit commuter rail, an extensive bus network, a bike-share scheme and river ferries.
- Metro (STM) — four colour-coded lines: the Green Line (Line 1), the Orange Line (Line 2), the Yellow Line (Line 4) and the Blue Line (Line 5). The network serves the north, east and centre of the Island of Montreal, with connections to Longueuil via the Yellow Line and to Laval via the Orange Line. The Yellow Line runs under the Saint Lawrence River from Berri-de-Montigny (the junction of the Green and Orange lines) to Longueuil, with a stop at Saint Helen's Island, built for Expo 67. A planned Red Line (Line 3) was never built, which is why the numbering skips from 4 to 5.
- Réseau express métropolitain (REM) — Montreal's second rapid transit system. Its first line grew out of the old Deux-Montagnes commuter train, the railway that effectively replaced the never-built Red Line.
- Exo commuter trains — five lines connecting downtown to the suburbs, including destinations such as Mont-St-Hilaire and Vaudreuil.
- Buses — the STM's local bus network runs 24 hours a day, every day. Waits range from 5 to 30 minutes, shorter at peak hours, and winter delays are common after heavy snowfall.
- BIXI bike-share — over 12,600 bikes and 1,000 stations across the island, available pay-as-you-go or by monthly membership.
Tickets & fares
Fares below are approximate, reflect the September 2025 source, and change over time — always check current prices before you travel.
- Single ride — $3.75, and it includes one free transfer to a bus. The bus fare is the same.
- 24-hour unlimited pass — $11.00.
- Weekend unlimited pass — $16.75.
- OPUS card — a reloadable fare card costing $6.
- 747 Airport Shuttle — $11.25 for a two-way ticket.
- Discounts — reduced fares are available for students, seniors 65 and over, and children under 11 accompanied by an adult.
You can buy tickets and OPUS cards at Metro stations and at participating dépanneurs (corner stores). Metro station kiosks accept cash and credit cards. Buses accept exact cash only and give no change; debit and credit cards are not accepted on buses, so you need exact change, a pre-purchased ticket or a pass. Transfers between Metro lines are free, but re-entering the Metro after exiting requires paying again. The STM recommends the Chrono and Transit apps for real-time schedules, trip planning and maps; Chrono can also check and reload your OPUS card balance.
From the airport
Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport (YUL), known locally as Dorval Airport, sits west of the city centre on Autoroute 20. The 747 Airport Shuttle connects the airport to all Metro stations between Lionel-Groulx and Berri-UQAM, and then on to the Gare d'autocars de Montréal, the downtown bus terminal. The 747 and taxis can use a special lane to bypass traffic, which matters because the trip to the centre can take as much as an hour depending on conditions. The shuttle ticket costs $11.25 for a two-way trip. For Air Canada passengers, Landline runs a non-stop shuttle between the airport and the Palais des congrès downtown every 15–30 minutes for $9 one way.
Etiquette & customs
- Boarding — let passengers off before you get on, and stand clear of the doors as the train arrives.
- Escalators — stand on the right and leave the left side free for people walking.
- Priority seating — seats near the doors are reserved for people with reduced mobility, pregnant passengers and those with young children; give them up without being asked.
- Eating and drinking — keep food and drink off the Metro; it is not the place for a meal.
- Rush hour — trains run every 3–5 minutes at peak, so let a full train go and take the next one rather than forcing your way in.
- Late at night — on buses, solo riders can ask the driver to let them off between stops, a safety feature worth knowing if you are travelling alone after dark.
- Bikes — allowed on the Metro except during some major events, and on 8 bus routes; check the loading and unloading instructions in advance.
- Accessibility — not all stations are wheelchair or stroller accessible; many older stations have stairs only, so check the Metro map, where accessible stations are marked.
Official links
Survival terms
- Métro (metro) — subway/metro
- Billet (bee-yay) — ticket
- Ligne (leen-yuh) — line
- Entrée (ahn-tray) — entrance
- Sortie (sor-tee) — exit
- Correspondance (ko-res-pon-dahns) — transfer
- Tarif (tah-reef) — single fare
- Passe d'une journée (pass dün zhoor-nay) — day pass
If you plan to ride more than a couple of times, buy an OPUS card on arrival and load a 24-hour or weekend pass, which saves you from hunting for exact change on the bus.