Getting Around Montreal
With a population of more than 1.6 million residents, Montreal is the largest city in the province of Quebec. Additionally, it is the second most populous city in Canada, after Toronto. Despite being a French-speaking city, Montreal still attracts significant English speaking and international crowds, particularly from the United States. It is without a doubt one of the greatest cities of North America, and US residents are fortunate enough to be within close proximity to the city.
Being a large metropolitan city, Montreal has a well-developed transportation system, especially public transit. However, the city has a long history of major issues regarding automobile traffic. Since Montreal is essentially located on an Island, there is heavy traffic congestion, as all of the incoming cars have to cross road bridges.
For example, A20 is a major highway that runs right through Montreal, and then continues on for over 300 miles throughout the province. This road, along with many others, form the Quebec system known as Autoroute. At peak times, and even on weekends, car traffic can be a nightmare, and that is why it is not the recommended method of transportation for tourists who want to relax and explore the city.
Public transportation in Montreal is provided by Société de transport de Montréal. The Montreal Metro is the local subway system, which consists of four total lines that are color coded as Blue, Green, Orange, and Yellow. The Metro is a an underground system, without any outdoor elevated tracks. The four subway lines take passengers in all directions of the city. For example, the Green Line runs between Angrignon and Honoré-Beaugran. A large portion of this Metro line runs directly under Boulevard de Maisonneuve, which is located in the city centre. One of the busiest stations among all four lines, McGill on the Green Line is situated right next to La Centre Commercial Eaton, a major shopping center.
Most tourists from the USA and even parts of Canada arrive via the Montreal at the Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. The airport is located is the small community of Dorval, which lies only a few miles southwest of downtown Montreal. Served by more than 30 airlines with over 100 destinations, this airport is the largest gateway into Montreal for international tourists. Ground transportation includes three bus services that go to the local transportation hub in Dorval, where other bus and train transfers can be made. The buses are provided by Société de transport de Montréal