The
public transport
system is one of the city's
greatest assets, linking the
65-station Métro to 150 bus
routes. The clean, speedy,
convenient, reliable and cheap
Métro
system has four colour-coded
lines, the major interconnecting
stations being Berri-UQAM (which
links the orange, green and
yellow lines), Lionel-Groulx
(green and orange), Snowdon and
Jean-Talon (blue and orange).
Coloured signs indicate the
direction of each line by
showing the name of the
terminus; maps of the system can
be picked up at stations and
information centers.
A correspondance ,
available from machines beyond
the turnstiles at the Métro
stations, allows you to complete
your journey by bus at no extra
cost, but you must get one at
the beginning of your journey,
not as you get off the Métro.
The transfer system also works
in reverse, from buses to Métro
- ask the driver for one as you
board. Most buses stop
running at 12.30am, shortly
before the Métro, though some
run all through the night and
cover different routes; they
have the same fare system as the
Métro, but exact change is
required.
One-way fares are a flat $2,
and a book of six tickets - a carnet
- costs $8.25. Better suited to
visitors, the STCUM tourist
pass allows unlimited travel
on the Métro and bus routes: it
costs $7 a day or $14 for three
consecutive days and is
available from the information
centres, Berri-UQAM Métro
station and, from April to
October, at all downtown Métro
stations.
It is rarely necessary to
take a taxi , and they're
not that expensive if you're in
a group; they cost $2.80 plus
$1.13 per kilometre and an
additional ten to fifteen
percent tip is normal. Taxis can
be boarded at ranks outside
hotels and transport terminals,
and by simply flagging them
down. They can also be ordered
by phone: Taxi Diamond (tel
273-6331) and Taxi Co-op (tel
725-9885) are two reliable
services.
