The underground city
Thirty-three kilometres of passages linking metro, malls and stations — essential in February.
Duration
45 min – 2 hrs
Best time
In winter
Open
Every day
Entry price
Free
The network, officially the RÉSO, runs about thirty kilometres and links railway stations, ten metro stations, universities, shopping centres and thousands of offices. It began in 1962 with Place Ville-Marie, whose deep foundations created an underground retail level.
It is not an attraction, it is infrastructure: it exists because Montreal spends several months a year below freezing, and it lets you cross the whole downtown with your coat open. In January it is the difference between an enjoyable day and an endured one.
Getting there
Access from most downtown metro stations: Bonaventure, McGill, Place-des-Arts and Peel are the most useful doors.
What to bring
- Swimsuit
- Board
Rules on site
Signage varies from one section to the next and it is easy to surface three streets from where you meant to. Some sections close in the evening and on Sunday, along with the shops they serve.
Other places in Montreal
Old MontrealThe cobbles, Notre-Dame basilica and the old port, in a handful of streets.
Mount Royal ParkThe hill laid out by the designer of Central Park, and the whole city from the lookout.
- Jean-Talon MarketThe largest open-air market in North America, in the middle of Little Italy.
Mile EndWood-fired bagels, video game studios and outdoor spiral staircases.