Can I tap with a foreign bank card?

Most systems now support open-loop contactless. Keep a backup paper ticket when traveling with a group to avoid tapping each person manually.

Buses rarely charge extra, but airport expresses may require storing big bags in designated racks.

YULCanadaTPL: fare-hacker-playbook

Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport

Montreal, Canada

Drop-off

Downtown Montreal (Berri-UQAM / Gare d’autocars)

Pin before customs

Fastest

STM 747 YUL Aéroport Montréal-Trudeau / Downtown

bus · 10-15m

Data

Nov 28

Audit

Quick verdict

Fastest into town

Service: STM 747 YUL Aéroport Montréal-Trudeau / Downtown
Headway: 10-15
Backup: STM 204 Cardinal · 20-30m

Note

Dedicated airport bus operating 24/7 between YUL and downtown Montreal, serving Lionel-Groulx and Berri-UQAM métro stations plus Gare d’autocars; typical travel time is 45–70 minutes depending on traffic. Buses run continuously with departures roughly every 10–15 minutes in both directions and some trips short-turned at Lionel-Groulx during the day.

Budget focus

Montreal: Fare Hacker Playbook

Ways to shave costs without blowing your schedule. Targets queries likemontreal airport busandyul to city centerfor eSIM funnels.

Cheapest viable route

Brief

Usually slower but dramatically cheaper than the flagship airport express.

Service: STM 204 Cardinal
Mode: bus
Freq: 20-30m
Note: Local STM bus between YUL and Dorval station/Terminus Dorval, where passengers can connect to exo commuter trains and other buses toward central Montreal. Useful as a cheaper but slower option; check schedules as frequency varies by time and day.

Passes and bundles

Brief

Look for day passes that include the airport zone plus metro, tram, or ferry transfers. Load value online to avoid kiosk surcharges.

When to splurge

Brief

Worth the premium when you have back-to-back meetings or tight onward connections downtown.

Service: REM (future YUL–Aéroport-Montréal-Trudeau branch)
Mode: rail
Freq: 10-15m
Note: Planned Réseau express métropolitain branch will directly link YUL with downtown Montreal’s Central Station area in about 25–26 minutes, with expected train intervals of 10 minutes in peak and 15 minutes off-peak. As of November 2025 the airport station is still under construction and scheduled to open around 2027, so this service is not yet available to travelers today.

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FAQs

01Can I tap with a foreign bank card?: Most systems now support open-loop contactless. Keep a backup paper ticket when traveling with a group to avoid tapping each person manually.
02Any luggage fees?: Buses rarely charge extra, but airport expresses may require storing big bags in designated racks.