Ile-aux-Tourtes Bridge: Free transit ends for some commuters

Some commuters benefiting from free public transit due to work on the Ile-aux-Tourtes Bridge will have to start paying for their fares.

Some commuters benefiting from free public transit due to work on the Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge will have to start paying for their fares starting next Monday.

Transports Québec explains commuters on the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) 212 and 411 bus lines, as well as people taking the #11 exo Vaudreuil-Hudson train line from the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and Baie-d'Urfé stations, will no longer benefit from free travel.

The ministry explains this is due to the "improved journey times in these areas."

Free service will be maintained at the Hudson, Vaudreuil, Dorion, Pincourt and Île-Perrot train stations, as well as on the entire La Presqu'Île sector until further notice.

"Users travelling from the five stations located outside Montreal will continue to receive a free, two-pass 'Tous modes ABC' ticket for their train journey, including the necessary connections via the bus, Metro and REM networks," the ministry notes. "These tickets will now be distributed seven days a week according to train schedules."

Commuters will continue to be required to validate their free tickets to avoid being fined.

"Users must validate the first passage when they receive the ticket at the train station on the outbound journey, and then do the same with the second passage on the return journey," Transports Québec notes. "Wherever possible, we recommend that workers and employers continue to give priority to telecommuting and public transit travel."