Last year’s guide seems to have been well received, so I’m doing it again.

Here’s what to expect from the Montreal-area transit authorities for service this holiday season, including special holiday service schedules and free service days.

Once again, I ask that you have some sympathy for the bus or metro driver who has to work during the holidays getting whiny vomiting drunk people from A to B in thick snow.

STM (Montreal, including the entire metro)

(From the STM’s website):

• Dec. 24:
  • Buses and metro service will follow a regular weekday schedule
  • Paratransit service continues as normal. Customer service open from 8:30am to noon.
  • Taxi service runs as normal.
• Dec. 25:
  • Bus routes will follow Sunday schedules for the most part.
  • Metro service will be about every 10 minutes on all lines.
  • January CAM monthly transit passes will be sold at the following metro stations only (remember there’s a transit fare increase for January, $68.50 for a regular pass):
    • Berri-UQAM
    • Côte-Vertu
    • Jean-Talon
    • McGill
    • Lionel-Groulx
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
• Dec. 26:
  • Bus routes will follow Saturday or Sunday schedules, depending on the route.
  • Metro service will run on Sunday schedules (Saturday for the Blue line), however additional trains will be added to the Orange (9:45am-7:30pm) and Green (12pm-5:45pm) lines to accommodate rabid Boxing Day shoppers.
  • January CAM monthly transit passes will be sold at the following metro stations only (remember there’s a transit fare increase for January, $68.50 for a regular pass):
    • Berri-UQAM
    • Côte-Vertu
    • Jean-Talon
    • McGill
    • Lionel-Groulx
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
• Dec. 27-30:
  • Bus, metro and taxi service as normal according to day of the week.
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is open 8:30am to 4pm (Dec. 27/28 only).
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations (remember there’s a transit fare increase for January, $68.50 for a regular pass).
• Dec. 31:
  • Buses and metro service will follow a regular weekday schedule. (Note that last trains leave Berri-UQAM just before 1am and both Blue Line terminuses at 12:15am).
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service open from 8:30am to noon.
  • Taxi service runs as normal.
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations.
• Jan. 1:
  • Bus routes will follow Sunday schedules for the most part.
  • Metro service will be at every 10-12 minutes on all lines.
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations.
• Jan. 2:
  • Bus routes will follow Saturday or Sunday schedules, depending on the route.
  • Metro service will run on Sunday schedules.
  • Regular paratransit service is suspended and a special reservation system is in place. Trips have to be scheduled 3-7 days in advance. Customer service is closed.
  • Taxi service is cancelled.
  • Transit passes will be sold at all metro stations.

Note that Opus cards can be recharged at any point after Dec. 20.

Opening hours for various STM departments (PDF).

STL (Laval)

Note: The STL by tradition has free service days on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, however it has not made any public statements suggesting it will repeat the tradition this year yet (finally…). During Laval’s free service days, drivers collect for the STL’s Boomerang Committee, which provides breakfasts to needy children.

• Dec. 24: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
  • 902 bus runs on modified rush-hour only schedule (PDF)
    
• Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for the following routes: 17, 24, 26, 42, 43, 48, 50, 52/252, 55, 56, 60, 70, 73, 76, 151
  • Modified Sunday schedule for remaining routes (departures cancelled before 10:30am and after 9pm): 12, 20, 25, 27, 28, 31, 33, 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 58, 61, 63, 65, 66, 74, 144, 228, 804, 903
• Dec. 26: Saturday schedule.
  • 902 bus runs on modified rush-hour only schedule (PDF)
    
• Dec. 27-30: Regular schedules according to the day of the week.
• Dec. 31: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
  • 902 bus runs on modified rush-hour only schedule (PDF)
    
• Jan. 1: Special schedule for all routes. For most routes, it’s a Sunday schedule with departures cancelled before 11am and at or after 8pm. Check your bus’s schedule. The following routes are the exception: they will have regular Sunday morning and evening departures: 17, 24, 26, 42, 48, 50, 52/252, 55, 56, 60, 70, 73, 76, 151.
• Jan 2: Sunday schedule.
  • 902 bus runs on modified rush-hour only schedule (PDF)
    

RTL (Longueuil)

From their PDF guide:

• Dec. 24 (free service*):
  • Lines 8, 13, 17, 23, 42, 45, 54, 73, 80, 81, 83, 123 will operate on a special schedule
  • Lines 91, 92, 93, T22, T89, T94 will run on a regular weekday schedule
  • All other lines run on a Saturday schedule
• Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for all buses
• Dec. 26:
  • Lines 8, 35, 45, 80 operate on a special schedule
  • No service on lines 91, 92, 93
  • Lines T22, T89 and T94 operate on a weekday schedule
  • All other lines will run on a Saturday schedule
• Dec. 27-30:
  • Regular service for all buses according to the day of the week
• Dec. 31 (free service*):
  • Lines 8, 13, 17, 23, 42, 45, 54, 73, 80, 81, 83, 123 will operate on a special schedule
  • Lines 91, 92, 93, T22, T89, T94 will run on a regular weekday schedule
  • All other lines run on a Saturday schedule
• Jan. 1:
  • Sunday schedule for all buses
• Jan. 2:
  • Lines 45 and 80 operate on a special schedule
  • No service on lines 91, 92, 93
  • All other lines run on a Saturday schedule

*During free service days, the RTL will be collecting money for Loisirs thérapeutiques de Saint-Hubert.

AMT (Commuter trains)

(From their website):

• Dec. 24: Regular weekday service on all lines, except:
  • Special departure on St. Hilaire line, 1pm from Central Station
• Dec. 25: Free trips on all commuter trains
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines
• Dec. 26:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines
• Dec. 27-30: Regular service on all lines according to day of the week
• Dec. 31: Regular weekday service except:
  • Special departure on St. Hilaire line, 1pm from Central Station
• Jan. 1: Free trips on all commuter trains
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes and Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines
• Jan. 2:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Dorion
  • No service on the other lines

Customer service at the AMT will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

Other transit authorities

CITSO (Châteauguay etc.):

• Saturday schedule for Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Jan. 1, Jan. 2. No downtown express service
• Free service on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

CRTL Lanaudière (eastern north shore):

• Sunday schedule for Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Jan. 1, Jan. 2.
• Free service on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

CIT Laurentides (western north shore): See notices on their website

CIT Le Richelain (Candiac, La Prairie, St. Philippe, via PDF):

• Saturday schedule for Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Jan. 1, Jan. 2.

CIT Vallée du Richelieu (St. Hilaire, St. Hyacinthe, St. Bruno, McMasterville, etc., via PDF):

• Saturday schedule for route 200 on Dec. 26.
• Sunday schedule for route 200 on Dec. 25, Jan. 1 and Jan. 2.
• No service on any other lines for Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Jan. 1 or Jan. 2.
• Free service on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Happy holidays folks.