More info on the 747 bus:
Schedule and map
Press release
The STM and ADM announce the introduction of the 747 Express bus
Montréal, March 11, 2010– Michel Labrecque, Chairman of Société de transport de Montréal (STM) Board of Directors, along with James C. Cherry, President and CEO of Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), and Mrs. Manon Barbe, Mayor of the Borough of LaSalle and Executive Committee member responsible for transportation, today announced the introduction of a new bus service with limited stops offering a direct link without transfers between downtown and Montréal-Trudeau airport. Service on the new 747 – Express bus will begin March 29.
“This new route is designed to improve service in the Dorval hub and to more adequately meet the needs of the airport by increasing the area’s accessibility as it generates some 10 000 rides every day. With this new service, we hope to create an awareness about public transit among airport clients and employees so that they make a habit of using it for their transportation needs,” declared Mr. Labrecque. “The 747 – Express bus bus route was created as part of the STM’s service improvement programme (PASTEC), funded equally by Transports Québec and Ville de Montréal.”
“Montréal’s Transportation Plan aims to significantly reduce the level of solo car use by banking on alternate solutions for efficient, comfortable and quality public transit. The 747 Express bus can help us achieve this goal while lowering greenhouse gas emissions,” pointed out Mrs. Barbe.
“This is very good news for airport employers who are finding it hard to recruit staff because of the difficulty or high cost of getting to and from the airport. In fact, the 747 will considerably expand the pool of candidates for employers,” said Aéroports de Montréal President and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Cherry. “That said, work must continue to improve road access to the airport and, of course, to prepare the rail shuttle linking the airport with the downtown core, which remains essential.”
“This new service will translate into a significant improvement in the quality of the transportation experience for all tourists arriving in Montréal through Montréal-Trudeau airport. Finally, we can count on having reliable, efficient and inexpensive transportation to downtown for Montrealers and foreigners visiting our city,” emphasized the honourable Charles Lapointe, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.
The 747 – Express bus route will be operational seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and 365 days a year. Its route will feature nine stops in each direction, including transfer stops at Lionel-Groulx station, Central Station, Berri-UQAM station and at Gare d’autocars de Montréal, in addition to stopping close to a few downtown hotels and tourist attractions. Buses will run every 20 minutes during rush hour, every 30 minutes during off-peak periods, and every hour from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. The return trip extends over nearly 45 km and its duration will vary from 20 to 35 minutes in each direction, depending on traffic conditions.
A distinct fare
Custom-designed to serve the airport, the new bus service makes it possible for travellers to pay the $7 fare in cash aboard the bus and, in return, also enjoy unlimited access to the bus and métro network for the next 24 hours.
Holders of regular and reduced fare weekly or monthly CAM cards, as well as 1-day and 3-day fare cards, can already take advantage of this service at no extra cost. The monthly TRAM card (1 to 8) can also be used. These public transit fares will also be sold at the airport (international arrivals level), at Gare d’autocars de Montréal, at the Infotourist centres located at Dorchester Square and in Old Montréal, in addition to all usual points of sale.
A bus made to measure
Because of the special nature of this bus service, its distinct visual signature calls for the blue chevron identifying the STM’s new corporate branding to which a pictogram of a plane was added. In fact, as the majority of clients using this route will be travellers with suitcases, the buses will be equipped with three baggage racks that can hold up to 17 standard pieces of luggage and 17 cabin-size bags, depending on their format.
And to make it easier for clients to identify the 747 bus stops, miniature panels will be installed above the bus stop panels of other regular bus routes.
Promotion
The STM will advertise the new bus service to potential clients by means of a promotional campaign, rolled out gradually in cooperation with ADM. Thus, the information will be available through the STM’s promotional material, as well as in Tourisme Montréal’s official tourist guide, on backlit signs inside major métro stations downtown, as well as on the electronic billboards inside métro cars. Finally, poster ads will be installed in various strategic locations close to the bus route, including bus shelters and several hotels.
For more information, clients can call STM-INFO (514 786-4636). They can also call A-U-T-O-B-U-S (514 288-6287) for bus timetables at their stop. The STM website (
www.stm.info) also provides timetables as well as other useful information.
