Aug 22, 2013, 11:24 pm
Last edit by: beltway
Operated by Montréal's transit agency (Société de transport de Montréal, or STM), the 747 Express Bus runs between Trudeau Airport (YUL) and two alternative destinations:
Fares/Passes
The least expensive fare option is a $11 pass (fares starting July 1, 2023). After you exit the bus, keep your pass; it is valid in zone A (Montreal) on any STM bus or métro line for 24 hours from the time it is first swiped.
Holders of the following STM passes may ride the 747 bus free of charge:
There is an additional option that applies only to travel to the airport. See the next section.
How/Where to Purchase Passes
Passes may be purchased
Service Schedules
The 747 bus operates 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Depending on traffic conditions, the long route takes from 45 to 60 minutes end to end.
Buses run every 5-16 minutes from 7:30am to midnight, with reduced service overnight and on holidays. Arrival schedules for individual stops may be found on the STM website:
Tips for a Successful Trip
The 747 bus departs YUL from door 28 directly in front of the international arrivals area. From the STM vending machines mentioned above, walk straight outside to the curb.
The westbound departure point is platform 15 in Gare d'Autocars.
Drivers do not always announce approaching stops, and do not stop absent a request. Travelers unfamiliar with the city should watch closely to avoid missing their stop. Signal your request by pulling the overhead cord or pressing a button on one of the vertical poles.
Note that the east- and westbound routes are not symmetrical. Some stops exist in only one direction, so your pickup location for returning to the airport will not necessarily be across the street from where you exited the bus from the airport.
All buses and stops are accessible.
Further Information
For additional details, see the 747 bus homepage on the STM website.
- Long route: to Gare d'Autocars. This route serves downtown, Chinatown, and the Latin Quarter, with numerous stops along Boulevard René-Lévesque between Rue Guy and Rue Berri. In addition, Vieux Montréal lies a short walk to the south of several stops.
- Short route: a single stop at Lionel-Groulx métro station.
Fares/Passes
The least expensive fare option is a $11 pass (fares starting July 1, 2023). After you exit the bus, keep your pass; it is valid in zone A (Montreal) on any STM bus or métro line for 24 hours from the time it is first swiped.
Holders of the following STM passes may ride the 747 bus free of charge:
- 24 hours zone A (i.e., the $11 option noted above)*
- 3-day zone A*
- weekly zone A
- monthly zone A*
- 4-month zone A
- 24-hr, 3-day, or monthly bus-only
- unlimited weekend
There is an additional option that applies only to travel to the airport. See the next section.
How/Where to Purchase Passes
Passes may be purchased
- on board the bus. Note: Exact change (coins only) is required.
- from vending machines in the YUL international arrivals area (outside of security). Machines accept debit cards, VISA, MasterCard, and cash. There is an ATM nearby.
- in all métro stations.
- at the Gare d'Autocars de Montréal ticket counter.
- A ticket purchased through a parking pay station is valid only going to the airport, and only for a two-hour period after purchase.
- The pay stations accept payment (including Canadian-issued credit cards) for 747 bus tickets 24/7.
Service Schedules
The 747 bus operates 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Depending on traffic conditions, the long route takes from 45 to 60 minutes end to end.
Buses run every 5-16 minutes from 7:30am to midnight, with reduced service overnight and on holidays. Arrival schedules for individual stops may be found on the STM website:
- From the airport to downtown (eastbound)
- From downtown to the airport (westbound)
Tips for a Successful Trip
The 747 bus departs YUL from door 28 directly in front of the international arrivals area. From the STM vending machines mentioned above, walk straight outside to the curb.
The westbound departure point is platform 15 in Gare d'Autocars.
Drivers do not always announce approaching stops, and do not stop absent a request. Travelers unfamiliar with the city should watch closely to avoid missing their stop. Signal your request by pulling the overhead cord or pressing a button on one of the vertical poles.
Note that the east- and westbound routes are not symmetrical. Some stops exist in only one direction, so your pickup location for returning to the airport will not necessarily be across the street from where you exited the bus from the airport.
All buses and stops are accessible.
Further Information
For additional details, see the 747 bus homepage on the STM website.
YUL-747 express bus
Jun 28, 2011, 10:00 am
#31
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: Hilton Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 224
I took the bus today, and the stop was across the intersection from the hotel. However, I was not pleased with the ride - the lineup at the airport was long and I had to wait in line until the next bus pulled up, and then it was full and I was fortunate to have found a seat. About half of the passengers left at the first stop, though.
Jun 28, 2011, 10:11 am
#32
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Jun 28, 2011, 11:56 pm
#33
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: YUL
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 446
The 747 is really hard to beat for the price and destinations it serves. The allure of the savings versus a taxi is what attract riders, making the route a very busy one.
Jun 29, 2011, 7:21 am
#34
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: Hilton Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 224
I can confirm the timing. I take my coffee/smoke breaks about 50 feet from the 747 embarkation point at YUL, and only very rarely is there no bus actually at the stop. They seem to leave every 10 minutes or so during the day and into the evening. I've often seen a bus leave as soon as it's full and have another pull up behind it.
The 747 is really hard to beat for the price and destinations it serves. The allure of the savings versus a taxi is what attract riders, making the route a very busy one.
The 747 is really hard to beat for the price and destinations it serves. The allure of the savings versus a taxi is what attract riders, making the route a very busy one.
Jul 15, 2011, 5:31 pm
#35
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: YUL
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 446
*** New ticket machines ***
Just an update to let anyone visiting this thread in the future know that the ticket machines that sell the 1 and 3 day passes required to use the 747 Express have been replaced and now accept credit/debit cards in addition to cash/coin. These machines do not require chip-pin cards, and do not ask for a zipcode.
The machines also allow Opus card users to top up their cards upon arrival at YUL. The only fares that the new machines don't sell are single-ride tickets for the non-express busses on the rest of the STM network.
There are two machines against columns between the cafe and convenience store located at the international arrivals area. The machines face the exit from the secure area. There are also a few parking payment machines in the area, not to be confused with the STM machines. The old cash-only machines are also still in place, but I'm not sure how long they'll continue to be serviced.
Cheers
The machines also allow Opus card users to top up their cards upon arrival at YUL. The only fares that the new machines don't sell are single-ride tickets for the non-express busses on the rest of the STM network.
There are two machines against columns between the cafe and convenience store located at the international arrivals area. The machines face the exit from the secure area. There are also a few parking payment machines in the area, not to be confused with the STM machines. The old cash-only machines are also still in place, but I'm not sure how long they'll continue to be serviced.
Cheers
Jul 15, 2011, 10:24 pm
#36
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Just an update to let anyone visiting this thread in the future know that the ticket machines that sell the 1 and 3 day passes required to use the 747 Express have been replaced and now accept credit/debit cards in addition to cash/coin. These machines do not require chip-pin cards, and do not ask for a zipcode.
[...]
There are two machines against columns between the cafe and convenience store located at the international arrivals area. The machines face the exit from the secure area. [...] The old cash-only machines are also still in place, but I'm not sure how long they'll continue to be serviced.
[...]
There are two machines against columns between the cafe and convenience store located at the international arrivals area. The machines face the exit from the secure area. [...] The old cash-only machines are also still in place, but I'm not sure how long they'll continue to be serviced.
Note also that less than 3 weeks ago, STM added a new downtown stop to the 747 bus -- between the stop at Mansfield and the stop at Jeanne-Mance -- at Rene Levesque and Union (eastbound) and Cote du Beaver Hall, aka Phillips Place aka Place du Frere Andre (westbound). The latest planibus shows this fairly clearly (except for the inexplicable decision to label the westbound stop "Place du Frere Andre"); precise arrival timetables for these and all other stops can be found at http://www.stm.info/English/bus/GEOMET/A-GEO747.htm. Having boarded the bus at this stop less than 12 hours ago, I can attest that all is in order -- including visible signage at the bus stop -- and that my bus arrived right on schedule.
Sep 19, 2011, 6:31 am
#38
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Biloxi, MS (GPT)
Programs: AA Gold, DL FO, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,278
Reviving this thread...
Can I (we) get an updated intel report on the Metro ticket machines in the Int'l Arrivals area at YUL? As of the posts above in July, ls17031 reported that there are 2 new full-service machines in place, but then beltway followed up and indicated that he/she did not locate those machines.
I'm set to arrive at YUL for a 2-day trip in a couple of weeks; just getting my planning set (I have an OPUS card from my last visit and plan to top it up with a 1- or 3-day pass.)
Thanks!
Can I (we) get an updated intel report on the Metro ticket machines in the Int'l Arrivals area at YUL? As of the posts above in July, ls17031 reported that there are 2 new full-service machines in place, but then beltway followed up and indicated that he/she did not locate those machines.
I'm set to arrive at YUL for a 2-day trip in a couple of weeks; just getting my planning set (I have an OPUS card from my last visit and plan to top it up with a 1- or 3-day pass.)
Thanks!
Sep 19, 2011, 7:44 am
#39
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Montreal, QC, Canada
Programs: AC Prestige, Amtrak Guest Rewards
Posts: 38
Reviving this thread...
Can I (we) get an updated intel report on the Metro ticket machines in the Int'l Arrivals area at YUL? As of the posts above in July, ls17031 reported that there are 2 new full-service machines in place, but then beltway followed up and indicated that he/she did not locate those machines.
I'm set to arrive at YUL for a 2-day trip in a couple of weeks; just getting my planning set (I have an OPUS card from my last visit and plan to top it up with a 1- or 3-day pass.)
Thanks!
Can I (we) get an updated intel report on the Metro ticket machines in the Int'l Arrivals area at YUL? As of the posts above in July, ls17031 reported that there are 2 new full-service machines in place, but then beltway followed up and indicated that he/she did not locate those machines.
I'm set to arrive at YUL for a 2-day trip in a couple of weeks; just getting my planning set (I have an OPUS card from my last visit and plan to top it up with a 1- or 3-day pass.)
Thanks!
Sep 19, 2011, 8:37 am
#40
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Biloxi, MS (GPT)
Programs: AA Gold, DL FO, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,278
Sep 20, 2011, 8:31 pm
#41
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: ZRH / YUL
Programs: UA, TK, Starwood > Marriott, Hilton, Accor
Posts: 7,295
The new machines are definitely there, and they charge Opus cards as well as issue regular day / multi-day passes.
It is true that they accept debit and credit cards, there is however a twist: In true STM customer friendliness, these cards must be Canadian-issued. My colleagues' European or US credit cards are routinely rejected, my Canadian cards work well.
The machines also take cash.
It is true that they accept debit and credit cards, there is however a twist: In true STM customer friendliness, these cards must be Canadian-issued. My colleagues' European or US credit cards are routinely rejected, my Canadian cards work well.
The machines also take cash.
Sep 21, 2011, 8:00 pm
#42
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: YUL
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 446
The new machines are definitely there, and they charge Opus cards as well as issue regular day / multi-day passes.
It is true that they accept debit and credit cards, there is however a twist: In true STM customer friendliness, these cards must be Canadian-issued. My colleagues' European or US credit cards are routinely rejected, my Canadian cards work well.
The machines also take cash.
It is true that they accept debit and credit cards, there is however a twist: In true STM customer friendliness, these cards must be Canadian-issued. My colleagues' European or US credit cards are routinely rejected, my Canadian cards work well.
The machines also take cash.
I routinely have to line up in the US because my Canadian card is not accepted by machines due to the lack of an associated zip code. This is most prevalent in the south (Atlanta is the worst), but is slowly creeping north.
At least here in Canada the clerks don't ask to see ID, which frustrates the heck out of me in the US.
Sep 22, 2011, 9:49 am
#43
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: ZRH / YUL
Programs: UA, TK, Starwood > Marriott, Hilton, Accor
Posts: 7,295
However, I find that there is something particularly paltry about a ticket vending machine at an international airport only accepting local cards...
Sep 22, 2011, 8:15 pm
#44
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Biloxi, MS (GPT)
Programs: AA Gold, DL FO, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,278
The new machines are definitely there, and they charge Opus cards as well as issue regular day / multi-day passes.
It is true that they accept debit and credit cards, there is however a twist: In true STM customer friendliness, these cards must be Canadian-issued. My colleagues' European or US credit cards are routinely rejected, my Canadian cards work well.
The machines also take cash.
It is true that they accept debit and credit cards, there is however a twist: In true STM customer friendliness, these cards must be Canadian-issued. My colleagues' European or US credit cards are routinely rejected, my Canadian cards work well.
The machines also take cash.
Sep 24, 2011, 9:31 pm
#45
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: YUL
Programs: AC
Posts: 2
While I like the bus, the fare really annoys me.
I live in Montréal, and I'm tired of seeing cities finally offer some reasonable way to get from the airport to the down town core, only to jack up the price. Vancouver is another example, they charge you extra for going to, or leaving the airport (though, there you can save money by purchasing tickets at the 7-11 on the ground floor).
The bus doesn't do anything revolutionary, it offers a service along what is clearly a popular route. It annoys me that they jack up their fair just because they can. Public Transport should be just that.
I live in Montréal, and I'm tired of seeing cities finally offer some reasonable way to get from the airport to the down town core, only to jack up the price. Vancouver is another example, they charge you extra for going to, or leaving the airport (though, there you can save money by purchasing tickets at the 7-11 on the ground floor).
The bus doesn't do anything revolutionary, it offers a service along what is clearly a popular route. It annoys me that they jack up their fair just because they can. Public Transport should be just that.