Public transit in Montreal now free for children 11 and under, students get a discount

MONTREAL -

Children under the age of 11 will no longer have to pay to use public transit across Greater Montreal, when accompanied by a person 14-years or older with a valid ticket.

This is one of the new measures put in place Thursday as part of a redesign by the Metropolitan Regional Transportation Authority (ARTM).

The changes apply to every mode of transit, including the Metro, bus and train networks.

Full-time students aged 18 and up will also benefit from a 40 per cent discount on their monthly passes.

On Montreal's north and south shores, a single pass, called 'All Modes,' will now give users access to all forms of transportation.

These new permits will be launched in Montreal, Laval and Longueuil in 2022.

The goal is to reduce the number of different kinds of fares from over 700 to about 100. The new structure is expected to be phased in by 2024.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 1, 2021.