I don't live in MTL -- just happened to go for a very pleasant vacation this summer -- and I don't think STM's current arrangement is especially punitive. Locals with monthly/weekly/3-day passes ride for free, and we visitors get a 24-hour bus/subway pass out of it. Instead of extorting money from passengers, STM seems to me to be rewarding them for using public transit regularly.

I agree...the 747 Bus made Montreal infinitely more visitor-friendly compared to the true extortion (cab fare) previously. I visit Montreal every chance I get now, largely because of this. No need to rent a car or ever use a cab there now.

^ As a local, I am in total agreement with this and happy that the STM replaced the former $16 Aerobus and added a viable alternative to the $40 taxi.

My only gripe - for visiting friends - is the thing about no foreign credit cards.

OK, I just arrived in Montreal (at my hotel right now) and I can report the following:

(1) My first use of NEXUS, and it ROCKS! The only problem was that one machine was out of service and the others' touch screens were COMPLETELY WORN such that one didn't respond at all to the "English" prompt, and the one I finally did use required pounding on it in order to get it to respond. But once that was overcome, 45 seconds and you're DONE. AWESOME. Worth getting if you travel through major Canadian ports of entry AT ALL (I only pass thru once every year or two, and still worth it!)

(2) RBC ATM next to the Currency Exchange in the Int'l Arrivals Hall was SO SLOW that it took the 2 guys in front of me in line at least 8 minutes each for a simple withdrawal, and then in my case the PIN entry was so slow that I screwed it up twice and finally gave up. However, the nice gal at the Currency Exchange told me (us) that there is indeed another ATM or two up the escalator in the Ticketing/Departure lobby, which I used and which took 30 seconds. Now I've used the downstairs ATM with no problem on previous visits so I dunno if today was an aberration or not, but in any case this new intel about alternate ATMs right upstairs is important/useful.

(3) The 2 Metro ticket machines are indeed within plain sight in the Int'l Arrivals lobby. I used the intel gathered here and didn't even bother to try my USA-based credit card...I just paid cash to recharge my OPUS card with a 3-day pass for the duration of my visit. I was then on my way to my hotel via its courtesy shuttle.

Hope this is all helpful info.

The price has since risen to $9! This 747 bus is getting expensive...

An increase from $8 to $9 -- not welcome, but hardly a disaster, assuming that the other policies from before still hold:
If this is still true, the bus remains a good bargain.

It is an increase of almost 30 percent within two years or less.

In Halifax we pay $1 on top of whateverticketyouhave - and single tickets for adults start at 1.80 (10-pack). So if you don't have a monthly pass, you can still ride the airport express for $2.80, including a transfer. No 24 hour ticket, but still a much better deal. The ride is also longer, because the airport is far out.

With all the useful info in this thread, it seemed like a good idea to create a wiki to make it more readily accessible. I'm sure it could be improved, so feel free.

Yes, it is still true.

Re the fare increase: I'm sure STM looked at the demand/popularity and adopted the "Because they can!" philosophy.

I'm with other posters/frequent YUL visitors, it's still a good bargain and the best way to get downtown from YUL. However, I do hope they've considered increasing the service frequency during peak hours...standing room only during heavy traffic on the clogged freeways on that bus in no fun at all.

STM has now added a somewhat limited option to purchase one-time 747 bus tickets (for travel to the airport only) at Stationnement de Montréal pay stations. I've updated the wiki accordingly.

Wiki updated with 2014 fares. It's now $10.

Thank you for posting the warning. I will have a friend pick me up at YUL and drop me off there in January.

With a seven-hour layover coming up, does the $10 pass allow me to go downtown a and back on the same pass, since it's within 24 hours?

Absolutely. Have a good trip.