Mostly cribbed from last year’s guide.

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.
  • 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 a regular Saturday schedule, though additional trains will be added to the Orange (9:45am-7:30pm) and Green (12pm-5:45pm) lines to accommodate rabid Boxing Day shoppers.
  • 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.
• Dec. 27: Normal Sunday schedules for all services, but regular schedules for paratransit are cancelled.
• Dec. 28-30:
  • 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 4:30pm.
• 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.
• Jan. 1:
  • Bus routes will follow Sunday schedules for the most part.
  • Metro service will be at every 10 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.
• Jan. 2:
  • All services will follow regular Saturday schedules.

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 (PDF).

• Dec. 24: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
• 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, 804 et 903.
• Dec. 26-30: Regular schedules according to the day of the week.
• Dec. 31: Saturday schedule. Free service on all routes.
• 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, 804 et 903.
• Jan 2: Saturday schedule.

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:

• Dec. 24 (free service*):
  • Lines 8, 13, 17, 20, 23, 42, 45, 54, 73, 77 (replacing 177) 80, 81, 83, 123 and T77 will operate on a special schedule
  • Lines 91, 92, 93, T22, T89, T99 will run on a regular weekday schedule
  • All other lines run on a Saturday schedule
• Dec. 25:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes
• Dec. 26:
  • Saturday schedule for all routes
• Dec. 27-30:
  • Regular service for all routes according to the day of the week
• Dec. 31 (free service*):
  • Lines 8, 13, 17, 20, 23, 42, 45, 54, 73, 77 (replacing 177) 80, 81, 83, 123 and T77 will operate on a special schedule
  • Lines 91, 92, 93, T22, T89, T99 will run on a regular weekday schedule
  • All other lines run on a Saturday schedule
• Jan. 1:
  • Sunday schedule for all routes
• Jan. 2:
  • Saturday schedule for all routes

AMT (Commuter trains)

The AMT offers free trips on the two lines that operate on Christmas and New Year’s – Dorion/Rigaud and Deux-Montagnes.

From their website:

• Dec. 24: Regular weekday service on all lines
• 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
• Dec. 27-31: Regular service on all lines according to day of the week
• 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

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