Well, I was in Montréal for the Memorial Day Weekend. I spent 20 minutes in line at the airport to buy the ticket (Sat., May 29th, approx. 10AM) and the buses were running full. Fortunately I didn't have to stand on the ride, there was also traffic into the city that morning, it took about 45 minutes to get to René Lévesque and Peel (I was at the Marriott Château Champlain). The return ride on Monday (May 31st, around 11AM) was standing room only by the time we got to Lucien-L'Allier, also this bus was a regular one without luggage racks, people were falling over the place.

Bring 7$ in coins, then you don't have to queue for the ticket! You can get it from the machine on the bus.

However, my ticket didn't work properly. It was accepted for 24 hours on buses, but at the metro stations it only worked sometimes, most of the time it wouldn't. I had to walk up to the counter several times and explain what kind of ticket it was to be left through. Sometimes I was treated rudely, like if I was trying to pull of a scam or something. The people there asked their supervisors, once they even called someone and I had to wait a few minutes before they left me in. A nuisance.

More frequencies have recently been added to this service as it prove so successful. There is also (finally!) a ticket vending machine at the airport which accepts cards, so you can now buy your $7 ticket there. Regular day, weekly and monthly passes are also accepted, however $2.75 single fares are not.

Great news...thanks for all the info here, I have two questions:
1. Can you buy a 3-day pass at the airport?
B. If you buy a pass earlier in the day for the return trip to the airport, can you use the subway for ~24 hours prior to taking the 747 Bus?

Finally, credit/debit cards are accepted at the machine at the airport?

Thanks again for the info! Coming there this weekend and am already looking forward to the bus - we took a cab a few years ago when we visited...

-jeremy

Yes, use the same machines as the 1-day pass.

Yes

No, but they accept bills, and there's a Royal Bank ATM next to the money exchange that is very close to the machines. You can also buy passes at the money exchange, but for cash only.

Hope you enjoy your weekend, and that the weather holds out for you.

Cheers

Fare increase
 

For anyone planning to pay on board (coins only), note that the fare is now $8. See the "Planibus" at http://www.stm.info/english/bus/Planibus/747.pdf

I have an OPUS card from my previous trip to Montreal...can it be recharged at this machine?

Alas, no.

OK, so then would you think the best option would be to buy a one-day pass upon landing to use the 747 Express bus and the Metro the rest of the first day, and then once downtown charge my OPUS card up for the rest of my visit once my second day gets underway?

Yes, that's what I'd do. You come out pretty much even on the 3rd ride in the 24 hours, and if you're staying for a couple of days you might as well.

The only bus you could use your Opus on upon arrival is the 204/211 combo to get downtown. Depending on your arrival time this may not add all that much time to your trip (the 211 uses the same route as the 747 to get downtown), but depending on where you're going it will probably take a Metro ride as well.

Thanks for the confirmation and add'l insight.

I will use this thread to ask my question: will stay at Sheraton Centre and was wondering if there would be any advantage of taking a cab vs. the shuttle - is there a big time difference to cab and/or long walk from stop #4?

I think that on the way back I may prefer cab to save a few minutes.

I would defer to truly local expertise for a "final answer", but based on my experience last year on the 747 and looking at the route map and the location of the Sheraton Centre, the bus appears to be a no-brainer ("yes"), as it will put you within a block of the hotel. The only risk I could see would be on the way back to YUL, where if you travel during rush hour there might be a risk of not being able to get a seat on the bus that many stops into the route.

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.

Yes, that's a metro stop for two lines serving city centre.