Borders and transport

With direct flights from many North American cities, getting to Montréal is easy. Across various levels—from municipal to national—transport authorities have created prudent guidelines to ensure public safety.

© ADM

Borders

As of August 9th, 2021, American citizens and permanent residents who have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior are allowed to enter Canada for non-essential travel.

As of September 7th, 2021, International tourists who have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior are allowed to enter Canada for non-essential travel.

These are the currently accepted vaccines:

  • Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty, tozinameran, BNT162b2)
  • Moderna (mRNA-1273)
  • AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD (ChAdOx1-S, Vaxzevria, AZD1222)
  • Janssen/Johnson & Johnson (Ad26.COV2.S)

All travellers must use ArriveCAN (app or web portal) to submit their travel information. If they are eligible to enter Canada and meet specific criteria, fully vaccinated travellers will not have to quarantine upon arrival in Canada.

Additionally, all travellers are required to show a negative COVID-19 molecular test (PCR) that was taken within 72 hours.

As of August 9th, fully vaccinated travellers will not need to take a post-arrival test unless they have been randomly selected to complete a Day 1 COVID-19 molecular test (PCR).

Travel for business or educational purposes is also permitted.

Consult with the Canada Border Services Agency website for detailed updates.

Airport

Montréal’s main airport, Montréal-Trudeau International (YUL), has created a Travel with Confidence program. This includes such precautions as:

  • Limited access to the airport. Only travellers and employees are permitted in the terminal building.
  • Health checkpoints where passengers are required to sanitizer their hands, answer questions to determine symptoms associated with COVID-19, and temperature readings.
  • Automated (touchless) washroom sinks, soap dispensers and hand dryers.
  • Baggage carts disinfected and cleaned after every use.

 

For a visual trip through the Montréal-Trudeau International airport, watch this short clip:

 

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© Tourisme Montréal - Marie Deschene

Taxi, Uber, Limousines

Personal transport drivers in Montréal have been provided with guidelines from the provincial public health institute (available here in French). Here are just some of the safety precautions:

  • The interiors of all taxis and Ubers are cleaned after each use.
  • Plexiglass barriers between the front and back seats have been installed whenever possible.
  • Drivers are required to wear masks.
  • Passenger numbers are limited, including no access to the front passenger seat.
  • Natural aeration of the passenger compartment as often as possible (temperature permitting). Drivers are instructed to not use recirculation ventilation.
  • Possibility of cancelling a ride without penalty by the driver or by the passenger if safety is a concern.
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Furthermore, taxi drivers licensed to operate at YUL will be required to clean their cars between each customer, to wear a mask, and to wash their hands regularly. Some vehicles will be equipped with a plexiglass screen separating the front seats from the passenger seats. Passengers can make a request to the dispatcher (at the arrivals level) to use one these vehicles.

© Société de transport de Montréal

Public Transport

  • To limit interactions, passengers are asked to enter by the front of the bus and exit by the back.
  • Travel outside of rush hours is encouraged.

 

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© Steve Daniel

Car Rentals

  • Shuttle services offers plexiglass dividers and transports clients one at a time.
  • Vehicles are cleaned and disinfected between each use.
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© VIA Rail Canada

VIA Rail (train travel)

  • Reduction of seat numbers available.
  • Passengers are required to respect distancing measures with each other whenever possible.
  • No on-train food or beverage service is offered, but all passengers receive a free snack and bottle of water.
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