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Getting There

Getting to Montréal is a breeze. There is only one passenger airport, Pierre Elliot Trudeau International (YUL; www.admtl.com), located about 14 miles (23km) from downtown Montréal. Most airlines, including Air Canada (www.aircanada.com), Delta (www.delta.com), Continental (www.continental.com), United (www.united.com), and American Airlines (www.aa.com) offer direct flights from major cities across the USA and Canada; count on flight times of about one hour from New York and about six hours from Los Angeles.

Arriving by train lands you right downtown, at the Gare Central (central station) below the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, with direct subway access. Via Rail (1-888-VIA-RAIL, www.viarail.ca) services Canadian connections; travelers coming in from America arrive on Amtrak (1-800-USA-RAIL, www.amtrak.com). Getting into and around Montreal
Getting into Montréal from the airport by public transit is possible but unwise – connections are both complicated and time-consuming. Fortunately, taxis and limos have a fixed rate (C$35 and C$50 respectively) for the 20 to 30-minute drive downtown. Another option, L'Aérobus (514/842-2281; C$13+), departs from the airport every 20 to 25 minutes and makes several stops before arriving at the Central Bus Station (505 boul Maisonneuve E) 40 minutes later.

Barring the lack of airport subway stop, Montréal in fact has one of the world's most efficient public transit systems, with four subway lines, 65 stations, and 165 bus routes run by the Société de Transportation de la Communauté Urbaine de Montréal (www.stm.info; C$2.50). Known as the Metro, the 40-year-old service is quiet, quick, and clean, with subway platforms decorated with murals, glass panels and sculptures – making it something of an underground gallery.

Aboveground, taxis can be flagged on pretty much every street corner; alternatively, call Taxi Champlain (514/273-2435), Taxi Co-op (514/725-9885) or Taxi Diamond (514/273-6331).

See Montreal Travel Guide