As I have in previous years, I ask that you have some sympathy for the bus, metro or train driver, station attendant or other employee who has to work during the holidays — some on Christmas morning, some through midnight on New Year’s Eve — just so that you can get you from point A to point B in the dark, wet, snowy mess that is the last week of the year.

And with this holiday season being even more snowy than normal, consider that buses will be late or possibly not even show up at all, and plan your transit trips accordingly.

Here’s what there is to expect as far as schedule changes this week and next:

STM (Montreal, including the entire metro)

Note that from Dec. 20 to Jan. 5, the STM offers its Family Outings plan, which allows an adult to bring up to five children under 12 to ride for free with a fare-paying adult. (Normally this is allowed only during weekends and statutory holidays.) This does not apply to the 747 bus.

• Monday, Dec. 23 and Tuesday, Dec. 24:
  • Buses and metro service will follow a regular weekday schedule.
• Wednesday, Dec. 25:
  • Bus routes will run on a Sunday schedule.
• Thursday, Dec. 26:
  • Bus routes will run on a Saturday or special holiday schedule.
  • Metro service will run on a special schedule, with additional trains added to the Orange and Green lines to accommodate rabid Boxing Day shoppers.
• Dec. 27-30: Normal schedules for all services.
• Tuesday, Dec. 31:
  • Buses, metro and taxi service will follow a regular weekday schedule.
  • As usual, there’s no extension of metro service despite how many people are out celebrating New Year’s Eve. Last trains of the night leave the two blue line terminuses at 12:15am, in all five directions from Berri at 1:00am and from Longueuil at 1:00am.
• Wednesday, Jan. 1:
  • Bus routes will follow Sunday schedules..
• Thursday, Jan. 2:
  • Bus routes and metro trains will follow a Saturday or special holiday schedule.

Special rules for adapted transit are in place from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2.

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

STL (Laval)

As usual, the STL offers free transit on its buses on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, and is collecting donations instead.

Holiday schedules were apparently misstated in their printed schedules. The correct information is:

• Tuesday, Dec. 24: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
• Wednesday, Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes.
  • The following will only have service from 11am to 9pm: 12, 20, 25, 27, 28, 31, 33, 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 58, 61, 63, 65, 66, 74, 144 and 903.
  • All other routes will have full regular Sunday service.
• Thursday, Dec. 26: Saturday schedules in effect for all routes.
• Dec. 27-30: Regular schedules for all routes according to the day of the week.
• Tuesday, Dec. 31: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
• Wednesday, Jan. 1:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes.
  • The following will only have service from 11am to 9pm: 12, 20, 25, 27, 28, 31, 33, 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 58, 61, 63, 65, 66, 74, 144 and 903.
  • All other routes will have full regular Sunday service.
• Thursday, Jan 2: Saturday schedule for all routes.

RTL (Longueuil)

Like the STL, the RTL is offering free service for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, and is asking for donations in lieu of fares.

From their PDF guide:

• Tuesday, Dec. 24 (free service): Saturday schedule for most routes, except:
  • Additional departures will be added to the following routes: 8, 13, 15, 17, 20, 23, 32, 35, 42, 44, 45, 47, 54, 73, 77, 80, 81, 83, 90, 99, 123, T77.
  • Regular weekday service or 91, 92, T22, T23 and T89.
  • The 177 will not run, replaced by the 77 which will offer special holiday service with departures every 30 minutes.
• Wednesday, Dec. 25: Sunday schedule for all routes
• Thursday, Dec. 26: Saturday schedules for most routes, except:
  • Saturday schedule with additional departures on lines 8, 35, 45, 80.
  • Weekday schedule for taxi lines T22 and T89.
• Dec. 27-30: Regular service for all routes according to the day of the week
• Tuesday, Dec. 31 (free service): Saturday schedule for all routes, except:
  • Additional departures will be added to the following routes: 8, 13, 15, 17, 20, 23, 32, 35, 42, 44, 45, 47, 54, 73, 77, 80, 81, 83, 90, 99, 123, T77.
  • Regular weekday service or 91, 92, T22, T23 and T89.
  • The 177 will not run, replaced by the 77 which will offer special holiday service with departures every 30 minutes.
• Wednesday, Jan. 1:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes
• Thursday, Jan. 2:
  • Saturday schedules for all routes, with additional departures on lines 8, 35, 45, 80.

AMT (commuter trains)

The AMT offers free trips on the three lines that operate on Christmas and New Year’s — Vaudreuil/Hudson, Deux-Montagnes and Saint-Jérôme.

• Tuesday, Dec. 24: Regular weekday service on all lines
• Wednesday, Dec. 25:
  • Sunday service on all lines that operate Sundays (all trips are free)
• Thursday, Dec. 26:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Vaudreuil and Saint-Jérôme lines
  • No service on other lines
• Dec. 27-30: Regular service on all lines according to the day of the week
• Tuesday, Dec. 31: Regular weekday service on all lines
• Wednesday, Jan. 1:
  • Sunday service on all lines that operate Sundays (all trips are free)
• Thursday, Jan. 2:
  • Saturday service on Montreal/Deux-Montagnes
  • Sunday service on Montreal/Vaudreuil and Saint-Jérôme lines
  • No service on other lines

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