How do visitors use the Montreal metro?

Montreal's STM metro has four lines (Orange, Green, Blue, Yellow) serving the main visitor destinations. A single fare costs CAD 3.75 (2026). Visitors can buy a day pass (CAD 11) or 3-day pass (CAD 22) at any ticket window or machine. The Yellow Line connects to the airport bus hub at Berri-UQAM. Machines accept credit cards and the system uses paper tickets — there is no smart card for casual visitors.

Montreal Metro Guide for Visitors: STM Lines, Fares, Tips & What to Know

Montreal’s Société de transport de Montréal (STM) metro is one of the finest urban transit systems in North America — rubber-tyred trains (the same technology as the Paris Métro), frequent service, and a network that covers the central city and major neighbourhoods comprehensively. For visitors based in the main tourist districts, the metro handles the majority of necessary city travel efficiently and cheaply.

This guide covers everything a visitor needs to use the STM metro: fares, passes, line descriptions, key stations for tourist destinations, and the specific logistics of getting between the airport and the downtown metro network.

The four metro lines

Montreal’s metro has four colour-coded lines:

Orange Line (Ligne Orange)

The Orange Line is the longest and most useful for visitors. It runs in a roughly U-shaped arc through the city’s core, connecting:

Côte-Vertu (northwest terminus) through Montmorency (northeast terminus)
Key stations: Lionel-Groulx (interchange), Bonaventure (central hub), Berri-UQAM (main transfer point), Mont-Royal (Plateau entry), Jean-Talon (market district), Snowdon, and Côte-des-Neiges

For visitors, the Orange Line provides access to: Old Montreal (Champ-de-Mars or Place-d’Armes stations), downtown (McGill, Peel, Guy-Concordia), the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood (Mont-Royal station), Jean-Talon Market (Jean-Talon station), Mile End (Rosemont station, then walk), and the major hospitals.

Green Line (Ligne Verte)

The Green Line runs east-west across the central city. Key visitor stations include:

Atwater (Westmount and Atwater Market)
Guy-Concordia (Concordia University, main shopping streets)
McGill (McGill University, downtown hotels)
Berri-UQAM (main transfer hub)
Joliette, Pie-IX (Olympic Stadium and Botanical Garden)
Honoré-Beaugrand (eastern terminus)

The Green Line is the primary access to the Olympic area and east-end neighbourhoods.

Blue Line (Ligne Bleue)

The Blue Line runs east-west through the northern plateau and university corridor. Key visitor stations:

Snowdon (interchange with Orange Line)
Université de Montréal (UMontréal campus)
Outremont (quiet neighbourhood)
Acadie, Parc, Rosemont (residential neighbourhoods increasingly interesting for independent restaurants)
Saint-Michel (eastern terminus)

The Blue Line is less critical for standard visitor itineraries but useful for reaching the northern Plateau without changing lines.

Yellow Line (Ligne Jaune)

The shortest line — only three stations — but essential for two specific purposes:

Berri-UQAM to Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke (crossing the St. Lawrence to the south shore)
Berri-UQAM to Jean-Drapeau (Île Sainte-Hélène, site of the Biosphère and the Casino de Montréal)

For visitors wanting to reach Île Sainte-Hélène — the island in the St. Lawrence that hosted Expo 67 and is now a park — the Yellow Line to Jean-Drapeau station is the most direct access.

Fares and passes

Single fare

A single ride costs CAD 3.75 (2026 rate; fares are adjusted periodically — verify current rates at STM.info). A single fare gives unlimited transfers for 90 minutes from first validation, meaning you can make a transit change without paying again within the 90-minute window.

Day passes

24-hour pass: CAD 11. Valid for unlimited travel for 24 hours from first use. This is the most practical option for visitors spending a full day in the city.

3-day pass: CAD 22. Valid for unlimited travel for 72 hours. Ideal for visitors spending three or more days in Montreal who want full transit access without calculating individual fares.

10-trip tickets: CAD 33.50. These are on paper tickets (magnetic strip) sold in a bundle of 10 single rides. Useful for visitors who will use the metro daily but not so frequently that a day pass provides better value.

Where to buy

Tickets and passes are sold at:

All STM metro station ticket windows (staffed windows, available during most service hours)
Ticket machines at all stations (accept credit and debit cards as well as coins and bills)
Some convenience stores (dépanneurs) near major stations sell individual tickets

There is no smart card system for casual visitors as of 2026. The STM uses a paper-based ticketing system (magnetic strip tickets) for all fare types. Long-term residents use the OPUS card (a rechargeable smart card), but these require photo registration and are not practical for short-term visitors.

Key stations for visitors

Destination	Nearest station	Line
Old Montreal (Basilique Notre-Dame)	Place-d’Armes	Orange
Old Montreal (Old Port)	Champ-de-Mars	Orange
Downtown (main shopping)	McGill or Peel	Green
Quartier des spectacles (festivals)	Place-des-Arts	Green
Plateau-Mont-Royal	Mont-Royal	Orange
Mile End	Rosemont (then walk NW)	Orange
Jean-Talon Market	Jean-Talon	Orange
Mont-Royal Park entrance	Mont-Royal (then walk)	Orange
Olympic Stadium / Botanical Garden	Pie-IX or Viau	Green
Île Sainte-Hélène (Biosphère)	Jean-Drapeau	Yellow
Parc Jean-Drapeau (Osheaga)	Jean-Drapeau	Yellow
Atwater Market	Lionel-Groulx or Atwater	Orange/Green
McGill University campus	McGill	Green

Airport connection: Montréal-Trudeau to downtown

The 747 express bus connects Montréal-Trudeau International Airport to downtown Montreal. This is the primary airport-to-city transit connection.

Route: Airport → Lionel-Groulx metro station → Berri-UQAM metro station (city’s main transit hub)
Travel time: 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic and stops
Frequency: Every 10–15 minutes during peak hours; every 20–30 minutes overnight
Service hours: 24 hours daily, 7 days a week (overnight service frequency is reduced)
Fare: Requires a valid STM fare — a single fare or any pass. A 24-hour or 3-day pass purchased for the 747 bus is then valid on the metro for the same duration
Tickets for the 747: Purchased at ticket machines in the arrivals hall of the airport terminal, or from the driver (exact change or card only for driver purchases)

Lionel-Groulx station (Orange and Green Line interchange) is reached first, making it useful for visitors heading to Atwater, downtown Concordia, or any Green Line destination. Berri-UQAM station (Orange, Green, and Yellow Line interchange) is the final downtown stop — from here, all three metro lines are accessible.

Taxi and rideshare alternative: Taxis from the airport to downtown Montreal cost approximately CAD 45–55 depending on destination and traffic. Rideshares (Uber and other services) operate at the airport, typically at comparable or slightly lower cost. For visitors arriving with significant luggage, a taxi or rideshare is more practical than the bus; for those travelling light, the 747 is excellent value.

There is no direct metro connection to the airport. The airport sits west of the metro’s western terminus, and the 747 express bus is the designated transit link.

Practical tips for using the metro

Validate your ticket at the turnstile: Insert the paper ticket into the turnstile reader (top slot) and retrieve it after the gate opens. Keep your ticket for the 90-minute transfer window. Inspectors occasionally check for valid fares.

Rubber-tyred trains: Montreal’s metro runs on rubber tyres rather than steel wheels — an engineering decision made in the 1960s that results in quieter operation and better acceleration than most comparable North American systems. It also means the trains cannot operate in outdoor weather (the entire system runs underground), which is why the network is fully enclosed.

Service hours: The metro operates approximately 5:30am to 1:00am Monday through Friday, 6:00am to 1:00am Saturday, and 8:00am to 1:00am Sunday (times are approximate and vary by station; check STM.info for exact times). There is no overnight metro service. After 1am, the night bus (Nuit) network serves main corridors.

Accessibility: Most Montreal metro stations have limited accessibility. A significant renovation programme is underway, but as of 2026, many stations do not have elevators. Visitors with mobility limitations should check which stations are fully accessible at STM.info before planning their route — the accessible stations are clearly marked.

Language: Station announcements are in French. Staff at ticket windows typically speak both French and English and are helpful to visitors. Station signage is in French with bilingual wayfinding at major transfer points.

Peak hours: The metro is busiest on weekday mornings (7–9am) and evenings (4:30–6:30pm). For sightseeing purposes, mid-morning and early afternoon are the most comfortable times to travel.

Metro stations with interesting architecture

Montreal’s metro stations were designed by different architects in the 1960s, resulting in stations with distinct individual characters — a deliberate policy that makes the system architecturally notable.

Berri-UQAM: The main transfer hub, one of the busiest and largest stations. Functional rather than beautiful, but the coloured glass and concrete work of the 1960s design is characteristic.

McGill: Clean, efficient, and well-lit — one of the better-functioning stations for orientation.

Champ-de-Mars: Access to Old Montreal, with notable mosaic and structural concrete design.

Place-des-Arts: The arts district station, with large mural installations referencing the cultural venues above.

Longueuil–Université-de-Sherbrooke: The Yellow Line terminus on the south shore has one of the most architecturally striking interiors in the system — worth a visit for the design alone if Île Sainte-Hélène is not on the itinerary.

Combining metro with other transit

Bixi bike share: Montreal’s Bixi bike share system (over 1,000 stations across the city) integrates well with the metro. Day passes for Bixi (approximately CAD 8–12 for a 24-hour pass) provide 45-minute trip windows — take a Bixi from the nearest station for neighbourhood exploration, dock it at the next major station, and return to the metro for longer distances. The Bixi system is operated separately from STM but the two complement each other seamlessly.

STM bus network: STM buses use the same fare payment as the metro — a valid metro ticket or pass covers both. The 747 airport bus is an STM route. Many destinations not directly served by metro are reachable by bus from the nearest metro station.

Train to Quebec City: VIA Rail’s trains between Montreal and Quebec City depart from Montreal Central Station (Gare Centrale), accessible from Bonaventure metro station on the Orange Line. See the VIA Rail within Quebec guide for schedule and booking details.

Frequently asked questions about STM Montreal Metro Guide for Visitors: How to Use It, What to Expect

Is the Montreal metro safe?

Yes. The Montreal metro is safe for visitors at all times of day, including evenings. It is a well-used, mainstream transit system serving the full range of Montreal’s population. Standard urban precautions apply — be aware of your surroundings, keep valuables in secure pockets — but the metro is not a place that requires particular vigilance beyond normal city travel habits.

Can I take luggage on the metro?

Yes. There are no explicit luggage restrictions. Large suitcases can be taken on the metro, though it is physically more convenient to use a taxi or rideshare for airport arrivals with significant bags. The 747 airport bus specifically is designed for airport-to-city travel and accommodates luggage easily.

Does the Montreal metro run 24 hours?

No. Service ends approximately 1am and resumes around 5:30–8am depending on the day. The STM operates a night bus (Nuit) network on main routes after metro service ends. Taxis and rideshares are available 24 hours.