Arriving & Departing

By Plane

The Aéroport International Pierre-Elliot-Trudeau de Montréal (tel. 800/465-1213 or 514/394-7377; www.admtl.com; airport code YUL), known less cumbersomely as Montréal-Trudeau Airport, is 23km (14 miles) southwest of downtown. A C$716-million (£358-million) expansion was completed in 2006, and the terminal is now twice its old size and features a new Customs Hall. Note that Montréal-Trudeau used to be called Montréal-Dorval, and some older maps and guides still use that name. Also, Aéroport Mirabel, 55km (34 miles) northwest of the city, is an all-cargo facility.

Montréal-Trudeau is served by L'Aérobus (tel. 514/216-8591), a shuttle bus which travels between the airport and downtown, stopping at Berri Terminal (also known as the Station Centrale d'Autobus, the city's main bus terminal). Buses run every 30 minutes daily from 4:30am to 1:30am. One-way fares are C$14 (£7) for adults, C$13 (£6.50) for seniors, and C$11 (£5.50) for children. The ride takes about 30 minutes.

A taxi trip to downtown Montréal costs a flat fare of C$35 (£18) plus tip. Other destinations are charged by meter.

By Train

Montréal has one intercity rail terminus, Gare Centrale (Central Station), 895 rue de la Gauchetière ouest (tel. 514/989-2626), below Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel. The station is connected to the Métro subway system at Bonaventure Station. (Gare Windsor, which you might see on some maps, is the city's former train station. It's a beautiful castlelike building now used for offices.)

By Bus

The central bus station, called Station Centrale d'Autobus (tel. 514/842-2281), is at 505 bd. de Maisonneuve est. It has a bar, a cafeteria, and an information booth. Beneath the terminal is Berri-UQAM Station, the junction of several important Métro lines and a good starting point for trips to most quarters of the city. (UQAM -- pronounced "Oo-kahm" -- stands for Université de Québec à Montréal.) Alternatively, taxis usually line up outside the terminal building.

By Car

If you come over Pont Champlain, the main bridge, you'll likely be greeted by one of its charming LED messages, such as "Someone loves you, drive with care" and "Carpooling is an interesting energy saver."