Getting Around Le Vieux-Longueuil
Le Vieux-Longueuil is a borough of the city of Longueuil, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River across from Montreal. For a visitor, the good news is that the borough is well connected to the wider Montreal region by public transit, and its historic core around Rue Saint-Charles is compact enough to explore on foot. This guide covers the practical options: metro, buses, commuter rail, taxis, walking, and how to get in from the airport.
Orientation
Rue Saint-Charles is the main commercial centre of Old Longueuil, and it is the natural anchor for a visit to the borough. Most of the transit connections you will use converge on Terminus Longueuil, the central bus terminal, which is also where the metro station is located. If you orient yourself around Rue Saint-Charles and Terminus Longueuil, you will find the rest of the borough easy to navigate.
Metro
Longueuil is served by the Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke station on the Montreal Metro's Yellow line (Line 4). The station is housed inside the Terminus Longueuil building, so bus and metro connections are made under one roof. The Yellow line runs under the St. Lawrence River and includes a stop at Île Sainte-Hélène, which makes it a convenient way to reach the islands in the river as well as downtown Montreal.
Note that metro fares are set by the STM and are separate from the local bus fares, so plan to buy the appropriate fare for the network you are using.
Buses and Public Transport
Public buses in Longueuil are managed by the Réseau de Transport de Longueuil (RTL). Most buses depart from and arrive at Terminus Longueuil, which makes it the hub for local travel within the borough and the wider city. If you are staying anywhere in Le Vieux-Longueuil, your most likely route into the network is a local bus to Terminus Longueuil, followed by a transfer to the metro or another bus.
For fares, the region uses an integrated fare structure. "Tram 3" fares cover all public transit in Laval, Montreal and Longueuil, with the exception of St-Bruno-de-Montarville, which requires a "Tram 5" fare. "Train 3" fares, by contrast, cover only the commuter train network in these areas. If you plan to move between Longueuil and Montreal by bus and metro, a Tram 3 fare is the relevant one; if your trip is by commuter train, look for the Train 3 fare instead.
Commuter Rail
Longueuil is served by the St-Lambert and St-Hubert stations of the AMT commuter train network, on the Mont-St-Hilaire line (sometimes called the "purple" line). These stations are useful if you are arriving from or heading to points along that corridor rather than downtown Montreal.
In addition, Via Rail connects Montreal's central station to Mont-Saint-Hilaire, with a stop at the Longueuil-Saint-Hubert railway station. This gives you an intercity rail option as well as the commuter service.
Intercity Bus
For travel to and from other parts of Quebec, Orléans Express provides service from Quebec City (Ste-Foy). This is worth knowing if you are combining a visit to Le Vieux-Longueuil with a trip further afield in the province.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
As a practical matter, taxis are a normal option in the Montreal region, and Terminus Longueuil is the kind of major transit hub where you would expect to find taxi service. If you need a taxi or a ride-hailing pickup, Terminus Longueuil and the Rue Saint-Charles area are the most reliable places to arrange one.
Walkability
Old Longueuil is centred on Rue Saint-Charles, the main commercial street, and the historic core is compact. For a visitor whose plans focus on the old borough, walking is a realistic way to get between shops, restaurants and nearby points of interest. The caveat is that Le Vieux-Longueuil is a borough of a larger city, and destinations outside the old core — including the commuter rail stations and some of the educational institutions — are spread out enough that you will likely want a bus or a car for those trips.
Getting from the Airport
Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL) is the main airport for the region. The standard public transit route into Longueuil is:
- Take the 747 bus from the airport to Downtown Montreal.
- Transfer to the metro and ride the Yellow line to Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke station.
On fares: a 747 single fare costs $10 and includes free use of the STM network, including the metro, for the rest of the day. A three-day STM pass ($18) is also valid for this journey. Because the 747 fare covers the STM network for the day, this is a convenient option if you are arriving and heading straight to Longueuil, and it also covers any further STM travel you do that day.
Practical Summary
- Hub: Terminus Longueuil, which contains the Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke metro station and most RTL bus routes.
- Metro: Yellow line (Line 4), crossing under the St. Lawrence with a stop at Île Sainte-Hélène.
- Local buses: Réseau de Transport de Longueuil (RTL), mostly departing from Terminus Longueuil.
- Fares: Tram 3 covers Laval, Montreal and Longueuil transit (except St-Bruno-de-Montarville, which needs Tram 5); Train 3 covers only the commuter train network.
- Commuter rail: St-Lambert and St-Hubert stations on the Mont-St-Hilaire line; Via Rail also stops at Longueuil-Saint-Hubert.
- Intercity bus: Orléans Express from Quebec City (Ste-Foy).
- From the airport: 747 bus to Downtown Montreal, then the Yellow line metro to Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke.
- On foot: The Rue Saint-Charles core of Old Longueuil is compact and walkable.