Central Station is no longer off-limits to bicycles

It didn’t get much attention, but the Agence métropolitaine de transport has loosened its restrictions for carrying bicycles aboard commuter trains, opening them up for the first time on all five lines instead of just two.

Previously, bicycles were only allowed outside rush hours (meaning midday or late night on weekdays, and on weekends), only on the Deux-Montagnes and Vaudreuil-Hudson lines, and even then not at all stations (Central Station was the most prominent to now not allow bicycles, presumably because of the difficulty of navigating them through staircases and through the underground malls).

Under the new rules, which took effect May 1, bicycles are now allowed on all five lines, and are allowed on all trains except those during rush hour in the direction of the rush (so bicycles are allowed on morning trains toward the suburbs, and afternoon trains toward downtown).

They’re also allowed at all stations except three: Hudson (which is moot because it’s only served by rush-hour trains), Île Perrot and Candiac (the latter two probably because of platform issues).

Central Station has a few specific rules: Bicycles are only allowed to enter and exit the platform through the central staircase and the elevators, and are only permitted to enter and leave Central Station through the de la Gauchetière exit (so bicycles can’t be walked through the underground city or toward Place Ville-Marie).

Rush hours, according to the schedules, are:

• Deux-Montagnes-Montreal: Trains up to 9am. Trains at 9:55am and after are permitted
• Montreal-Deux-Montagnes: Trains from 3pm to 6:20pm, inclusive
• Vaudreuil-Montreal: Trains up to the 8:10am departure from Vaudreuil
• Montreal-Vaudreuil: Trains from 3:15pm to 6pm, inclusive
• Blainville-Montreal: Trains up to the 7:25am departure from Saint-Jérôme (note that no trains leaving Saint-Jérôme allow bicycles because they’re all during rush hour)
• Montreal-Saint-Jérôme: Lucien L’Allier departures from 3:35pm to 5:30pm, inclusive (the final departure at 6:45pm allows bicycles, and goes to Saint-Jérôme)
• Delson-Montreal: Departures before and including 8:05am
• Montreal-Delson: Lucien L’Allier departures from 3:40pm to 5:15pm, inclusive
• Saint-Hilaire-Montreal: All morning departures (1:45pm and 7pm allow bicycles)
• Montreal-Saint-Hilaire: Central Station departures from 4:30pm to 6pm, inclusive