Montreal Metro

The Montreal Metro (French: Métro de Montréal) is a rubber-tired metro system, and the main form of public transportation underground in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The Metro, operated by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), was inaugurated on October 14, 1966, during the tenure of Mayor Jean Drapeau. Originally consisting of 26 stations on three separate lines, the Metro now incorporates 68 stations on four lines measuring 69.2 km (43.00 mi) in length, serving the north, east, and centre of the Island of Montreal with connections to Longueuil, via the Yellow Line, and Laval, via the Orange line.

The metro system is Canada's busiest subway system in total daily passenger usage, serving an average of 1,111,700 daily passengers on an average weekday (as of Q1 2011). In 2011, 308.7 million riders (transfers not included) used the Metro. According to the STM website the metro system has transported over 7 billion passengers as of 2010, roughly equivalent to the world's population. Montreal has built one of North America's largest urban rapid transit schemes, serving the third-largest number of passengers overall behind New York and Mexico City, and attracting the second-highest ridership per capita behind New York.

The Montreal Metro was inspired by the Paris Metro and in turn is also the inspiration for the Lyon Metro and Marseille Metro, as well as the Mexico City Metro, all constructed a few years later, and all which also share the same rubber-wheel car design and similar Montreal Metro station architecture.