Montreal Metro passes

[althetrainer]

Thanks for those who had helped me locating grocery stores near the hotel where we will be staying in Montreal. Now, I have another question...

We want to purchase Metro passes for our stay. Based on what I found online, there're 1 - 3 day passes and one-week passes. We will be there for 5 days so I would like to buy three 1-week passes for us but I couldn't figure out what the OPUS card was. Do I need to have an OPUS card to purchase an one-week pass?

[FranksterMtl]

From STM's website (montreal public transport)

http://stm.info/English/tarification/a-tarif.htm

1/3 Day passes
You can have a 1 or 3 day paper card (7/14 $) where you dont need the Opus (the opus card is a chip based card)

For a week pass:

20.50 from monday to sunday (no it doesnt start when you buy it... Dumb!)

Also, you need an opus card for this which is 3.50$ until tomorrow then 6$ starting august 1st.... (this is a introduction special they had for a while)

The other problem with the opus card is you can't use it for more then one people, so you cant get just one card and have 3 week passes on it or buy 20 tickets and use it for your whole group... DUMB.

Some of their rates have fares for younger people but then you need to have their special ID card not your own card... DUMB....

Anyway the website I provided should have all the info you need.

[althetrainer]

Thanks FranksterMtl! The information you provided is very helpful.

Yup, I have been on the very same STM site but I couldn't figure out what the OPUS card was. Now I understand... in order to purchase the week passes, I have to first buy 3 OPUS card (3 x $6 = $18) then buy two 1-week passes $20.50 each (2 x $20.50 = $41) then a youth 1-week pass at $11.50... with two adult week passes, 1 youth week pass, plus the OPUS cards, it will come to a total of $70.50... that's insane!

Consider we don't arrive until Sunday afternoon and will be leaving Friday morning, we only need 4 days of transit. It's an obvious advantage to buy three 3-day passes (3 x 14 = $42). If we need to ride the Metro on Thursday ($8.40 - two adults) + ($2.40 - youth) = $10.80; that's for our last day. All four days: $42 + $10.80 = $52.80, still much cheaper than buying three week passes.

I have to agree, the way they arranged the bulk rates is very dumb. I supposed they target local commuter users, not tourists. But again, one would think a better public transit rate for tourists would increase the attractiveness of the city. Strange indeed!

Thanks again!

[shepd]

Buy the 3-day passes and pay per trip for the least used day (figure out if it is at the start or end of your trip). The 3-day passes have to be purchased at the metro station and you must show them to the person at the gate each time you go through (they're just like the scratch cards in Toronto).

Worked for me when I was there.