When we arrived at Montréal-Trudeau Airport for our recent trip, we had several options for getting downtown.
We could take a taxi, order an Uber or Lyft, use Montreal’s 747 airport bus or try something that had only started operating a few weeks earlier: the new Air Canada City Shuttle.
At only $9 CAD per person, it was an easy decision.
We decided to try the new service. Here’s how the Air Canada shuttle works, where to find it at Montreal Airport and what our trip into the city was actually like.
What Is The Air Canada City Shuttle?
Air Canada launched its new downtown Montreal shuttle on July 13, 2026, in partnership with The Landline Company.
The service runs nonstop between Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) and the Palais des Congrès de Montréal, the convention center on the edge of Old Montreal.
This isn’t the same type of Landline connection Air Canada offers at some other airports, where the bus is booked as a segment of an airline itinerary. The Montreal City Shuttle is purchased separately.
There are currently 37 departures in each direction every day, with buses running every 15 to 30 minutes. Air Canada says the buses can also use dedicated lanes on parts of the route, which should help make travel times more predictable when traffic is heavy.
The biggest attraction, though, is the price.
The Air Canada Shuttle Costs Just $9
A one-way ticket costs $9 CAD per passenger.
That’s particularly attractive when you compare it with the alternatives.
While we were at the airport, I checked both Uber and Lyft for a ride directly to our hotel, the Uville Hotel in Old Montreal.
UberX was showing CA$38.40, while Lyft’s standard option was CA$37.91. The prices were nearly identical and didn’t include a tip.
For the two of us, the Air Canada shuttle cost CA$18 total. So even before adding a tip to a rideshare, we were saving about CA$20.
Of course, there’s a tradeoff. Uber or Lyft would have taken us directly to our hotel, while the shuttle only goes to the Palais des Congrès. Fortunately, our hotel was close enough that this worked very well for us.
Who Can Use The Air Canada Shuttle?
An important restriction keeps this from being another cheap airport bus.
You need to have an eligible same-day Air Canada flight arriving at or departing from YUL.
According to Landline, passengers need a confirmed same-day flight with an Air Canada flight number or a flight operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or Air Canada Express.
So you can’t simply show up at Montreal Airport and use the Air Canada shuttle because it’s cheaper than Uber.
How Often Does The Shuttle Run?
The service operates 37 times daily in each direction.
From downtown Montreal, service starts at 4:45 AM. Buses run every 15 minutes in the early morning, then generally every 30 minutes, with service continuing until 9 PM.
From YUL, service begins at 5:15 AM and continues until 10 PM, again with departures every 15 to 30 minutes.
That’s one of the things that makes this much more useful than an airport shuttle that only runs a handful of times each day. If you miss one bus, you generally won’t have to wait long for another.
Buying Our Tickets At Montreal Airport
We didn’t buy our shuttle tickets before arriving in Montreal.
Instead, after landing and collecting our luggage, we headed toward the Air Canada check-in area on the Departures level.
That’s where we found signs for the City Shuttle, along with dedicated ticket kiosks.
The signage says you can scan a QR code to reserve a seat or purchase a ticket at the kiosk.
We bought our tickets there at the airport. That meant we didn’t have to worry about predicting exactly when our flight would arrive, how quickly we’d get off the plane or how long baggage claim would take.
The shuttle ticket is separate from your Air Canada reservation, so don’t expect it to automatically appear with your airline ticket.
Finding The Shuttle At YUL
This is probably the most important thing to know before you arrive.
The Air Canada City Shuttle doesn’t pick up on the Arrivals level like many other ground transportation options.
After collecting your luggage, go upstairs to the Departures level.
The ticket kiosks and shuttle information are near Air Canada’s check-in counters.
From there, you head outside through Door 7.
A small sign outside identifies the stop for the Air Canada downtown shuttle.
Once we knew where we were going, it wasn’t difficult to find. But if you’re arriving at the airport and instinctively following signs for taxis, rideshares and ground transportation, you could easily end up on the wrong level.
This Isn’t Your Typical Airport Bus
The vehicle itself is much nicer than what you might picture when someone says “airport bus.”
Landline uses full-size motorcoaches with reclining leather seats, extra legroom, power outlets and an onboard restroom.
Our bus was nearly empty when we boarded, so we had no trouble finding seats.
You can store large bags underneath the coach, and you can bring smaller bags onboard.
Landline currently allows each passenger up to two checked bags, one carry-on and one personal item without additional baggage charges for the bus ride.
Once we put our luggage underneath and sat down, there wasn’t much else to do. It felt more like taking a comfortable intercity coach than riding an airport shuttle.
The Ride Into Montreal
The shuttle runs nonstop from YUL to downtown Montreal. No intermediate hotel stops and no transfers along the way.
For us, that was one of the biggest advantages. We didn’t have to figure out Montreal public transportation after getting off a flight, haul our luggage between buses or trains or wait around for a rideshare.
We simply got on the bus and let someone else deal with the trip into the city.
Air Canada says the coaches can use dedicated high-occupancy vehicle lanes along parts of the route, which is intended to help avoid some of Montreal’s traffic.
Where Does The Air Canada Shuttle Drop You Off?
The shuttle doesn’t make multiple downtown stops.
Everyone gets off at the Palais des Congrès de Montréal, Montreal’s convention center at 1001 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle.
This is a very good location if you’re staying in Old Montreal, Chinatown or near the convention center.
For us, it was especially convenient because we were staying at the Uville Hotel in Old Montreal. More on that hotel and how we booked it in another post.
We still had to get from the convention center to the hotel, but we were already in the part of the city we wanted to be in.
That’s also why you shouldn’t look only at the $9 price when deciding whether this makes sense for your trip.
If you’re staying near the Bell Center or much farther west in downtown Montreal, for example, you may still need to take a taxi, rideshare or public transit after getting off the shuttle.
What About Taking The 747 Airport Bus?
The Air Canada shuttle isn’t the only inexpensive way to get between YUL and downtown Montreal.
Montreal’s STM also operates the 747 airport bus, which is available to everyone and serves multiple locations downtown.
Depending on where you’re staying, that may actually be more convenient.
However, the Air Canada shuttle has a few advantages. It’s nonstop, uses a comfortable motorcoach with luggage storage, and carries only Air Canada passengers traveling between the airport and downtown.
For us, the Palais des Congrès stop made the Air Canada option an easy choice.
A Few Things To Know Before You Ride
A few rules are worth remembering.
You need an eligible same-day Air Canada flight to use the shuttle. Landline recommends arriving at the boarding point at least 10 minutes before departure.
Your checked luggage isn’t automatically transferred from your flight to the bus. When you arrive at YUL, you collect your bags as usual and bring them to the coach.
The same applies when heading back to the airport. You bring your luggage on the shuttle and then check it with Air Canada after reaching YUL.
The shuttle reservation is also separate from your flight reservation, which is something to keep in mind if you’re using it on the way to the airport.
Would We Take The Air Canada Shuttle Again?
Absolutely, assuming we were flying Air Canada and staying somewhere reasonably close to the downtown stop.
For two people, we paid CA$18 to get from Montreal Airport into the city. At almost exactly the same time, Uber and Lyft were both charging about CA$38 for a standard ride to our hotel, before tip.
Of course, paying more for a rideshare would have gotten us directly to the Uville Hotel. But we weren’t paying much for the shuttle; the bus was comfortable, and the Palais des Congrès was convenient for where we were staying.
The only part that wasn’t immediately obvious was finding the shuttle after arriving at YUL. Remember the important part: go upstairs to Departures and look for Door 7.
Once we figured that out, everything else was easy.
Considering the Air Canada City Shuttle had only been operating for about a month when we tried it, our first experience went very smoothly. For $9 per person, I’d definitely use it again.
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