Montreal is located at 45°30 N / -73°36 W. It is the largest city in Quebec and the second largest in Canada, with a metropolitan population of 3,359,000. Montreal is one of two large islands in this part of the St. Lawrence River (the other, Île Jésus, includes Laval and several other communities) and its highest point, Mount Royal, is 761 ft/ 232m high. The entire island of Montreal became a single municipality on January 1, 2002 although this has been reversed recently in the case of several of the suburbs.
You can check the five-day forecast and have a look at the current weather conditions.
Montreal's climate varies a lot over the year. The city is known for its cold winters, but its summers are hot and generally sunny, with occasional muggy days. May and October are arguably the pleasantest months for outdoor activities and walking.
Average temperatures vary from 10-25°F (-13°-5°C) in January to 65-80°F (18°-27°C) in July.
Telephones:
The island of Montreal* uses the 514 area code. Laval, the North Shore, the South Shore, the Laurentians, Upper Richelieu, Lanaudière, Montérégie, Eastern Townships and Upper Yamaska use the area code 450. Some calls from 514 to 450 are local, some are not; most calls from Montreal to Laval and Longueuil are local and do not require dialing 1.
*also Île Bizard, Île Perrot, Nuns' Island (Île des Soeurs), Île Sainte-Hélène and Île Notre-Dame
Postal services:
Main post offices are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. There are also numerous postal counters in convenience stores and the like which may have other schedules.
Downtown post offices:
1250 University (just south of Ste-Catherine), 514-395-4909
3575 Avenue du Parc
900 de la Gauchetière Street West
1250 Sainte-Catherine Street East
Within Canada letters (up to 30 g) cost 49 cents. To the U.S., letters are 80 cents and elsewhere $1.40. There is no postcard rate - a postcard counts as a first-class letter. Other rates can be looked up on the Canada Post website as can Canadian postal codes. U.S. zip codes can be looked up here.
Internet:
Montreal has a range of Internet cafés and business centres with terminals, and areas with wi-fi are becoming more common - please consult our list.
The unit of currency is the Canadian dollar. Coins are in denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 25 cents, and $1 (a large gold-colored coin) and $2 (a large bimetallic coin). Bills in $5 (blue), $10 (purple) and $20 (green) are in common circulation and you can get $50s (red) and $100s (brown) from banks, though not from most automatic teller machines (ATMs). Some stores are cautious about accepting bills larger than $20 because of counterfeits.
Downtown stores are usually happy to accept U.S. currency and will often post the exchange rate they are offering. Normally this will be a few percentage points less than the bank rate. Major travellers' cheques are accepted in places that accept credit cards, but are not universally accepted as cash.
Most stores and restaurants accept Visa and MasterCard and often accept American Express. You usually get the most favorable exchange rate by using your credit card. Most ATMs are networked to Cirrus and Interac and accept major credit cards if you have a PIN to enter into the machine.
There are many currency exchange centers throughout the downtown area. They either charge a fee or take a couple of percentage points off the exchange rate for their services. Banks can usually handle U.S. funds without any problem but may not be prepared to handle other currencies. Bank branches are usually open from 10 a.m. till 3 p.m. during the week, often with extended hours on Thursday or Friday, but it must be noted that all Canadian banks have reduced the number of their branches in recent years and, in some cases, reduced the hours of existing branches.
Taxes:
Most goods and services in Quebec are subject to two taxes, a federal Goods and Services Tax of 7% (GST, usually listed as TPS on receipts) and a provincial sales tax of 7.5% (TVQ on receipts). Books are not provincially taxed, and most groceries are not taxed at all unless something counts as ready-to-eat. Almost everything else is taxable.
Non-residents may reclaim the sales taxes they have paid on some goods and services, so you're advised to keep your bills and receipts. You can get copies of the necessary forms at customs, tourist information centres, hotels and some department stores.
Tipping:
A tip of 15% is customarily left for waiters and waitresses at the table, calculated on the pre-tax total of your bill. It will not be calculated for you - the additional charges on a restaurant bill are taxes, not service charges, and are not voluntary. You are free to leave more than a 15% tip if circumstances warrant. In bars, the tip is handed over immediately as you pay for each drink or round. Taxi drivers also normally get a tip of 10 to 15%.
Canadian Customs and Revenue website
Visitors from all countries except the United States need a valid passport to enter Canada. They may also require a visa (see below). For information, check with a Canadian embassy.
United States citizens are required to provide proof of citizenship upon request and must present a passport if entering from a third country. Persons under 18 years travelling without their parents should have a letter of authorization from a parent or guardian to travel into Canada. The U.S. government has a useful page with further tips for U.S. residents visiting Canada.
Visitors from non-visa countries can stay for three months in Canada and can arrange an extension of a further three months on application to Immigration Canada.
If you are divorced, separated or travelling without your spouse and are bringing your children to Canada, you should bring a document demonstrating the permission of the other spouse, proof of legal custody or a notarized letter from the other custodian(s) which gives travel permission for the specific duration of the trip.
Each adult visitor may import, duty free, a maximum of 40 ounces (1.1 litres) of liquor, or 24 12-oz cans of beer or ale into Canada as personal luggage. Up to 50 cigars, 200 cigarettes, and 400 grams of tobacco and 400 tobacco sticks may be allowed entry duty free.
Citizens of the following countries do NOT need a visa to enter Canada: Andorra, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Botswana, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Grenada, Hong Kong (but only passport holders, not Certificate of Identity Holders), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel (but only citizens holding the blue-coloured national passport), Italy, Japan, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Montserrat, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn, Portugal, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United States (including permanent residents), Vanuatu, Vatican City, British Virgin Islands, Western Samoa, Zimbabwe.
You can check this list to find the addresses of foreign embassies in Canada. U.S. consulate in Montreal: 514-398-9695 - U.K. consulate: 514-866-5863 - France: 514-878-4381
Getting into and out of Montreal
See our general map of the metropolitan area or download the incredibly detailed city map (pdf format) from the Montreal transit site.
The official city site has an excellent map portal.
Airports:
Pierre Elliott Trudeau International, 22 km west of downtown, now serves all domestic, U.S. and international passenger flights.
Mirabel International, 55 km northwest of downtown, serves only cargo flights now.
A taxi ride from anywhere in town to Trudeau Airport costs a flat rate of $31.
Aerobus shuttle bus service runs from the downtown bus terminal (514-842-2281) with several stops before taking the highway. Fares are lower than taxis: $12 to or from Trudeau.
It is also possible to get to Trudeau Airport by taking regular city buses: the 211 and the 204 will get you there from downtown, but the 211 could be tricky with a lot of baggage at busy times of day.
Buses:
Montreal has bus connections to other cities within Quebec, in the rest of Canada and in the United States. Intercity bus travel does not carry the same stigma as in the U.S. and the buses to Quebec City and Toronto, for example, are quite clean and pleasant. The main bus terminus is the Station Centrale at the corner of Berri and de Maisonneuve, tel. 514-842-2281.
Trains:
Montreal is on Via Rail's Windsor-Quebec corridor. You can reserve tickets on their website or get them from your travel agent.
Amtrak runs the Adirondack from New York to Montreal daily. Their website also offers reservations.
There are two major downtown train stations, Central Station (Gare Centrale) and Windsor Station (recently renamed L'Allier Station). Both are connected to the Bonaventure Metro station and are thus connected to the underground city. Windsor/L'Allier is only used for commuter trains now.
Highway distances:
Québec
257 km
Ottawa 204 km
Toronto 546 km
Boston 512 km
New York 608 km
Chicago 1363 km
Detroit 915 km
Washington 971 km
Pittsburgh 978 km
Montreal is in the Eastern time zone of North America, 4 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time during the summer (Eastern Daylight, EDT) and 5 hours during the winter (Eastern Standard, EST). Daylight Savings Time is observed from the first Sunday in April till the last Sunday in October.
In French, it is usual to see times quoted in 24-hour format, e.g. 20h30 is the same as 8:30 p.m. Keep this in mind for the times of events and for parking restrictions noted on official signs.
Opening hours:
In general, stores are open from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, from 9 a.m. till 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Saturdays. There are exceptions: many large pharmacies, some grocery stores and some bookstores stay open late all week, and some smaller boutiques may open their doors later in the morning. If you are uncertain about a store's hours it is wise to phone ahead.
Electricity in Canada is 110V and the plugs are the same as in the U.S. If you come from a country that uses 220V electricity, you will have to bring a converter.
Legal holidays in 2004:
January 1: New Year's Day
April 9: Good Friday
May 24: Victoria Day/Journée nationale des Patriotes
June 24: St-Jean-Baptiste/Fête Nationale (Quebec national day)
July 1: Canada Day (also, widely, moving day)
September 6: Labour Day
October 11: Thanksgiving
December 25: Christmas
Some stores open on holidays, although Christmas is all but universally a closing day. Boxing Day, Dec. 26, is commonly given as a holiday, as is January 2. Easter Monday seems to be declining in importance and is mostly observed now only by government offices, which also close on Remembrance Day, November 11. Most businesses stay open on November 11, but ceremonies are held to honour war veterans and a minute of silence is traditionally observed at 11 a.m.
Montrealers often also observe Valentine's Day (February 14), Mother's Day (second Sunday in May), Father's Day (third Sunday in June) and Halloween (October 31), although these are not legal holidays. Depending on their origins, Montrealers might also celebrate Muslim or Jewish holidays, the Asian lunar new year, or other saints' days or national holidays. A major parade is held on the Sunday closest to St. Patrick's Day (March 17).
Montreal has a long-standing tradition of ending residential leases on June 30. As a result, July 1 is moving day for a significant percentage of tenants in the city. The last two weeks of July are the construction holiday, and many other unionized workers take these two weeks off as well.
Montreal is a cosmopolitan city. Quebec's language laws make it all but impossible to post outdoor signs in languages other than French so you will see few signs in English, but in the parts of Montreal where most travellers go, services are available in English.
Ambulance, fire, police: dial 911. For non-emergency police matters, dial 514-280-2222.
Health care is of a high standard but it is advised that you get travellers' insurance before you leave home because it is not free for visitors. Make sure you have the insurance documentation with you in case of emergency. You should bring any medications you need with you, especially sufficient quantities of prescription medicines. These should be kept in their original containers to avoid contretemps at borders.
Sanitation is equal to any developed country and tap water is drinkable. You do not need any special immunizations to visit Canada.
Montreal has a low crime rate. Nonetheless it is a large city and you should remain normally vigilant about your possessions and your person. No particular area of the city is marked off as dangerous, but it is not recommended to wander around Mount Royal or other large parks alone at night. The Metro is safe at all times.
The legal drinking age in Quebec is 18. You can buy beer and wine at many corner stores, but for a better selection of wine and for other liquors you must go to a government store (Société des Alcools). Many restaurants have a liquor license; in some areas, notably Prince Arthur and around Duluth Street, restaurants do without a license and customers can bring their own wine, reducing the expense of the meal. This is not universal and you must look for the "Apportez votre vin" signs.
Smoking is not permitted in the metro and on buses, in most shopping centres, in cinemas, in elevators, in government offices or in banks. Restaurants are supposed to have non-smoking sections but in some cases this is only nominally observed. Bars are universally smoking zones. You must be 18 years or older to buy tobacco, but in practice this is not enforced as firmly as the laws about buying alcohol. Smoking is very popular throughout Quebec and there is not much enthusiasm about suppressing it.
Please don't drink and drive.
Driving:
Distances and speed limits are posted in kilometers throughout Canada. 60 mph roughly equals 100 kmh. Gasoline prices are in litres.
The main rule to remember about driving in Montreal is that you may not turn right on a red light, although this is now permitted in Quebec outside of the Montreal area.
Montreal presents a few hazards for drivers. Pedestrians are pretty blasé about crossing on red lights, and all road construction and repairs happen in the summer months so it's not unlikely that you will run into a few detours when driving around town in the summer.
Seatbelts are mandatory even in back seats. Helmets are required for motorcyclists. It is obligatory to stop when a school bus is stopping, regardless of the direction in which you are driving. On a few major streets, bus lanes are marked with a large white diamond shape and you must not use these lanes within the hours noted on the accompanying signs. Some streets have bike lanes: these will be marked.
In the city, the Montreal police patrol the streets in blue and white cars. Parking infractions are monitored by city employees in reddish-orange cars - these folks wear green uniforms and are known as Green Onions. The older part of Montreal was built up before the automobile, so parking conditions can sometimes be frustrating. Be wary of neighbourhoods where certain parking spots are reserved for local people with numbered stickers.
Unless you have mobility problems, sightseeing on foot and by Metro is encouraged for this reason, at least within downtown and Old Montreal.
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) patrols in khaki and yellow cars on highways, both inside and outside the city. Outside the city, local municipalities can also ticket you if you commit an infraction on a road in their territory.
Public transit:
Montreal
has an excellent public transit system, the
STM
(Société des transports de Montréal) consisting of a subway system (see
map), 155 bus routes (20 all-night
routes), and five
commuter train lines. Dial
A-U-T-O-B-U-S for information about getting around on the system or
check the
STM website,
which has
excellent tools
for working out how to get around. Maps and information about the system
are also available in every Metro station and at tourist information
points.
The metro lines shut down around 12:30 a.m., after which the system shifts over to night bus lines until around 5:30 a.m.
A monthly pass giving full access to the metro and bus system costs $59. A tourist card giving full access for a day costs $8 and for three days costs $16. A strip of six tickets costs $11.00 and a single fare is $2.50. Bus drivers do not make change and do not sell tickets, but all metro stations have manned ticket booths and some convenience stores sell tickets and passes.
If you're using tickets or paying in cash, you may need to get a transfer if you plan to change from metro to bus, from bus to bus or from bus to metro. If you pay with a ticket or change, the bus driver should hand you a transfer; in the metro, you take one from a machine in your station of entry. You don't need a transfer to exit the metro system as you do in some cities - it's only needed if you want to be able to connect to a bus from the metro system. A valid pass means you don't need a transfer at all because it gives you unrestricted access to buses and metro.
People who are not Montreal residents don't qualify for seniors' reductions or student fares.
Surrounding Montreal are other transit systems including the large STL serving Laval and RTL (till recently the STRSM) serving the South Shore. There are also commuter trains serving some suburbs.
Bicycles
If you're comfortable on a bicycle it would be interesting to see Montreal en vélo. Bicycling magazine named Montreal the top bicycling city for 1999. However, keep in mind that motorists tend to be aggressive and you have to ride circumspectly. Helmets are not mandatory, but bicycles should be well equipped with reflectors if you will be riding after dark, and you should have a good lock: bicycle theft is endemic. The Maison des Cyclistes, 1251 Rachel East, 514-521-8356, rents bikes and sells maps of bike paths in and around the city. There is also bicycle rental in the Old Port (514-847-0666). You can bring a bicycle into the metro, but you must follow the rules.
Montreal has four daily newspapers. Only one, The Gazette, is in English. It belongs to the CanWest Global media empire. There are three French-language dailies, Le Devoir, La Presse and Le Journal de Montréal. There are also four free weekly cultural papers, two in each language, all publishing on Thursdays: Mirror and Hour in English, Voir and Ici in French. These can be picked up in many cafés and public places.
For international papers, check any Maison de la Presse Internationale or Multimags, but our favourite newsstand downtown is Metropolitan News, 1109 Cypress St., just south of Peel and Ste-Catherine, 514-866-9227, and on the Plateau we recommend Le Point Vert, 4040 boul. St-Laurent at Duluth, 514-982-9195.
The main tourist information centre in Montreal is located near the corner of Peel and Ste-Catherine at 1001, rue du square Dorchester (corner Metcalfe), metro Peel, 514-873-2015 or 1-877-266-5687. It is open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. from June to early September; 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. in May and September-October, and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. from November till April. The Old Montreal Tourist Centre at 174 Notre-Dame East is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. except from late June to early October when it's open till 7 p.m.