Montréal on a budget: 17 ways to save money on your trip

04.09.2023 - 14:09 / lonelyplanet.com

Montréal has long been known as Canada’s most affordable big city – locals tend to go slowly and enjoy life rather than hustle for more money and more stuff.

While that’s started to change, especially when it comes to hotel prices and rent since the pandemic, there are still deals for travelers on a budget and plenty of free concerts and events. Here are the best ways to save money in Montréal.

Montréal is busiest and most expensive in summer, but if you can handle the cold, the city is really special in the winter. In January and February, snow blankets the city, perfect for cross-country skiing on Mont-Royal or in Parc Maisonneuve. Winter is also great for cozying up with a coffee or a comforting hot chocolate. Do your best impression of Maurice 'Rocket' Richard (a famed Montreal Canadiens hockey player) and rent ice skates to glide around at Lac-aux-Castors, or Esplanade Tranquille in the arts-and-entertainment district Quartier des Spectacles.

A taxi or Uber from the airport is expensive – and the closest metro station is a five-minute shuttle bus away – so take the bus instead. STM bus 747 goes from the airport toLionel-Groulx metro station and the main downtown bus station, Gare d’Autocars de Montréal. A single-fare ticket (a Zone A ticket is all you need) is good for travel on buses or metros.

The best way to explore Montréal is on foot, and it doesn’t cost a thing. Wander around Le Plateau neighborhood and let your eyes take in the sights. Behind Le Plateau’s charming homes are ruelles vertes, pedestrian-friendly alleys with lush plantlife that are a great, somewhat-secret way to explore the city.

There are plenty of other terrific neighbourhoods to walk around as well, including the Old Port, Petite-Italie, St-Henri and along the Lachine Canal. And no visit to Montréal is complete without walking up “the mountain” Mont-Royal, for the best views over the city.

Montréal is as bike-friendly as it gets in North America and a ticket with local bikeshare program Bixi is a very affordable way to get around. Simple one-way trips cost $1.25 plus $0.15 per minute ($0.30 for a blue electric bike). A $20 monthly membership with unlimited rides up to 45 minutes could be worth it if you plan to stay a while.

Montreál’s metro (subway) system has been Canada’s best since it opened in the 1960s, with three lines that cover much of the island. A one-way ticket on Zone A is $3.75, or you can save money by getting a 10-ride pass. Unlimited 24-hour, 3-day, evening, weekend, and weekly passes are sold too. A $6 Opus card will make life easier if you're topping it up with money, but it’s not required.

Not only does Montréal have festival after festival all summer long (as well as at other times throughout the year), but