Montreal transit fares are going up 25 cents for single ride, $3 for monthly pass

People in the Montreal area will soon have to pay a little extra to get around on public transit.

The regional transit planning agency for the Montreal area, known by its French acronym ARTM, announced on Wednesday that regular single-ride tickets on the island of Montreal will go from $3.50 to $3.75 starting July 1.

This is the first increase for that fare since 2019.

The new pricing applies to any mode of public transportation on the island, whether it's a bus, Metro or train.

The price for two tickets on the Montreal island — which the ARTM designates as Zone A — will go from $6.50 to $7.00. The cost of 10 tickets will go from $31.50 to $32.50.

Users who benefit from reduced prices can also expect a similar bump in fares for single rides as well as two- and 10-ticket packages. 

There are also changes in pricing for commuters who travel off-island.

To commute between zones A and B, meaning between Montreal and either Laval or the Longueuil agglomeration, the cost for single-ride tickets, two and 10 tickets will stay the same.

For those commuters, only the monthly pass is going up: From $150 to $155.

Here's a full breakdown of the fare changes taking effect on July 1, across all four transit zones:

The ARTM wants to remind commuters that the fare structure that's in place will also apply to the REM.

The light-rail train service is expected to partially open some time this spring along the corridor between Brossard and Central Station in downtown Montreal. To ride on that branch of the REM, commuters will need to pay fares that apply to zones A and B. An official service launch date has not yet been announced.

The transit agency also says it will index fares to rise at an average of about three per cent annually starting in July, adding that it's a reasonable amount given the overall increase in the cost of living in the province.

24-hour and 3-day passes beyond Montreal

Commuters will soon be able to buy 24-hour and three-day passes that are applicable for all modes of transit across all zones, with prices varying depending on the reach of those passes across zones A, B, C and D.

For now, users can only buy such passes to travel in Zone A, the Montreal Island.

For commutes between zones A and B, these new passes will be available as of June 1, in time for festival season. The other ones will be available starting July 1.  

"Users will benefit from greater flexibility in their commutes to address their new daily habits and take part in numerous activities during the summer," the ARTM said in a statement.

To consult the prices for the 24-hour and three-day passes, go to third page of this document.