Air Canada City Shuttle Review: Montreal YUL to Downtown for $9

Last month, Air Canada launched its new Air Canada City Shuttle, connecting Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) with the Palais des congrès in downtown Montreal for just $9 (plus taxes) one way. When the service was first announced, I wrote about why I thought it could be an excellent transport option for Air Canada passengers travelling through YUL. The combination of a low fare, frequent departures, premium motorcoaches, and access to dedicated lanes around the airport sounded particularly compelling.

I finally had the opportunity to try the City Shuttle myself, travelling from YUL to downtown Montreal. Now that I’ve used it, I can confidently say this is my favourite Air Canada amenity in Montreal.

Air Canada City Shuttle – YUL

That may sound like excessive praise for what is ultimately a bus ride, but the experience needs to be viewed in the context of getting to and from YUL right now. Major infrastructure work around YUL has affected vehicle access around the airport. The Multi-Level parking lot has been closed since October 2025 as work progresses on future drop-off infrastructure. In that context, a comfortable motorcoach that can use dedicated lanes in and out of YUL is far more useful than it might initially sound.

Air Canada City Shuttle – Quick introduction

The Air Canada City Shuttle operates in partnership with The Landline Company between YUL and the Palais des congrès de Montréal. Unlike Air Canada’s other Landline services connecting Toronto Pearson with several Ontario communities, the Montreal City Shuttle is a standalone ground transportation product, not a motorcoach segment integrated into an Air Canada airline ticket.

The service is available to eligible passengers travelling on Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge or Air Canada Express. The fare is $9 one way per adult, plus taxes, while children under 15 accompanied by an adult travel free. Air Canada currently schedules 37 services per day, with departures as frequently as every 15 minutes during certain periods. There are no intermediate stops. It is simply YUL to the Palais des congrès, or vice versa.

Air Canada City Shuttle Route – YUL

One of the most important features is its private access lane at the airport. That ability to bypass some of the regular vehicle congestion around YUL was one of the highlights of my trip.

Booking My Air Canada City Shuttle Ticket

I was travelling from Montreal YUL to downtown, and purchased my City Shuttle ticket online in advance. The booking process was easy and straightforward. I first selected my direction of travel and then entered an Air Canada flight arriving at YUL. Rather than presenting every shuttle departure, the system considers the flight arrival time and builds in a minimum connection period before displaying the appropriate shuttle options.

Air Canada City Shuttle – Boarding Pass

After selecting my departure, I entered my personal details and completed the payment online. A dedicated boarding pass was generated for the AC shuttle trip. For my trip, I selected the 11:00 a.m. departure from YUL. As I would soon discover, however, the operation had a welcome degree of flexibility.

Finding the Air Canada City Shuttle at YUL

Finding the shuttle after arriving at YUL was quite seamless. Passengers arriving at Montréal-Trudeau first complete the normal arrival process and collect their luggage. From there, head upstairs to the Departures level on Level 2 and follow the signage toward the Air Canada check-in area at Counters 600–634. The City Shuttle boards curbside outside Door 7.

I was impressed by the signage throughout the terminal. The directions for the Air Canada City Shuttle were clear and evident, and I never felt as though I needed to hunt around the terminal to figure out where I was going. Near Door 7, I also noticed dedicated self-service ticket kiosks. So while purchasing a ticket in advance is the easiest option, passengers who have not done so can purchase access at YUL. Same pricing as online.

Air Canada City Shuttle – Ticket Kiosk

When I reached Door 7, an Air Canada-branded motorcoach had just pulled up, and passengers were disembarking. My ticket was for the 11:00 a.m. service, but a 10:00 a.m. departure was preparing to leave. I asked the Air Canada agents whether I could take the earlier coach, and they confirmed that I could. So, instead of sitting around the airport waiting for my originally booked departure, I could head downtown immediately.

Air Canada City Shuttle – Boarding and Seats

Boarding was about as seamless as ground transportation gets. An agent helped load my bag into the luggage compartment underneath the coach, took a quick look at my boarding pass, and I walked onboard.

It had been a while since I had walked onto a bus that actually smelled new. The motorcoach certainly looked and felt like a new product. The cabin was fitted with all-leather seating, with Air Canada’s familiar red and black accents incorporated throughout the interior. The colour scheme worked well without feeling overdone, while the wood-panel flooring was a surprisingly elevated touch for a shuttle bus.

Air Canada City Shuttle

Motorcoach – Rear

The seats themselves were comfortable, with appreciable legroom. Air Canada shuttle was configured with 48 reclining leather seats, and each passenger also had access to a tray table and power outlet. Each seat had a cup holder and a comfortable leg rest, both useful additions even though the journey downtown is relatively short.

Seat with plenty of legroom

In-seat power outlet

Each passenger had an individual overhead panel with a reading light and adjustable air-conditioning vent. The coach also benefits from enormous windows, which allow plenty of natural light and make the interior feel bright and open rather than like a traditional enclosed bus.

There was overhead luggage storage as well, and I found the compartments large enough to accommodate most standard carry-on items. The standard shuttle baggage allowance is also generous – passengers can bring up to two checked bags, one carry-on, and one personal item without paying a separate shuttle baggage fee.

Individual vents and reading lights

Towards the rear of the motorcoach is a functional onboard toilet. Given that this is roughly a 25-minute trip under good traffic conditions, I cannot imagine the washroom receives much use on the Montreal route. It’s another small detail that makes the coach feel more like an intercity premium motorcoach than a basic airport shuttle.

Toilet towards rear of the bus

The Ride from Montreal YUL to Downtown

Approximately 25 minutes after leaving YUL, I arrived downtown. The downtown stop is at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. Disembarking was every bit as simple as boarding. The driver unloaded the luggage from the compartment underneath the coach, and I was essentially done. There is also a dedicated Air Canada City Shuttle waiting area inside the Palais des congrès, across from Café Van Houtte. I appreciated having an indoor space where I could get my bearings and figure out exactly where I needed to go next rather than standing on a downtown sidewalk with luggage.

Air Canada City Shuttle – Palais des congrès de Montréal

The location itself is excellent. The Palais des congrès is an easy walk from Old Montreal and downtown hotels.

Air Canada City Shuttle – My Takeaway

When Air Canada first announced the City Shuttle, I thought the concept made a lot of sense. After actually using it, I appreciate it even more. I don’t want to overstate what is ultimately a ground transportation service. It is a motorcoach connecting an airport with downtown Montreal.

But it is a very good motorcoach service, and it delivers a predictable, comfortable, low-stress journey into the city at a very reasonable price. My final cost was a little over $10 once taxes were included. Looking back, that may genuinely be the best $10 I’ve spent at YUL.

Eventually, Montreal’s long-awaited direct REM rail connection will change the airport transportation equation. Until that service arrives, however, for an eligible Air Canada passenger whose destination works with the Palais des congrès drop-off (or pick-up) point, the Air Canada City Shuttle would be my first choice for getting between Montreal YUL and downtown.