Montréal packs a lot of transit into one fare system. A single OPUS card tap gets you onto the métro, almost every bus, the exo commuter trains, and the REM light metro — all four run on the same integrated fare. The métro has real turnstiles, not an honor system, so you’ll always tap or insert a ticket to get in.
The basics
The métro is the backbone: four color-coded lines meeting at a handful of transfer stations, run by the STM (Société de transport de Montréal), which also runs almost all city buses.
- Green — the oldest line, running east–west across the city’s core.
- Orange — the longest line, a U-shape through downtown, Plateau, and the North Shore suburbs.
- Yellow — a short hop across the river to Longueuil.
- Blue — crosses the northern part of the island.
Beyond the métro, exo runs 5 commuter rail lines (roughly 52 stations) plus suburban buses out to Laval, the North and South Shores, and beyond. The REM, an automated light-metro system, now runs three branches — Brossard (South Shore), Deux-Montagnes, and Anse-à-l’Orme — with a fourth branch to the airport planned for 2027 but not yet open. All of it uses the same OPUS fare in “Zone A” (the Montréal agglomeration).
How to pay
Montréal’s métro has real gates — you tap or insert a ticket to get in, unlike cities that run on the honor system. Buses use a validator by the front door.
- Get an OPUS card ($6) at a métro fare booth, vending machine, or authorized retailer, then load it with cash, debit, or credit. Reload it anytime through the Chrono app.
- Buy a paper ticket or “L’Occasionnelle” card if you just need one trip and don’t want a reloadable card — sold at machines and booths.
- Pay cash on the bus — exact change only, bills aren’t accepted.
One important difference from some other cities: you can’t yet tap a contactless bank card or your phone directly at a métro turnstile or bus reader. STM’s card readers currently only take OPUS and L’Occasionnelle smart cards — bank-card tap-to-ride is planned but not live. Debit and credit cards work at métro fare booths, but only to buy a fare, not to ride directly.
Whatever you’re carrying, keep your proof of payment — inspectors do check, and STM’s by-law allows fines up to $500 for riding without a valid fare.
Fares
All fares below cover the bus, métro, exo trains, and REM within Zone A:
| Regular | Reduced (6–17, 65+) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 trip | $3.75 | $2.75 |
| 2 trips | $7.00 | $5.00 |
| 10 trips | $35.00 | $23.50 |
| 24-hour pass | $11.25 | — |
| Weekly pass | $33.25 | $20.00 |
| Monthly pass | $110.00 | $66.00 |
A single fare buys 120 minutes of transfers between bus, métro, train, and REM — but you can’t re-enter a métro station once you’ve exited on the same fare. Montréal agglomeration residents 65 and over ride free; everyone else 65+ pays the reduced rate. Up to 5 children 11 and under ride free with a supervisor (age 14+) who’s paid a fare.
Getting from the airport
There’s no train to YUL Montréal-Trudeau yet — the REM’s airport branch is planned for 2027 but hasn’t opened. For now, the ride downtown is the 747 bus.
- Route: YUL to Lionel-Groulx métro station, continuing on to Berri-UQAM métro station downtown.
- Cost: $11.25 — and that fare doubles as a 24-hour pass covering the rest of your day on bus, métro, exo, and REM.
- How often: every 10 to 20 minutes, all day, in both directions.
- Payment: cash (exact change, no bills) or an OPUS/L’Occasionnelle card at the airport machines.
Apps to download
- Chrono — the official app for buying and reloading OPUS fares, plus trip planning across every agency in the region.
- Transit — STM’s other recommended app, good for real-time arrivals and turn-by-turn directions.
- Google Maps or Apple Maps — solid for planning, with live STM data built in.
When it runs
The métro runs from about 5:30am until around 12:35am on weekdays and Sundays, and until about 1:05am on Saturdays (times vary slightly by line and direction).
Night owls aren’t stranded. After the last métro, a network of 23 all-night bus lines keeps running across the island.
Accessibility
30 of the métro’s 68 stations currently have elevator access — check before you plan a trip that depends on one, since coverage isn’t yet universal. Buses are low-floor with ramps and can kneel at the curb, and roughly 27.5% of the bus fleet carries two wheelchair spaces. For door-to-door service, STM runs Transport adapté, a paratransit service booked through the Mon transport adapté platform.
Etiquette & local quirks
- No smoking or vaping, and no open alcohol, on STM vehicles or in stations.
- Bikes and the métro have a seasonal relationship. Full-size bikes are allowed outside weekday rush hours on a schedule that changes with the season (and are allowed anytime on weekends and holidays); a folded folding bike is always welcome, any time.
- Don’t block the doors — literally: STM’s rules prohibit delaying a train or bus by holding a door open.
- The métro’s real turnstiles mean you can’t just walk in and pay later the way you might in a proof-of-payment city — tap or insert your ticket before you’re through the gate.
Good to know
- Fare enforcement is real. Inspectors check for proof of payment, and riding without a valid fare can bring a fine of up to $500 under STM by-law R-105.
- The métro doesn’t reach the airport (yet). The REM’s airport branch is planned for 2027; until then, the 747 bus is the only public transit link to YUL.
- Card payment is evolving. STM has been rolling out new-generation readers, and contactless bank-card tap-to-ride is expected eventually — but as of this writing, OPUS or a ticket is still what you need.