Hey everyone! Woah I was not expecting so much buzz for this video... Thank you so much! I wasn't planning on making more transit videos (I made this on a whim because I was connecting through Toronto to get back to school haha), but I think you've changed my mind. I can do Edmonton vs Calgary pretty easily if there's interest. I'd love to ride the skytrain in Vancouver, but I don't know when I'll be there next (hopefully sometime this summer). My next few videos aren't going to be transit related, but stay tuned in the coming months for more train nerdiness :)
Definitely do Edmonton and Calgary. The systems are so similar (apart from Edmonton's Valley Line) that the differences that exist really stand out. This statement goes for Edmonton and Calgary in general, honestly.
Definitely get into transit videos you put together quite a good video! Our community is tight knit and I find there isn’t a ton of female representation so you’d do great. Check out RM Transit as well, he’s another great transit TH-camr.
Would also be fun if you decided to try systems in the US eventually - definitely not as pleasant overall but there are increasing pockets of strength/revitalisation that would be cool to get your perspective on :)
Transit content is a bit of an untapped market still in North America, but transit itself is growing here so if you do get into it, you have an audience waiting haha.
Montreal monthly pass for an adult is $ 97.00 while Toronto is $ 156.00 = $ 59 ,00 higher per month in Toronto Montreal monthly pass for students is : $58 ,00 while Toronto is $128.15 = $ 70.15 higher per month for Toronto Montreal seniors ( 65+ ) is free for public transport for seniors living on the Island, Toronto seniors is $ 128.15 = $128.15 per month more in Toronto If you travel from outside the Island of Montreal ( zone B , Longueil , Laval ) the monthly for an adult pass is $155.00 and $ 92.00 for studiants ...... Montreal monthly metro fares are way lower than Toronto .
insane how much you pay for such a small system, we pay 49€ a month in Berlin/Germany, for a much bigger more expansive system. How much are single fares? They sound worth it atp
@@cooltwittertag it's because governments here are historically notorious for underfunding transit and spending tons of money on car-centric design, which is economically unsustainable.
@@cooltwittertag Yup, we all know that North American cities are undeniably car-centric, which affect funding, etc. Obviously, we can't compare to most European cities or East Asia's in terms of public transit metrics.
Another subway lover! I don't live in a city with a subway system, my city only has a crappy bus system that shows up half an hour late. But I do love riding subways whenever I'm in big cities like Toronto.
@@AchyuthaReddy the closest I've come to living in a city with a subway system is Ottawa with it's O train confederation line. But that was only for a short period in university before the pandemic hit. I used to find any excuse to ride the O Train when I was in university.
Great video, you explained it very well. I live in Toronto (hence my channel name) and I love both systems! They’re clean and efficient at times, maybe Toronto can be better in reliability and most definitely safety. The STM stations are very beautiful too, it’s like you’re in a museum as you’re going about your day on the metro. TTC has nice stations too but really not as nice as STM, however ours can be a lot more maintained daily. Our subway trains are also more spacious than on the STM, but even their trains are actually nicer than ours. TTC is way more accessible friendly than STM; we’ll have elevators/accessibility features in all stations in the next two years. STM is way behind in that as I think between 7-10 stations have them. TTC is also about to begin service on two light rail lines end of this year, with more projects to come with building new lines/extending existing lines and expanding existing stations. The Ontario line will also be very similar, like extremley similar to the REM. I was last in Montreal on July 26-29, 2023 and will be back when the western leg of the REM opens end of this year.
Montteal subway is a masterpiece , fast , high tech , clean , modern , excellent ventilation and no need for AC since 100 % underground .... Montreal is world #1 most sustainable city and only green energy ....
I am an ex-Montrealer who has lived in Toronto for the past 30 years and, as a regular commuter, although both systems are good, I much prefer Toronto overall.
You did a great job! Loved your take on the two systems. Greetings from Montreal, and from someone who is from Ontario and used to live in Toronto. ;-)
@@Richard-nd8km Interesting perspective from a resident. I actually found Toronto very modern and it seemed like there was construction everywhere. I thought it was a little lacking in character, and not nearly as fun as Montreal. Montreal has the best looking people too. I wonder why that is.
@@markrichards6863 Montreal is definitely more fun. Reason being its more dense and also smaller in land size, so neighbourhoods are more happening because the walkable areas of Montreal are contained in only a few neighbourhoods like Downtown, Villeray, Cote des neige, Plateau, Rosemont, Outremont etc. and because the city is cheaper there is more disposable income to go out and enjoy yourself. Toronto is more of a financial and entertainment hub, whereas Montreal is an easygoing and more gritty city with artists moving there to take advantage of cheaper rents (although this is changing). Also a big outpost of Europeans (Belgium and France) moving there for better work prospects and lifestyle (which explains the fashion scene and imo good looks). Toronto’s culture is more work hard-play hard, and Montreal is more festival and arts-oriented and more blue-collar.
TTC is also expanding a bunch of stations including the Yonge Dundas one which is one of the most used stations in NA, they are putting plataform screen doors, widening the plataforms and modernizing everything, inlucluding a new set of driverless trains in the Ontario Line which If I'm not mistaken will pass through the Yonge Dundas station
What i like the most about the Metro of Montreal is that you get direct access to the 2 main hospitals of Montreal. Station Vendome - The McGill University Hospital , and station Champ de Mars- The CHUM the Hospital of Universite de Montreal.
TO's subway isn't bad , just as convenient and quick , maybe not as comfortable as Montreal's , definitely not as affordable. Like everything about TO, they replicate NYC. Montreal is unique has its own character and vibe on each station more enjoyable ride. Give it up to Montreal clear winner
I lived in Toronto for 8 year, 2001-2008 and then montreal, 2008-2024. Toronto is a good ubway but if you don't live close to it, good luck. Both are good subways. I am a train enthusiast too. I like the train-like features of the TTC but I also love the bumpy ride for Montreal. I am jut going to correct you on one point: everywhere in Montreal is same price, it only varies if you go in outside of montreal because of subway does extend to the suburbs. I also want to correct you again: ingle fares: toronto win? Except nobody uses single fares and that's not what should be considered. People who use collective transportation ue it monthly and monthly, Toronto is 156$ while Montreal is 94$ Cost is thus 100% to Montreal. Also, as explained above, it's still easier to use subway here because the price variation you spoke of also applies to toronto going into the suburbs. As for handicapped availability? Toronto. 100%. Montreal only has 7 station with elevators. the rest have stairs which wheelchairs cannot use. this is rapidly changing but not before 2027, where all our station will have an elevator. Also montreal has a bigger density, obviously. we're a small island while toronto is a sprawling mess. this is why our subway cover more vastness and not jut a straight line and a U. We have the same legal system, so both places consider the same stuff to be a crime. There's lots of reasons why montreal is a safer city than toronto but a lot of it is political so i'll skip that. We are also creating new line! connecting blue, to green, to orange, going diagonal so truly you can go anywhere in the city, FAST. We also have newer cars than Toronto, through the AZUR train which is cutting edge. In 1990. So our car are newer, but whenever toronto upgrade theirs, it will undoubtedly be better. One thing I like about toronto i the A/C. I think this is why you pay almost 60$ more per month though and in a bus, it does make the driver sick with constant cold/hot air coming at them so we went for a more union pro-worker stance but damn it's hot in the summer. Technically, and this is true, Toronto have the larger underground city because it was jealous of montreal but it's colder here and it wa built overtime whereas toronto wanted a underground city and thus, built one. It didn't come alive, or still doesn't come alive, as much as ours but with that being said, we have the largest used underground city in the world. Make sense, too. I think you should come back, and check it again. because there's no way that a subway that only goes eat-west and then north-south in a very close U isn't going to cover vastnes the way our metro map looks. you can go ANYWHERE in montreal using the subway. this is not even remotely true for Toronto. As a train enthusiast to another, come! (change your mind)(because it should be 4-1!)
This is so not true. You can’t go anywhere in Montreal using the subway. In Toronto we dont have as much coverage as its more spread out but we are building 3 new lines and we also have a much larger commuter rail network that is expanding and electrifying. We also have streetcars/trams so I think Toronto’s transit network is much better.
You dont need AC in the Montreal subway since 100 % underground and excellent ventiltion plus Montreal is the world #1 most sustainable city ... Vancouver is 4 th but Toronto is the most polluted , non sustainable and 3 rd worst world city for traffic and C02 see Tom TOm traffic index 2013 .. Vancouver ranked 32 nd and Montreal 103 for worst traffic im the world
@@ghostassoc you can go anywhere on the island. except eat end and north eat end. which i why our newest line will open there and it's still connected through rem. and buses. treetcars are totally inneficient UNLESS they have their own designated lane like spadina or st-clair. this i actually peer reviewed opinion based upon studies of streetcars. What you don't understand i montreal is tiny. Greater Montreal Area i big and not all that accesible by subway even though you can go to the biggest two suburb which are out of the island through subway, Something toronto doesn't allow. Another giant thing i we are a nordic country, with a winter and a bunch of toronto stations are actually... outdoor? this i a no go to encourage ridership.
After going from Mtl to Paris, Mtl has a lot to learn. I think trams are a great way of plugging holes in transport, but projects like the REM really are driving the public transport in Paris. The RER in Paris is so great. Imagine going from Granby to Gare centrale in 45 minutes and stopping at Marieville, Chambly, St-Hubert, Longueuil and a lot of cities in between. And all of that with a simple ticket or a monthly pass. Or imagine going from Repentigny to Berri-Uquam in 20 minutes, with a train that passes every 5 minutes all day long. What Montreal needs is better transport from the suburbs to the center. Imagine going from Blainville to Longueuil in less than an hour. It's truly amazing to have trains like the RER. So practical. And I hope the REM becomes a success story, because that is the future of transports (or the present in Paris).
Disclaimer, I live in Montréal. The Metro is one of the most comfortable transit systems to ride. The rubber wheels really help. I've ridden the NYC, DC, and Toronto systems, too. DC's system was one of the first to allow you to "buy" a fare card and reload it, too. Very cool. I think I kept mine from over 30 years ago. That was how cool it was to me at the time. NYC transit, I just had my head on a swivel, naturally. Again, it is a similar time frame. The TTC was a very enjoyable experience. I totally loved the loop at the bottom of the line. So cool. The screeching wheels going around that corner... visceral! Now, if only Montréal would bring back streetcars... Awesome! BTW, I loved the video!
The enthusiasm you exude is infectious! You have a bright future ahead of you in the area of metro transit planning and implementation if you so choose! Best of luck in all your endeavors! New Sub......
Hello fellow train nerd! Great video! I loved Montreals metro when I visited there, I hope I get to check out Torontos at some point soon. I think it’s worth mentioning that a monthly pass in Montreal can be cheaper if you’re only getting a zone a pass, so i think cost just depends on how you’re using it.
Welcome to the transit nerd side of TH-cam! Please don't be overwhelmed, haha. I have yet to experience transit in Montreal, but Toronto's pretty high up there when it comes to North American transit. The Presto card has made it so much easier to travel between agencies. I'm still partial to my home of Calgary though. We're finally back to pre-pandemic levels of service and ridership and hopefully growth and increases in frequency! Council recently added something like $4m of funding perpetually starting in the 2024 budget cycle, specifically for high capacity transit routes, so we'll see if it shows up in the March transit service schedule!
Visiting Calgary I find it still extremely dissapointing in terms of transit coverage. The green line will be great when its done but the city is too spread out and low density.
@@torink8229 my experience hasn’t been that bad. There aren’t that many cultural icons inaccessible to transit in Calgary…please don’t say Seniore’s pizza. 🤣 I’ve gone many trips from the edge of the city to the other edge of the city in about an hour and a half. People are praising Phoenix for their LRT extension, but the line doesn’t even touch the edges of the urban area, and it still takes 1h50 to traverse the single line.
@@AustinSersen Well i’m glad your experience has been positive. I have no way to get from Riverbend to Cougar ridge unless I want to take a billion busses.
Definitely a little overwhelmed haha, but I've been watching transit videos for a while, so it's really cool to find other people that are interested in it too. I've only been on Calgary transit once, but I definitely want to come back and take a longer ride :)
Cool! Loved the video :) For me, a very important aspect that you didn't mention is the average speed. Both are very large cities and getting from point to point quickly is key. My feeling is in Montreal you can travel further in the same time than in Toronto. Plus the REM which will be transformational. Coverage by the metro (in %) is also probably higher in Montreal. Architecturally, the Montreal metro beats the Toronto subway by a country mile too. Plus, Toronto seems to be building trams where they should be building subways (Eglington Crosstown...). For me, there is no doubt, Montreal is better.
Yeah, I have had little experience with Montreal but the last time I used their metro, I was thoroughly impressed. I had to catch a bus back to Toronto, and I was absolutely sure I was going to miss the bus but the train absolutely ripped through the stops, and I actually got to the bus a few minutes early. No way that would have happened in Toronto.
In almost 2 decades, I've ridden both cities many times! I do enjoy riding STM Metro with thanks to the nicest car design that works well with the french culture and the colour! Toronto is a tough place, theirs is more like a normal city but they are more focused with their frequent service! I do enjoy listening riding the stop announcement in Montréal more than Toronto!
@@AchyuthaReddy they added it as of several years ago! It had none in the past, so who knows when the doors do close before it goes into your face! Yes, the chime is based from MR-73 Jemont motor acceleration!
There actually used to be the Scarborough RT, but it shut down in July 2023 for good due to a derailment. The Scarborough RT was supposed to shut down in November 2023, but the TTC decided that it was not worth putting thousands of dollars into the RT for repairs on the trains only for it to run for only 3 more months, and also, the trains were very old.
Montreal has a better public transit network. The stations have been in place in most cases for more than 40 years. The residents around those stations have adapted to having a metro stop. The issue with expanding the metro is cost. The new stations that are planned are in neighbourhoods that the city established long ago for more densification. The blue line is currently underused but with the expansion this will likely change over the next 20 years. Returning to the issue of costs it is difficult to get the communities off of the island to contribute more to subsidize public transit. So there is this strange mix in the area of REM and regional busses. That will take a long time to change.
Hm I think in an ideal world cities would be able to plan transit ahead of time or build neighbourhoods around transit, but trains can take a long time to build. I know a lot of cities test out proposed lines with bus service first to see if there’s enough demand to offset the cost of construction. Regardless, being able to market the REM and other new train lines is just as big of a task as building them, especially in the suburbs where reliance on cars is so ingrained
i think this video just attracted a bunch of transit nerds to ur channel lmao. Idk if ur specifically a transit youtuber or it’s just for fun but you’ll definitely have an audience if u decide to go that route. Just remember me when you’re famous‼️🫶
Toronto has 3 subway lines under construction and 3 extensions too! This is gonnabe really transformative for Toronto as we're slowly turning into a transit city and finally getting platform screen doors starting with the Ontario line. Not to mention the GO train expansion/electrification and a waterfront LRT + eglinton east lrt in the works that need funding. Toronto's suburb, Mississauga is also building an LRT to another suburb, Brampton which is gonna be really cool to see. Ontarios improving slowly but surely.
The transit system is always a little bit different every time I come back to Toronto, so I'm really excited to ride it in a few years when the construction is further along!
Montreal is the clear winner. The lines are better laid out, whereas in Toronto there are subway deserts. Also, the stations in Montreal are more attractive and aesthetically pleasing. Toronto’s stations are boring and plain. Check out the Outremont station in Montreal. Montreal’s system is older - and dates back to the ‘60s so it has a cool retro vibe. Plus Montreal is just cooler than Toronto. Montreal is also a safer city I think. This said, I enjoy the city of Toronto more. My all time favourite subway is that of Paris. It literally takes you everywhere and the stations are amazing.
Parts of the Toronto subway are above ground, so during heavy snowstorms trains can grind to a halt. I may be wrong but I think all of Montreal's metro is underground.
A few years ago in the Montreal subway stations has no air conditioning where Toronto has an air conditioning all Summer. Cheer girl! Thanks for pointing out of 2 places.
I followed the REM project since its conception in 2016, when it was first mentioned, to me, it was most fascinating transit project in all of North America and the automated trains they use are amazing
Running on tires makes Montréal's Métro quieter and gives it better acceleration, breaking and hill climbing habilities. Most stations are higher than the tunnels leading to them, so the arriving train climbs a hill and the departing train uses gravity to accelerate. That saves energy.
I love trains and refuse to see anything running on tires as trains, but as a train enthusiast living in Montreal and working (remotely) in Toronto, I find the Toronto Subway painfully slow in comparison, even though I actually work on expanding it…
Cool video, keep it up! Toronto's almost complete line 5 (Eglinton crosstown) is technically a light rail (where much of it will run underground) & it will be included as part of the City's subway system. I'm sure you already know this and you'll be back to take a ride on it when it opens. haha
Good video. I live around Edmonton and our transit is being built out like crazy but it isn't very good, is super sketchy, and most of it runs at grade which is super annoying. This is a great video about these transit systems. The Ontario line will be cool, but I still think the skytrain in Vancouver is the best transit in Canada.
Nice video thanks. One clarification though. REM is not the longest driverless metro in the world, at 67 km. Vancouver's Skytrain has currently 79.6 km of track, and is adding another 5.7 currently. I know these things change constantly, but does anyone know if Vancouver has the longest driverless metro, or is it somewhere else?
5.7 km for the Broadway extension of the Millennium Line that will be finished in 2026 and then another 16 km extension of the Expo Line from Surrey to Langley finishing sometime near the end of this decade.
According to the internet, the title currently goes to Dubai Metro. Parts of Dubai were modelled after Vancouver, only bigger. So naturally the metro is too (for now at least).
One thing that the TTC does terribly is the wayfinding compared to the STM. The best example is understanding which direction you're going when you're on line 1 at Union. In signs and map in the station, line 1 is also called University line, Yonge line, Yonge-University line, Vaugh and Vaugh Metropolitan Centre. Most TTC stations also look the same and aren't memorable. At the STM, each station has distinctive colours, chairs, art pieces and layouts, which makes visiting them more visually appealing STM also has better cellular network support, but the TTC is getting better after the Rogers deal TTC stations have better accessibility with more stations with elevators and with less escalators/stairs (not as deep at the STM)
Great video, thank you. As a former resident of TO and now MTL. I've had much fewer service interruptions on the STM than TTC. Also, passenger etiquette and courtesy is much better on the STM.
Montreal is extending it's subway on the blue line 5 stations and the rem when complete will have 27 stations with direct service to the airport for the flat fare everywhere else in the city no surcharge should all be done by 2029
As a former Toronto local, I have never experienced any safety issues whatsoever, even if I end up travelling during sports games or rush hour (the closest station to me is also all the way out in Vaughan)
TTC has one fare for use on 5 other transit systems you did not mention that. Also the REM System in the metro it the same as the 2 LRT System that TTC is building in Toronto both runing east and west Anne being integrated with the TTC subway stations. The PATH system underground is the largest underground system in the world. I think should report to include these items.
I used to take the TTC every day during the 2000's and I still remember when I was in high school (2000-2004), the bus fare for a student was $1.45 - $1.50. There were metropasses but no Presto and we used paper tickets. I also remember that during the late 90's when I was a kid, it costed 50 cents to get in.
Regarding zones - Toronto (TTC) is one zone (630 sq km); the island of Montreal (STM) is one zone (499 sq km). You will pay extra fares in both if you go from the main zone to an outer zone.
Having lived in both Toronto and Montreal. I have to say the Montreal metro is more useful for getting around the city. Despite the toronto line being longer, I feel it didn't cover as much of the city. I know it's a seperate system, but Montreal also has the REM now, and it will soon reach the airport. That is something Toronto won't have any time soon. So I prefer the Montreal metro overall. Having said that I actually like the subway cars on the Toronto subway system more.
If you ever have the chance come out to Vancouver and ride the Skytrain and Canada Line metro! Fully automated running every 3 minutes or less during peak and operating through most of the major cities in Metro Vancouver! Thank you for the upload! I still have yet to leave B.C and visit the rest of the country and see what the other systems are really like!
Honestly, as far as innovation, I would definitely give the point to Toronto. Over the last 3 years, Montreal has had a spat of projects that were delayed, abandoned, or got parts of them cut down. The metro also has chronic underfunding and has several billions worth of repairs that urgently need to be done. If nothing is done, we are potentially looking at a lot of service interruptions, degraded quality of service, and hours of service. The ARTM is very well known across transit circles as being an agency that has failed to modernise and still very much works the same way as it did several decades ago. The entire Metro could easily be automated with just a few tweaks. The reason that they have not done so has a lot to do with worker unions being against anything that would take away good paying jobs. The only thing that the ARTM has been proposing is reserved lane for busses, or extensions to the metro. They have not done much of anything to improve train services. They absolutely do not seem to have the will to take on a fight with CN or CP. To be fair to them, they are used to operating on a shoestring budget and very much still do so. They just don't have the manpower, the expertise on hand, or the ongoing funding and will to be able to handle new projects.
I live in New York City, and I have to admit that both of the cities you researched are much better than NYC! One area you didn't mention was noise level. New York's subways are very noisy, but they are working to improve on that aspect. As far as safety goes, they are not very safe! Every week they report someone being assaulted on a train or in a station, and most of these incidents involve homeless people, who somehow are free to roam about the system. There is also a problem with fare beaters. They reported that the city lost millions of dollars to this situation. Your video was very informative.
It really depends, as they're both super frequent and reliable. Montreal has nicer stations in better locations, and the system serves a more central metro region instead of fanning out to surrounding municipalities like Toronto. Meanwhile, Toronto uses streetcars for central metro coverage, but the streetcars are pretty slow and need serious improvements. I'll always prefer steel on steel over rubber tires, which gives the Toronto subway a smoother ride, but it doesn't always feel as reliable as Montreal. There's also a big difference in the quality of stations and rolling stock when comparing TTC Line 1 to TTC Line 2, which is like comparing the Hong Kong MTR to something you'd find in an impoverished Post-Soviet country. Meanwhile, the quality of Montreal's system is pretty consistent throughout, with much nicer stations. I think that the REM's full buildout and the Ontario Line will be much better than either system, just like how Vancouver Skytrain is better than them now. I hope one of these days, the TTC Subway and the Montreal Metro can be fully automated, because that's the way to go.
Those are such good points! I totally agree that both serve different purposes for the cities they’re in… definitely learned some new stuff from your comment :)
my only problem with the rem is it serves areas with a pretty low population density compared to other places in mtl where transit is lacking. for this reason I wouldn't say it'll be as good as the rest of the metro system. and it definitely won't serve nearly as many people
@@Manu-et9rj It's not designed around urban coverage but is instead a regional express line, which Montreal currently desperately needs. Of course the Metro is perfectly designed for the dense neighborhoods it serves, but the REM is the lynchpin that really makes Montreal's subway work, as now people from suburban communities can commute by transit with ease on an express route linking the entire system. In that way, it properly addresses many of the challenges of sprawl while encouraging dense, walkable TOD out in the suburbs as well as more suburban BRT and LRT branch lines. Realistically, this kind of development needs to take place as central Montreal is all pretty well developed, while the surrounding areas are not and provide opportunities for sustainable development. The subway as it's designed would be far too expensive to extend to these regions verses REM. Finally, if you add an air-rail link to the system, you have something that could easily beat out the Subway's top lines in terms of ridership. I don't think Montreal is going to abandon the subway, but I can easily see a future where there are more REM stations and trackage than Metro Stations and trackage.
@@RoboJules You make very good points. I think it will take a lot of time however before the ridership on the REM might overtake the green or orange line because for now the land usa around stations in the west island and south shore is just pretty bad. but there's definitely a lot of potential, you're right about that. however it might help even more if the suburban rail lines that already exist were made more reliable, because with how things have been going with rem de l'est, i think upgrading the exo trains is more likely to happen for now than having many more REM lines
Been riding the ttc for many decades, since i was 7-8 years old and we t through the P.A.T.H. many times. And the firdt time in MTL seeing the trains and underground system, overall felt so much better than Toronto's thats for sure.
I didn't take the subway system in Toronto for a long time but I lived in downtown Montreal for 9 years, transited to the office in downtown every day (or to university when I was still a student) and I'm frequently coming back to Montreal to show my coworkers that I still exist. I used the NYC subway system a lot more frequently than the Toronto sub, therefore this is the only comparison I could make. Of course I won't compare with Europe and Asia (I visited a few countries over the past years) because it would be unfair. We all agree that public transit is a weak spot in North America and it could be significantly improved on pricing, technology, innovation and the vastness of the service. However I always felt safe using the subway in Montreal and I'm very enthusiastic about the future of public transit in Montreal with the REM project. I haven't used the line from Brossard to Bonaventure but I have a work colleague using it. She's complaining a lot but I don't think that she is dissatisfied with the service itself but her criticisms are about the management by the ARTM and suburban municipalities of bus lines and parking lots at the REM station. They cut some bus lines and when she uses her car to get to the station, the parking lots are all used. So she needs to pay extra fees for a private parking. All things considered, I feel way safer using the Montreal sub. In NYC there is an impressive amount of dubious people walking around, I ways feel like I need to watch myself and the sub stations are extremely dirty and humid during summer.
Having lived in both cities here's my personal assessment: - STM metro has way better coverage than TTC subway (granted Montreal is a smaller/moire compact city) - TTC wins on accessibility, STM is improving but a large number of stations aren't fully accessible yet which is a huge factor if you need the mobility - Montreal's fares are cheaper (even when accounting for the income differences in both cities) and they have better programs for the elderly/students to ride freely/cheaply - I personally prefer TTC's cross-modal integration with subway stations because it doesn't require you to exit the "paid fare" zone to take a bus/streetcar and makes for easier wayfinding for routes you're less familiar with, whereas some metro stations you have to walk a block outside of the station to find the correct bus stop Everything else you mostly covered already! Both are great systems and growing up in Montreal I obviously have bias but it's great either way to see progress in public transit infrastructure in Canada!
Actually the Toronto underground city is larger, it’s the largest subterranean mall on Earth. There are actually two, the one on Bloor hasn’t gone far enough south to connect to the downtown one yet though. There are 3 transit lines under construction in Toronto, two light rail lines and 1 subway. Also an extension of line 2 to replace the now shuttered Scarborough line.
Toronto has a flat fare within the city (so does Montreal btw, a zone A ticket), but Toronto doesn't have a flat fare with neighbouring suburbs ,contrarily to Montreal. Montreal's zone-based fare system seems much simpler to me : with one zone D single ticket you can take a bus in Montreal to your nearest metro station, take the metro to the train station, take the train to St-Jérôme (45 km away) and then take the local St-Jérôme local bus. This would be equivalent to using one single ticket to take the streetcar to a subway station, taking the subway to Union Station, catching a train to Barrie, and then taking a local bus. Hard to beat in terms of simplicity
As a public transit patron, public transportation professional, and rail transit enthusiast, I very much enjoyed watching your video. I live in the States, but have traveled to Montréal and Toronto and rode their subway systems. It was interesting to get your perspective on these cities' subway systems. I don't know where you are with respect to your career, but have you thought about working for a public transit system? With your interest in, enthusiasm for, and knowledge of public transit, you'd make a great employee!
@@AchyuthaReddy If you find your career visions and/path fulfilling, keep pursuing what your doing. Otherwise, you may want to think about a working in public transportation. You never know where life will take you! :)
i agree with the rankings on everything except innovation. Montreal REM is an amazing and transformative project but after that its basically done for Montreal. All new REM projects have died and innovation in transit is effectively over (that beig said very cool Innovations elsewhere). Toronto is building a lot of new and innovative things. GO expansion is a electric through running regional rail which is going yo be game changing for mobility, additionally as you mentioned the Ontario line is a modern automated light metro witj platform screen doors just like the rem. This is combined eith extensions on both line 1 and 2 and proposed extensions on line 4 and the new crosstown and finch west. That being said this was a really good video and i hope to see more!
The REM has not died ... it is under construction .... the delay is the tunnel under the Royal mount ... All wet lands have been protected around the airport as well ... New stations of the metro will open this year and a new project for east island .... Streets cars project is on its way on the south shore
@@jeanbolduc5818 new rem projects as in REM est and the REM on the south shore are both effectively dead projects. Montreals innovation ends when the main REM is complete (which is still an amazing and transformative project but it's unfortunate that it stops there)
I am a transit and rail enthusiast living in Montreal and there is a good reason why I work (remotely) in Toronto: Ontario just invests into Toronto‘s transit networks like there is no tomorrow (Yonge North Subway Extension, Scarborough Subway Extension, Eglinton Crosstown LRT, Finch LRT, Hurontario LRT, Ontario Line and Regional Express Rail), whereas here in Montreal we put all our eggs into the REM basket…
Toronto is building far more new subway than Montreal is though (an entirely new line with the Ontario line, extensions on both line 1 and 2, and if you count crosstown then that too)
@@joshdu9278 while the REM is really cool (I even went to Montreal to see it last week) it's not technically part of the metro, to include rem (a more regional train) you'd probably have to include other modes in Toronto. Things like GO expansion clear anything Montreal is doing with exo for example. And very sadly it seems REM de l'est is effectively killed and the REM on the south shore also won't be happening:(
While I appreciate the effort here, Toronto has a greater population but not a higher population density. Also, while Montreal has an almost equivalent ridership to Toronto (until fairly recently actually higher), per capita Toronto is much less. Lastly, you can get to more points via Montreal metro than Toronto because Toronto has long straightish lines. Hope this video gets revisited.
love your video I lived in Toronto for a decade and now reside in Montreal. I do agree Montreal's subway (metro) is great. As for the REM from what I am hearing the REM is having so many issues lack of communication, last week the REM broke down 4x time during the week. Its a great project but as so many issues that needs to be fix before they expand the service.
I think not all these factors should be weighted equally For example safety. 1.3 p M v 1.7 p M seems like hardly a difference. On top of this in MTL there will be less people in subway/buses and you will often have to wait longer. Regardless, Innovation and Safety seem way less Relevant than a clean ticket service and vastness of service.
Montreal subway fares a lot cheaper than Toronto ...You compared only a single ticket but people living in the city buy monthly passes .... Monthly pass for Montreal Metro is $97 . Adult and $ 58 . For students and free for seniors living on the island of Montreal . Toronto monthly pass is $ 156 .00 adult ,$ 128 . 00 students $128 for seniors The Montreal subway is more modern , high tech , doors light indicator , faster and 100 % underground and do not need air conditioning ( special air system ) so greener Than Toronto .. Montreal subway is very well connected to busses like Toronto . I dont understand your comments about buses in Montreal.... As for safety , Montreal is way safer than Toronto . The cost of a ticket change only if Travel outside the island ( South shore and North shore ) and the ticket is good for all mode of transports including theREM All metro stations in Montreal was designed by a different architect .for each stations .
Montrealer here. I visited Toronto in 2023 and was truly impressed with your metro. The ride is much smoother with your trains on steel wheels than with our trains on rubber tires. And your trains are so much more spacious!
I've lived in both cities so have a good basis to compare. In terms of affordable, aesthetics, quality of service and coverage of the city, it's not even close, Montreal's system is clearly superior in each category. I should ad that the politics of transit in Toronto and between Toronto and the higher levels of government have been disastrous for decades but this bad equilibrium has appeared to change and Toronto may have a decent subway system within two decades.
In the end, the 'zones' in Montreal are not that confusing... because you will probably NOT leave Montreal in the first place. Chances that tourists go on the south or north shore is basically nil. So on that point, MTL is pretty much like TO 🙂
Accessibility? I was stranded at a TTC subway station when I came across stairs at my destination. A staff member had to help me after waiting half an hour.
Montreal has a nice system but they feel like a transit island with great transit in a small region but almost nothing as soon as you leave STM service region. with toronto, you have other cities with somewhat usable transit around it + GO transit linking everything. that makes living car free much much easier imho
As someone who uses a cane, and has used both Montreal & Toronto transit, I’d say Toronto is more accessible. Mostly as there are elevators in a large amount of TTC stations, and if not, escalators, but I had trouble with the crazy amount of stairs in montreals stations
I'm so glad you commented, because I haven't heard much about peoples' experiences with accessibility on the transit systems... Thank you for sharing your perspective!
Great video, but I'm surprised you didn't talk about the two ongoing light rail projects in Toronto, only about the Ontario line. Your points are well thought and strong, but I was just surprised that you talked about light rail in montreal, but not in toronto where it will basically create two new "subway" lines. Overall great video, I think your channel will become huge. I didn't even search for this video, it popped up on my recommended
The STM runs the Montreal metro, which is all underground and primarily serves downtown and the denser parts of Montreal. CDPQ (a province owned corporation) runs the REM, which is mostly above ground and serves the outer parts of the city that are less dense. I can’t tell you why two different corporations run the two different systems, but the systems themselves are different because the type of service they provide is different
Hey everyone! Woah I was not expecting so much buzz for this video... Thank you so much! I wasn't planning on making more transit videos (I made this on a whim because I was connecting through Toronto to get back to school haha), but I think you've changed my mind.
I can do Edmonton vs Calgary pretty easily if there's interest. I'd love to ride the skytrain in Vancouver, but I don't know when I'll be there next (hopefully sometime this summer). My next few videos aren't going to be transit related, but stay tuned in the coming months for more train nerdiness :)
Definitely do Edmonton and Calgary. The systems are so similar (apart from Edmonton's Valley Line) that the differences that exist really stand out. This statement goes for Edmonton and Calgary in general, honestly.
Definitely get into transit videos you put together quite a good video! Our community is tight knit and I find there isn’t a ton of female representation so you’d do great. Check out RM Transit as well, he’s another great transit TH-camr.
Would also be fun if you decided to try systems in the US eventually - definitely not as pleasant overall but there are increasing pockets of strength/revitalisation that would be cool to get your perspective on :)
Transit content is a bit of an untapped market still in North America, but transit itself is growing here so if you do get into it, you have an audience waiting haha.
@@TheFlyingMooseCA What an absolutely stupendous idea. We get so little information about the US.
Montreal monthly pass for an adult is $ 97.00 while Toronto is $ 156.00 = $ 59 ,00 higher per month in Toronto
Montreal monthly pass for students is : $58 ,00 while Toronto is $128.15 = $ 70.15 higher per month for Toronto
Montreal seniors ( 65+ ) is free for public transport for seniors living on the Island, Toronto seniors is $ 128.15 = $128.15 per month more in Toronto
If you travel from outside the Island of Montreal ( zone B , Longueil , Laval ) the monthly for an adult pass is $155.00 and $ 92.00 for studiants ......
Montreal monthly metro fares are way lower than Toronto .
I think everything is more expensive in Toronto
insane how much you pay for such a small system, we pay 49€ a month in Berlin/Germany, for a much bigger more expansive system. How much are single fares? They sound worth it atp
@@cooltwittertag it's because governments here are historically notorious for underfunding transit and spending tons of money on car-centric design, which is economically unsustainable.
@@cooltwittertag Yup, we all know that North American cities are undeniably car-centric, which affect funding, etc. Obviously, we can't compare to most European cities or East Asia's in terms of public transit metrics.
Montreal is more expensive for single fare, Toronto has more expensive passes...
Montréal metro is beautiful.. lots of art inside and every station is different . One of a kind metro in north america 👌
But, you sweat the hell out during summer months. Trains are not air conditioned and are narrower. Pros and Cons on both sides.
@@bmw803True and their SO LOUD
@@andrew_is_so_great Loud? rubber tire vs metal wheal... Toronto metro when been there 20 years ago was noisy as hell.
Another subway lover! I don't live in a city with a subway system, my city only has a crappy bus system that shows up half an hour late. But I do love riding subways whenever I'm in big cities like Toronto.
I insist on taking the subway whenever I’m in a city that has one! They’re so cool :)
@@AchyuthaReddy the closest I've come to living in a city with a subway system is Ottawa with it's O train confederation line. But that was only for a short period in university before the pandemic hit.
I used to find any excuse to ride the O Train when I was in university.
I subways to also in toronto
Great video, you explained it very well. I live in Toronto (hence my channel name) and I love both systems! They’re clean and efficient at times, maybe Toronto can be better in reliability and most definitely safety. The STM stations are very beautiful too, it’s like you’re in a museum as you’re going about your day on the metro. TTC has nice stations too but really not as nice as STM, however ours can be a lot more maintained daily. Our subway trains are also more spacious than on the STM, but even their trains are actually nicer than ours. TTC is way more accessible friendly than STM; we’ll have elevators/accessibility features in all stations in the next two years. STM is way behind in that as I think between 7-10 stations have them. TTC is also about to begin service on two light rail lines end of this year, with more projects to come with building new lines/extending existing lines and expanding existing stations. The Ontario line will also be very similar, like extremley similar to the REM. I was last in Montreal on July 26-29, 2023 and will be back when the western leg of the REM opens end of this year.
Other point on Montreal’s fares. 65 years and older can travel for free since July 2023
I’m from MTL all I can say is Montreal subways is a Masterpiece
Montteal subway is a masterpiece , fast , high tech , clean , modern , excellent ventilation and no need for AC since 100 % underground .... Montreal is world #1 most sustainable city and only green energy ....
No ac in a metro or train you are crazy
@@ibrahimabah3693 it’s true, the Montreal Metro has no A/C system, it’s just ventilation. It works much better than you think!
I am an ex-Montrealer who has lived in Toronto for the past 30 years and, as a regular commuter, although both systems are good, I much prefer Toronto overall.
this is actually just propaganda
I think Montreal’s metro is great except the opus system. Need a better payment system. Using out phone or credit cards.
You did a great job! Loved your take on the two systems. Greetings from Montreal, and from someone who is from Ontario and used to live in Toronto. ;-)
From NYC, we Love Montreal, always look for to going back. It's the most fun city in North America. Toronto is bigger and nice, but meh!
As a Torontonian, yeah the city is kind of provincial, but I find NYC way more fun than Mtl.
I'm originally from Montreal but live in toronto now :( Toronto is very much a city in decline - truly dysfunctional and really ugly...
@@Richard-nd8km Yeah its kinda fucked. And the newer architecture is bland. Toronto does have some nice architecture though.
@@Richard-nd8km Interesting perspective from a resident. I actually found Toronto very modern and it seemed like there was construction everywhere. I thought it was a little lacking in character, and not nearly as fun as Montreal. Montreal has the best looking people too. I wonder why that is.
@@markrichards6863 Montreal is definitely more fun. Reason being its more dense and also smaller in land size, so neighbourhoods are more happening because the walkable areas of Montreal are contained in only a few neighbourhoods like Downtown, Villeray, Cote des neige, Plateau, Rosemont, Outremont etc. and because the city is cheaper there is more disposable income to go out and enjoy yourself. Toronto is more of a financial and entertainment hub, whereas Montreal is an easygoing and more gritty city with artists moving there to take advantage of cheaper rents (although this is changing). Also a big outpost of Europeans (Belgium and France) moving there for better work prospects and lifestyle (which explains the fashion scene and imo good looks). Toronto’s culture is more work hard-play hard, and Montreal is more festival and arts-oriented and more blue-collar.
TTC is also expanding a bunch of stations including the Yonge Dundas one which is one of the most used stations in NA, they are putting plataform screen doors, widening the plataforms and modernizing everything, inlucluding a new set of driverless trains in the Ontario Line which If I'm not mistaken will pass through the Yonge Dundas station
This is all super exciting!
What i like the most about the Metro of Montreal is that you get direct access to the 2 main hospitals of Montreal. Station Vendome - The McGill University Hospital , and station Champ de Mars- The CHUM the Hospital of Universite de Montreal.
TO's subway isn't bad , just as convenient and quick , maybe not as comfortable as Montreal's , definitely not as affordable. Like everything about TO, they replicate NYC. Montreal is unique has its own character and vibe on each station more enjoyable ride. Give it up to Montreal clear winner
This is an excellent analysis! You now have a new subscriber. :)
Thank you! Appreciate it :)
I lived in Toronto for 8 year, 2001-2008 and then montreal, 2008-2024.
Toronto is a good ubway but if you don't live close to it, good luck.
Both are good subways. I am a train enthusiast too.
I like the train-like features of the TTC but I also love the bumpy ride for Montreal.
I am jut going to correct you on one point: everywhere in Montreal is same price, it only varies if you go in outside of montreal because of subway does extend to the suburbs.
I also want to correct you again: ingle fares: toronto win?
Except nobody uses single fares and that's not what should be considered.
People who use collective transportation ue it monthly and monthly, Toronto is 156$ while Montreal is 94$
Cost is thus 100% to Montreal. Also, as explained above, it's still easier to use subway here because the price variation you spoke of also applies to toronto going into the suburbs.
As for handicapped availability?
Toronto. 100%.
Montreal only has 7 station with elevators. the rest have stairs which wheelchairs cannot use.
this is rapidly changing but not before 2027, where all our station will have an elevator.
Also montreal has a bigger density, obviously. we're a small island while toronto is a sprawling mess.
this is why our subway cover more vastness and not jut a straight line and a U.
We have the same legal system, so both places consider the same stuff to be a crime.
There's lots of reasons why montreal is a safer city than toronto but a lot of it is political so i'll skip that.
We are also creating new line! connecting blue, to green, to orange, going diagonal so truly you can go anywhere in the city, FAST.
We also have newer cars than Toronto, through the AZUR train which is cutting edge. In 1990.
So our car are newer, but whenever toronto upgrade theirs, it will undoubtedly be better.
One thing I like about toronto i the A/C.
I think this is why you pay almost 60$ more per month though and in a bus, it does make the driver sick with constant cold/hot air coming at them so we went for a more union pro-worker stance but damn it's hot in the summer.
Technically, and this is true, Toronto have the larger underground city because it was jealous of montreal but it's colder here and it wa built overtime whereas toronto wanted a underground city and thus, built one. It didn't come alive, or still doesn't come alive, as much as ours but with that being said, we have the largest used underground city in the world.
Make sense, too.
I think you should come back, and check it again.
because there's no way that a subway that only goes eat-west and then north-south in a very close U isn't going to cover vastnes the way our metro map looks. you can go ANYWHERE in montreal using the subway.
this is not even remotely true for Toronto.
As a train enthusiast to another, come! (change your mind)(because it should be 4-1!)
nice video. subbed.
This is so not true. You can’t go anywhere in Montreal using the subway. In Toronto we dont have as much coverage as its more spread out but we are building 3 new lines and we also have a much larger commuter rail network that is expanding and electrifying. We also have streetcars/trams so I think Toronto’s transit network is much better.
You dont need AC in the Montreal subway since 100 % underground and excellent ventiltion plus Montreal is the world #1 most sustainable city ... Vancouver is 4 th but Toronto is the most polluted , non sustainable and 3 rd worst world city for traffic and C02 see Tom TOm traffic index 2013 .. Vancouver ranked 32 nd and Montreal 103 for worst traffic im the world
@@ghostassoc you can go anywhere on the island. except eat end and north eat end. which i why our newest line will open there and it's still connected through rem. and buses.
treetcars are totally inneficient UNLESS they have their own designated lane like spadina or st-clair. this i actually peer reviewed opinion based upon studies of streetcars.
What you don't understand i montreal is tiny. Greater Montreal Area i big and not all that accesible by subway even though you can go to the biggest two suburb which are out of the island through subway,
Something toronto doesn't allow.
Another giant thing i we are a nordic country, with a winter and a bunch of toronto stations are actually... outdoor?
this i a no go to encourage ridership.
After going from Mtl to Paris, Mtl has a lot to learn. I think trams are a great way of plugging holes in transport, but projects like the REM really are driving the public transport in Paris. The RER in Paris is so great. Imagine going from Granby to Gare centrale in 45 minutes and stopping at Marieville, Chambly, St-Hubert, Longueuil and a lot of cities in between. And all of that with a simple ticket or a monthly pass. Or imagine going from Repentigny to Berri-Uquam in 20 minutes, with a train that passes every 5 minutes all day long. What Montreal needs is better transport from the suburbs to the center. Imagine going from Blainville to Longueuil in less than an hour. It's truly amazing to have trains like the RER. So practical. And I hope the REM becomes a success story, because that is the future of transports (or the present in Paris).
Disclaimer, I live in Montréal. The Metro is one of the most comfortable transit systems to ride. The rubber wheels really help. I've ridden the NYC, DC, and Toronto systems, too. DC's system was one of the first to allow you to "buy" a fare card and reload it, too. Very cool. I think I kept mine from over 30 years ago. That was how cool it was to me at the time. NYC transit, I just had my head on a swivel, naturally. Again, it is a similar time frame. The TTC was a very enjoyable experience. I totally loved the loop at the bottom of the line. So cool. The screeching wheels going around that corner... visceral! Now, if only Montréal would bring back streetcars... Awesome! BTW, I loved the video!
Thank you! I've been on the NYC subway, but never on DC... Would love to travel to more big cities in the US and ride their transit
Do Vancover and Montreal next. Also, awesome video!! I subscribed!!
Thank you! And I’ll definitely try the next time I’m in Vancouver
Sorry, Vancity. You're far behind.. just teasing, but not really
The enthusiasm you exude is infectious! You have a bright future ahead of you in the area of metro transit planning and implementation if you so choose! Best of luck in all your endeavors! New Sub......
Thank you! The enthusiasm in the comments section is definitely infectious too
Hello fellow train nerd! Great video! I loved Montreals metro when I visited there, I hope I get to check out Torontos at some point soon. I think it’s worth mentioning that a monthly pass in Montreal can be cheaper if you’re only getting a zone a pass, so i think cost just depends on how you’re using it.
Hello! That's true... I don't regularly commute so that definitely slipped my mind and I'll consider it more next time
Welcome to the transit nerd side of TH-cam! Please don't be overwhelmed, haha. I have yet to experience transit in Montreal, but Toronto's pretty high up there when it comes to North American transit. The Presto card has made it so much easier to travel between agencies.
I'm still partial to my home of Calgary though. We're finally back to pre-pandemic levels of service and ridership and hopefully growth and increases in frequency! Council recently added something like $4m of funding perpetually starting in the 2024 budget cycle, specifically for high capacity transit routes, so we'll see if it shows up in the March transit service schedule!
Visiting Calgary I find it still extremely dissapointing in terms of transit coverage. The green line will be great when its done but the city is too spread out and low density.
@@torink8229 my experience hasn’t been that bad. There aren’t that many cultural icons inaccessible to transit in Calgary…please don’t say Seniore’s pizza. 🤣
I’ve gone many trips from the edge of the city to the other edge of the city in about an hour and a half. People are praising Phoenix for their LRT extension, but the line doesn’t even touch the edges of the urban area, and it still takes 1h50 to traverse the single line.
@@AustinSersen Well i’m glad your experience has been positive. I have no way to get from Riverbend to Cougar ridge unless I want to take a billion busses.
Definitely a little overwhelmed haha, but I've been watching transit videos for a while, so it's really cool to find other people that are interested in it too. I've only been on Calgary transit once, but I definitely want to come back and take a longer ride :)
I agree with you on the winner. Montreals STM metro rocks
Great video! I appreciate your efforts to provide this content 👏Keep going 👍
You're the best :)
Cool! Loved the video :) For me, a very important aspect that you didn't mention is the average speed. Both are very large cities and getting from point to point quickly is key. My feeling is in Montreal you can travel further in the same time than in Toronto. Plus the REM which will be transformational. Coverage by the metro (in %) is also probably higher in Montreal. Architecturally, the Montreal metro beats the Toronto subway by a country mile too. Plus, Toronto seems to be building trams where they should be building subways (Eglington Crosstown...). For me, there is no doubt, Montreal is better.
Totally didn't consider this, but a great point!
Yeah, I have had little experience with Montreal but the last time I used their metro, I was thoroughly impressed. I had to catch a bus back to Toronto, and I was absolutely sure I was going to miss the bus but the train absolutely ripped through the stops, and I actually got to the bus a few minutes early. No way that would have happened in Toronto.
In almost 2 decades, I've ridden both cities many times! I do enjoy riding STM Metro with thanks to the nicest car design that works well with the french culture and the colour!
Toronto is a tough place, theirs is more like a normal city but they are more focused with their frequent service!
I do enjoy listening riding the stop announcement in Montréal more than Toronto!
The STM door chime is also such a classic!
@@AchyuthaReddy they added it as of several years ago! It had none in the past, so who knows when the doors do close before it goes into your face!
Yes, the chime is based from MR-73 Jemont motor acceleration!
There actually used to be the Scarborough RT, but it shut down in July 2023 for good due to a derailment. The Scarborough RT was supposed to shut down in November 2023, but the TTC decided that it was not worth putting thousands of dollars into the RT for repairs on the trains only for it to run for only 3 more months, and also, the trains were very old.
Hm it would be interesting to look into how different cities maintain their existing transit infrastructure, not just build new lines
Montreal has a better public transit network. The stations have been in place in most cases for more than 40 years. The residents around those stations have adapted to having a metro stop. The issue with expanding the metro is cost. The new stations that are planned are in neighbourhoods that the city established long ago for more densification. The blue line is currently underused but with the expansion this will likely change over the next 20 years.
Returning to the issue of costs it is difficult to get the communities off of the island to contribute more to subsidize public transit. So there is this strange mix in the area of REM and regional busses. That will take a long time to change.
Hm I think in an ideal world cities would be able to plan transit ahead of time or build neighbourhoods around transit, but trains can take a long time to build. I know a lot of cities test out proposed lines with bus service first to see if there’s enough demand to offset the cost of construction. Regardless, being able to market the REM and other new train lines is just as big of a task as building them, especially in the suburbs where reliance on cars is so ingrained
i think this video just attracted a bunch of transit nerds to ur channel lmao. Idk if ur specifically a transit youtuber or it’s just for fun but you’ll definitely have an audience if u decide to go that route. Just remember me when you’re famous‼️🫶
haha i appreciate that! This has definitely encouraged me to make more transit videos
Toronto has 3 subway lines under construction and 3 extensions too! This is gonnabe really transformative for Toronto as we're slowly turning into a transit city and finally getting platform screen doors starting with the Ontario line. Not to mention the GO train expansion/electrification and a waterfront LRT + eglinton east lrt in the works that need funding. Toronto's suburb, Mississauga is also building an LRT to another suburb, Brampton which is gonna be really cool to see. Ontarios improving slowly but surely.
The transit system is always a little bit different every time I come back to Toronto, so I'm really excited to ride it in a few years when the construction is further along!
@@AchyuthaReddy Hopefully I'll be able to check it out in a few years from now :)
Imagine how much different and better the TTC will be at the end of the decade
The driverless new set of trains to the Ontario Line look really asthetic too lol
Good analysis. I like how you fairly assessed Montréal . New subscriber
Montreal is the clear winner. The lines are better laid out, whereas in Toronto there are subway deserts. Also, the stations in Montreal are more attractive and aesthetically pleasing. Toronto’s stations are boring and plain. Check out the Outremont station in Montreal. Montreal’s system is older - and dates back to the ‘60s so it has a cool retro vibe. Plus Montreal is just cooler than Toronto. Montreal is also a safer city I think. This said, I enjoy the city of Toronto more.
My all time favourite subway is that of Paris. It literally takes you everywhere and the stations are amazing.
TTC is older
@@iknowthetruthcommonsense3643 you’re correct. My mistake
It would be a dream to take the metro in Paris!
Parts of the Toronto subway are above ground, so during heavy snowstorms trains can grind to a halt. I may be wrong but I think all of Montreal's metro is underground.
True! Most of the REM is going to be above ground though
A few years ago in the Montreal subway stations has no air conditioning where Toronto has an air conditioning all Summer. Cheer girl! Thanks for pointing out of 2 places.
This is a really good point!
Seems a fair result in the end. It's nice that both systems are expanding, even if it may not be fast enough for most people :)
Great video! Keep up the great work! Looking forward to your next video!
Great video, could you maybe do a comparison between Montreal and Vancouver? Would like to see your input on that.
Vancouver is definitely on my list!
I followed the REM project since its conception in 2016, when it was first mentioned, to me, it was most fascinating transit project in all of North America and the automated trains they use are amazing
I can’t wait to use the automated trains soon!
@@AchyuthaReddy same, I’m planning a trip to Montreal just to ride the damn thing, because they look nice.
Running on tires makes Montréal's Métro quieter and gives it better acceleration, breaking and hill climbing habilities. Most stations are higher than the tunnels leading to them, so the arriving train climbs a hill and the departing train uses gravity to accelerate. That saves energy.
I love trains and refuse to see anything running on tires as trains, but as a train enthusiast living in Montreal and working (remotely) in Toronto, I find the Toronto Subway painfully slow in comparison, even though I actually work on expanding it…
I love this !!!! A fellow Canadian Toronto transit enthusiast! I have a ticktok too , Canadian rail fan
That's so exciting!
Cool video, keep it up! Toronto's almost complete line 5 (Eglinton crosstown) is technically a light rail (where much of it will run underground) & it will be included as part of the City's subway system. I'm sure you already know this and you'll be back to take a ride on it when it opens. haha
Totally! I think it's so cool to experience how transit systems change over the years
Good video. I live around Edmonton and our transit is being built out like crazy but it isn't very good, is super sketchy, and most of it runs at grade which is super annoying. This is a great video about these transit systems. The Ontario line will be cool, but I still think the skytrain in Vancouver is the best transit in Canada.
the skytrain? with the homeless people living at the stations and the zoned fare structure? Are you high?? 😂😂
I also have tons of experience with Edmonton transit, and I totally want to make a video on it... Have you ridden on the Valley Line yet?
Nice video thanks. One clarification though. REM is not the longest driverless metro in the world, at 67 km. Vancouver's Skytrain has currently 79.6 km of track, and is adding another 5.7 currently. I know these things change constantly, but does anyone know if Vancouver has the longest driverless metro, or is it somewhere else?
5.7 km for the Broadway extension of the Millennium Line that will be finished in 2026 and then another 16 km extension of the Expo Line from Surrey to Langley finishing sometime near the end of this decade.
According to the internet, the title currently goes to Dubai Metro. Parts of Dubai were modelled after Vancouver, only bigger. So naturally the metro is too (for now at least).
Great video. I think frequency and daily length of service should have been a factor, though.
I was born in Montreal in a very nice place and moved 40 yrs ago to Eastern township and would'n go back.
I’ve only been on the Montreal Metro and really thought it enhanced my stay there. Nice comparison video.
One thing that the TTC does terribly is the wayfinding compared to the STM. The best example is understanding which direction you're going when you're on line 1 at Union. In signs and map in the station, line 1 is also called University line, Yonge line, Yonge-University line, Vaugh and Vaugh Metropolitan Centre.
Most TTC stations also look the same and aren't memorable. At the STM, each station has distinctive colours, chairs, art pieces and layouts, which makes visiting them more visually appealing
STM also has better cellular network support, but the TTC is getting better after the Rogers deal
TTC stations have better accessibility with more stations with elevators and with less escalators/stairs (not as deep at the STM)
Good points! In hindsight I’d add accessibility to this video to talk more about signage and other features
Great video, thank you. As a former resident of TO and now MTL. I've had much fewer service interruptions on the STM than TTC. Also, passenger etiquette and courtesy is much better on the STM.
Montreal is extending it's subway on the blue line 5 stations and the rem when complete will have 27 stations with direct service to the airport for the flat fare everywhere else in the city no surcharge should all be done by 2029
As a former Toronto local, I have never experienced any safety issues whatsoever, even if I end up travelling during sports games or rush hour (the closest station to me is also all the way out in Vaughan)
Glad to hear that :)
TTC has one fare for use on 5 other transit systems you did not mention that. Also the REM System in the metro it the same as the 2 LRT System that TTC is building in Toronto both runing east and west Anne being integrated with the TTC subway stations. The PATH system underground is the largest underground system in the world. I think should report to include these items.
I used to take the TTC every day during the 2000's and I still remember when I was in high school (2000-2004), the bus fare for a student was $1.45 - $1.50. There were metropasses but no Presto and we used paper tickets. I also remember that during the late 90's when I was a kid, it costed 50 cents to get in.
Definitely wild to see how things have changed since I was younger
Regarding zones - Toronto (TTC) is one zone (630 sq km); the island of Montreal (STM) is one zone (499 sq km). You will pay extra fares in both if you go from the main zone to an outer zone.
Montreal's stations are museums
Toronto's are just stops along the way.
Having lived in both Toronto and Montreal. I have to say the Montreal metro is more useful for getting around the city. Despite the toronto line being longer, I feel it didn't cover as much of the city. I know it's a seperate system, but Montreal also has the REM now, and it will soon reach the airport. That is something Toronto won't have any time soon. So I prefer the Montreal metro overall. Having said that I actually like the subway cars on the Toronto subway system more.
If you ever have the chance come out to Vancouver and ride the Skytrain and Canada Line metro! Fully automated running every 3 minutes or less during peak and operating through most of the major cities in Metro Vancouver! Thank you for the upload! I still have yet to leave B.C and visit the rest of the country and see what the other systems are really like!
Thank you! Can't wait to be in Vancouver again!
Honestly, as far as innovation, I would definitely give the point to Toronto. Over the last 3 years, Montreal has had a spat of projects that were delayed, abandoned, or got parts of them cut down. The metro also has chronic underfunding and has several billions worth of repairs that urgently need to be done. If nothing is done, we are potentially looking at a lot of service interruptions, degraded quality of service, and hours of service. The ARTM is very well known across transit circles as being an agency that has failed to modernise and still very much works the same way as it did several decades ago. The entire Metro could easily be automated with just a few tweaks. The reason that they have not done so has a lot to do with worker unions being against anything that would take away good paying jobs. The only thing that the ARTM has been proposing is reserved lane for busses, or extensions to the metro. They have not done much of anything to improve train services. They absolutely do not seem to have the will to take on a fight with CN or CP. To be fair to them, they are used to operating on a shoestring budget and very much still do so. They just don't have the manpower, the expertise on hand, or the ongoing funding and will to be able to handle new projects.
wait this sounds exactly like the TTC
Thank you for a great video!
I live in New York City, and I have to admit that both of the cities you researched are much better than NYC! One area you didn't mention was noise level. New York's subways are very noisy, but they are working to improve on that aspect. As far as safety goes, they are not very safe! Every week they report someone being assaulted on a train or in a station, and most of these incidents involve homeless people, who somehow are free to roam about the system. There is also a problem with fare beaters. They reported that the city lost millions of dollars to this situation. Your video was very informative.
I'm glad you found it informative! I've been on the NYC subway, but I'd love to go again
It really depends, as they're both super frequent and reliable. Montreal has nicer stations in better locations, and the system serves a more central metro region instead of fanning out to surrounding municipalities like Toronto. Meanwhile, Toronto uses streetcars for central metro coverage, but the streetcars are pretty slow and need serious improvements. I'll always prefer steel on steel over rubber tires, which gives the Toronto subway a smoother ride, but it doesn't always feel as reliable as Montreal. There's also a big difference in the quality of stations and rolling stock when comparing TTC Line 1 to TTC Line 2, which is like comparing the Hong Kong MTR to something you'd find in an impoverished Post-Soviet country. Meanwhile, the quality of Montreal's system is pretty consistent throughout, with much nicer stations. I think that the REM's full buildout and the Ontario Line will be much better than either system, just like how Vancouver Skytrain is better than them now. I hope one of these days, the TTC Subway and the Montreal Metro can be fully automated, because that's the way to go.
Those are such good points! I totally agree that both serve different purposes for the cities they’re in… definitely learned some new stuff from your comment :)
my only problem with the rem is it serves areas with a pretty low population density compared to other places in mtl where transit is lacking. for this reason I wouldn't say it'll be as good as the rest of the metro system. and it definitely won't serve nearly as many people
@@Manu-et9rj It's not designed around urban coverage but is instead a regional express line, which Montreal currently desperately needs. Of course the Metro is perfectly designed for the dense neighborhoods it serves, but the REM is the lynchpin that really makes Montreal's subway work, as now people from suburban communities can commute by transit with ease on an express route linking the entire system. In that way, it properly addresses many of the challenges of sprawl while encouraging dense, walkable TOD out in the suburbs as well as more suburban BRT and LRT branch lines. Realistically, this kind of development needs to take place as central Montreal is all pretty well developed, while the surrounding areas are not and provide opportunities for sustainable development. The subway as it's designed would be far too expensive to extend to these regions verses REM. Finally, if you add an air-rail link to the system, you have something that could easily beat out the Subway's top lines in terms of ridership. I don't think Montreal is going to abandon the subway, but I can easily see a future where there are more REM stations and trackage than Metro Stations and trackage.
@@RoboJules You make very good points. I think it will take a lot of time however before the ridership on the REM might overtake the green or orange line because for now the land usa around stations in the west island and south shore is just pretty bad. but there's definitely a lot of potential, you're right about that. however it might help even more if the suburban rail lines that already exist were made more reliable, because with how things have been going with rem de l'est, i think upgrading the exo trains is more likely to happen for now than having many more REM lines
Very interesting video! You're pretty good at this! Keep it up!
Thank you! I really appreciate it!
when i went to the montreal metro,those trains are kinda loud and it was really clean inside the train
cost is cheaper in montreal if you use it regularly, and the orange line is accessible with elevators
Been riding the ttc for many decades, since i was 7-8 years old and we t through the P.A.T.H. many times. And the firdt time in MTL seeing the trains and underground system, overall felt so much better than Toronto's thats for sure.
you forgot about the extension of the blue line for montreal in your big projects part
True! That’s super exciting as well
I didn't take the subway system in Toronto for a long time but I lived in downtown Montreal for 9 years, transited to the office in downtown every day (or to university when I was still a student) and I'm frequently coming back to Montreal to show my coworkers that I still exist. I used the NYC subway system a lot more frequently than the Toronto sub, therefore this is the only comparison I could make. Of course I won't compare with Europe and Asia (I visited a few countries over the past years) because it would be unfair. We all agree that public transit is a weak spot in North America and it could be significantly improved on pricing, technology, innovation and the vastness of the service. However I always felt safe using the subway in Montreal and I'm very enthusiastic about the future of public transit in Montreal with the REM project. I haven't used the line from Brossard to Bonaventure but I have a work colleague using it. She's complaining a lot but I don't think that she is dissatisfied with the service itself but her criticisms are about the management by the ARTM and suburban municipalities of bus lines and parking lots at the REM station. They cut some bus lines and when she uses her car to get to the station, the parking lots are all used. So she needs to pay extra fees for a private parking. All things considered, I feel way safer using the Montreal sub. In NYC there is an impressive amount of dubious people walking around, I ways feel like I need to watch myself and the sub stations are extremely dirty and humid during summer.
Having lived in both cities here's my personal assessment:
- STM metro has way better coverage than TTC subway (granted Montreal is a smaller/moire compact city)
- TTC wins on accessibility, STM is improving but a large number of stations aren't fully accessible yet which is a huge factor if you need the mobility
- Montreal's fares are cheaper (even when accounting for the income differences in both cities) and they have better programs for the elderly/students to ride freely/cheaply
- I personally prefer TTC's cross-modal integration with subway stations because it doesn't require you to exit the "paid fare" zone to take a bus/streetcar and makes for easier wayfinding for routes you're less familiar with, whereas some metro stations you have to walk a block outside of the station to find the correct bus stop
Everything else you mostly covered already! Both are great systems and growing up in Montreal I obviously have bias but it's great either way to see progress in public transit infrastructure in Canada!
This channel is going to go places.
Actually the Toronto underground city is larger, it’s the largest subterranean mall on Earth. There are actually two, the one on Bloor hasn’t gone far enough south to connect to the downtown one yet though.
There are 3 transit lines under construction in Toronto, two light rail lines and 1 subway. Also an extension of line 2 to replace the now shuttered Scarborough line.
Awesome video 🔥
Toronto has a flat fare within the city (so does Montreal btw, a zone A ticket), but Toronto doesn't have a flat fare with neighbouring suburbs ,contrarily to Montreal. Montreal's zone-based fare system seems much simpler to me : with one zone D single ticket you can take a bus in Montreal to your nearest metro station, take the metro to the train station, take the train to St-Jérôme (45 km away) and then take the local St-Jérôme local bus.
This would be equivalent to using one single ticket to take the streetcar to a subway station, taking the subway to Union Station, catching a train to Barrie, and then taking a local bus. Hard to beat in terms of simplicity
nice vid i subbed 🔥keep it up
5:46 based
As a public transit patron, public transportation professional, and rail transit enthusiast, I very much enjoyed watching your video. I live in the States, but have traveled to Montréal and Toronto and rode their subway systems. It was interesting to get your perspective on these cities' subway systems. I don't know where you are with respect to your career, but have you thought about working for a public transit system? With your interest in, enthusiasm for, and knowledge of public transit, you'd make a great employee!
Haven't thought about it, but who knows! I appreciate the vote of confidence :)
@@AchyuthaReddy If you find your career visions and/path fulfilling, keep pursuing what your doing. Otherwise, you may want to think about a working in public transportation. You never know where life will take you! :)
Nicely made 👍👍👍
I haven't been to Montreal before; I should visit it someday.
i agree with the rankings on everything except innovation. Montreal REM is an amazing and transformative project but after that its basically done for Montreal. All new REM projects have died and innovation in transit is effectively over (that beig said very cool Innovations elsewhere).
Toronto is building a lot of new and innovative things. GO expansion is a electric through running regional rail which is going yo be game changing for mobility, additionally as you mentioned the Ontario line is a modern automated light metro witj platform screen doors just like the rem. This is combined eith extensions on both line 1 and 2 and proposed extensions on line 4 and the new crosstown and finch west.
That being said this was a really good video and i hope to see more!
The REM has not died ... it is under construction .... the delay is the tunnel under the Royal mount ... All wet lands have been protected around the airport as well ... New stations of the metro will open this year and a new project for east island .... Streets cars project is on its way on the south shore
@@jeanbolduc5818 new rem projects as in REM est and the REM on the south shore are both effectively dead projects. Montreals innovation ends when the main REM is complete (which is still an amazing and transformative project but it's unfortunate that it stops there)
I am a transit and rail enthusiast living in Montreal and there is a good reason why I work (remotely) in Toronto: Ontario just invests into Toronto‘s transit networks like there is no tomorrow (Yonge North Subway Extension, Scarborough Subway Extension, Eglinton Crosstown LRT, Finch LRT, Hurontario LRT, Ontario Line and Regional Express Rail), whereas here in Montreal we put all our eggs into the REM basket…
As for cost, the montly passes should have been included in the analysis. Montreal's monthly adult pass is $97, while Toronto's is $156.
I would add for innovation that Montreal will build 5 new stations on the Blue Line.
Toronto is building far more new subway than Montreal is though (an entirely new line with the Ontario line, extensions on both line 1 and 2, and if you count crosstown then that too)
@@forkast The REM is 26 stations too (it’s like 4 branches)!
@@joshdu9278 while the REM is really cool (I even went to Montreal to see it last week) it's not technically part of the metro, to include rem (a more regional train) you'd probably have to include other modes in Toronto. Things like GO expansion clear anything Montreal is doing with exo for example.
And very sadly it seems REM de l'est is effectively killed and the REM on the south shore also won't be happening:(
@@forkast The REM south shore just opened??
@@torink8229 no that's just the main REM that goes to the south shore, there was supposed to be rem south entirely along the south shore
While I appreciate the effort here, Toronto has a greater population but not a higher population density. Also, while Montreal has an almost equivalent ridership to Toronto (until fairly recently actually higher), per capita Toronto is much less. Lastly, you can get to more points via Montreal metro than Toronto because Toronto has long straightish lines. Hope this video gets revisited.
Should compare with Vancouver Skytrain too
love your video I lived in Toronto for a decade and now reside in Montreal. I do agree Montreal's subway (metro) is great. As for the REM from what I am hearing the REM is having so many issues lack of communication, last week the REM broke down 4x time during the week. Its a great project but as so many issues that needs to be fix before they expand the service.
I think not all these factors should be weighted equally
For example safety. 1.3 p M v 1.7 p M seems like hardly a difference.
On top of this in MTL there will be less people in subway/buses and you will often have to wait longer.
Regardless, Innovation and Safety seem way less Relevant than a clean ticket service and vastness of service.
Montreal subway fares a lot cheaper than Toronto ...You compared only a single ticket but people living in the city buy monthly passes ....
Monthly pass for Montreal Metro is $97 . Adult and $ 58 . For students and free for seniors living on the island of Montreal .
Toronto monthly pass is $ 156 .00 adult ,$ 128 . 00 students $128 for seniors
The Montreal subway is more modern , high tech , doors light indicator , faster and 100 % underground and do not need air conditioning ( special air system ) so greener Than Toronto ..
Montreal subway is very well connected to busses like Toronto . I dont understand your comments about buses in Montreal....
As for safety , Montreal is way safer than Toronto .
The cost of a ticket change only if Travel outside the island ( South shore and North shore ) and the ticket is good for all mode of transports including theREM
All metro stations in Montreal was designed by a different architect .for each stations .
Montrealer here. I visited Toronto in 2023 and was truly impressed with your metro. The ride is much smoother with your trains on steel wheels than with our trains on rubber tires. And your trains are so much more spacious!
I've lived in both cities so have a good basis to compare. In terms of affordable, aesthetics, quality of service and coverage of the city, it's not even close, Montreal's system is clearly superior in each category. I should ad that the politics of transit in Toronto and between Toronto and the higher levels of government have been disastrous for decades but this bad equilibrium has appeared to change and Toronto may have a decent subway system within two decades.
Great video!
In the end, the 'zones' in Montreal are not that confusing... because you will probably NOT leave Montreal in the first place. Chances that tourists go on the south or north shore is basically nil. So on that point, MTL is pretty much like TO 🙂
great video!
Accessibility? I was stranded at a TTC subway station when I came across stairs at my destination. A staff member had to help me after waiting half an hour.
1K liker! GREAT VIDEO!
Lovely to meet another fellow girl train enthusiast. I hope someday to be able to go to Montreal and use their subway system.
Montreal has a nice system but they feel like a transit island with great transit in a small region but almost nothing as soon as you leave STM service region. with toronto, you have other cities with somewhat usable transit around it + GO transit linking everything. that makes living car free much much easier imho
I agree Montreal STM is the winner!!!!!!!🎉😊
One glance at each map tells you everything
As someone who uses a cane, and has used both Montreal & Toronto transit, I’d say Toronto is more accessible. Mostly as there are elevators in a large amount of TTC stations, and if not, escalators, but I had trouble with the crazy amount of stairs in montreals stations
But other than that I’d prob favour the Metro
I'm so glad you commented, because I haven't heard much about peoples' experiences with accessibility on the transit systems... Thank you for sharing your perspective!
me when i find another transit tuber to watch 😄😁🎉
Great video, but I'm surprised you didn't talk about the two ongoing light rail projects in Toronto, only about the Ontario line. Your points are well thought and strong, but I was just surprised that you talked about light rail in montreal, but not in toronto where it will basically create two new "subway" lines. Overall great video, I think your channel will become huge. I didn't even search for this video, it popped up on my recommended
Definitely wish I had included more innovation related projects for both cities in hindsight, will keep that in mind for next time!
I want to understand why on earth does Montreal have two metros (STM and REM)
The STM runs the Montreal metro, which is all underground and primarily serves downtown and the denser parts of Montreal. CDPQ (a province owned corporation) runs the REM, which is mostly above ground and serves the outer parts of the city that are less dense. I can’t tell you why two different corporations run the two different systems, but the systems themselves are different because the type of service they provide is different
a little extra credit regarding Toronto's fares, you can simply use your debit or credit card to tap on as well.
You're right, this is really handy
I use the TTC almost daily, and I think I have to admit the Montreal system may be a lil better.
Haha the TTC is still pretty great… I’ve commuted daily on much worse
Thank You!
But what about Vancouver??
Sounds like an excuse to do a part 2 👀
@@AchyuthaReddy Might as well come to Calgary while you're at it! But maybe give us a few years while we get the Green Line built.