Ride the waves this summer on Montréal's navettes!
As an island city, you’ve never quite seen Montréal until you’ve seen it from the waters of the St. Lawrence River. And each year from May through October, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM for short, in collaboration with ferry operators Croisières Navark and AML Cruises) has expanded its river shuttle system to six waterway routes that offer up a low-cost opportunity to enjoy a river cruise and take in some of the city’s further flung quartiers along the way. Locals refer to these compact watercrafts lovingly as navettes, and they’re the perfect way to explore Montréalers’ love affair with the water up close. Here’s a look at each of the six routes, with a few suggestions of things to do at the ports of arrival and departure!
Fares and schedules
Tickets for the navette system are all of $6.00 (until June 30, 2026, rising to $7.00 afterwards), a true bargain for a river cruise experience. The N1 route, however, is currently free of charge due to work on the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel. For booking information, fares and schedules, check out the STM’s website. All aboard!
N1: Montréal-Mercier / Boucherville
- Stops: Promenade Bellerive (Zone A) / Quai Yvon-Julien (Zone B)
- Dock: 8300 Bellerive Street
- Service dates: May 22 to September 30, 2026
Route info: Catch the N1 at the Parc de la Promenade-Bellerive, a 2.2 km stretch of greenery that rests gently on the shores of the St. Lawrence with pathways, picnic spots and playgrounds for the kids. Special programming throughout the summer features performances and activities for all ages. The N1 routes past the leafy parklands of Île Charron and lands at Quai Yvon-Julien in Boucherville. Founded as a seigneurial parish in 1667, a quick stroll over to the Église de Sainte-Famille and its cobblestone church square overlooking the river makes for a charming trip back in time.
N2: Vieux-Port / Boucherville
- Stops: Quai Jacques-Cartier (Zone A) / Quai Yvon-Julien (Zone B)
- Dock: 155 Quai d’accostage
- Service dates: May 22 to September 30, 2026
Route info: The N2 makes the same final landing as the N1, but starts from Quai Jacques-Cartier in the Old Port of Montréal. On its way, this navette floats past the eastern edge of the Old Port, under the iconic Jacques Cartier Bridge and close enough past the La Ronde amusement park to hear the screams of joy from its rollercoasters. Once at Boucherville’s Quai Yvon-Julien, it’s a stone’s throw to the Manoir François-Pierre-Boucher de Boucherville, one of Montréal’s oldest households, or the blooming Jardin Collectif Montarville community gardens. The bucolic Pine River Park, featuring the gently meandering waters of its namesake river, is the perfect choice for a picnic break.
N3: Vieux-Port / Pointe-aux-Trembles / Varennes
- Stops: Quai Jacques-Cartier (Zone A) / Quai Saint-Jean-Baptiste (Zone A) / Quai de Bellevue (Zone C)
- Dock: 2 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Boulevard
- Service dates: May 22 to September 30, 2026
Route info: The longest route in the system, the N3 passes under the Jacques Cartier Bridge en route to Pointe-aux-Trembles. Founded in 1674 and nearly 20 km from the city centre, it now makes up one of Montréal’s easternmost neighbourhoods and home to the Vieux-Moulin de Pointe-aux-Trembles mill constructed in 1720. The ferry station here is based at the charming Pointe-aux-Trembles Public Market, open every Saturday from May to September and featuring fresh foods, cultural happenings and artisanal booths. You can also visit the Buvette du Quai, an open-air café-bar with an urban beach, a public terrace and even games! Cyclists will love the on-site BIXI station for the chance to take a look around—if you’re feeling intrepid, we’d suggest a jaunt to the Parc-nature de la Pointe-aux-Prairies a short 20 minute ride away. Should you choose instead to stay on the N3 to its termination point at Varennes’ Quai de Bellevue, you’ll take in the passing views of Sainte Thérèse Island, currently undergoing a massive transformation into a sustainable greenbelt and ecotourism destination. Once there, the small township features the stately postcard-pretty Sainte-Anne de Varennes Basilica. This route’s a big one, with the journey there and back requiring a total travel time of 100 minutes on the water.
N4: Vieux-Port / Île Sainte-Hélène / Longueill
- Stops: Quai Jacques-Cartier (Zone A) / Parc Jean-Drapeau (Zone A) / Port de Plaisance (Zone B)
- Dock: 2 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Boulevard
- Service dates: May 22 to September 7, 2026
Route info: The N4 makes its first stop at Parc Jean-Drapeau‘s St Helen’s Island, before continuing on to the South Shore’s biggest city Longueil. After landing at the marina, take the overpass across the road to the old town centre Vieux-Longueuil for a wander down Rue Sainte-Charles Ouest, home to bakeries, bistros, and the Maison de la culture Marcel-Robidas to take in one of their ongoing exhibitions. Before getting back on the navette, make a stop at Parc Marie-Victorin and climb the Belvédère de Longueil for a raised view across the waters to Montréal.
N5: Vieux-Port / Île Sainte-Hélène
- Stops: Quai Jacques-Cartier (Zone A) / Parc Jean-Drapeau (Zone A) / Port de Plaisance (Zone B)
- Dock: 2 Saint-Jean-Baptiste Boulevard
- Service dates: May 22 to September 7, 2026
Route info: Punctuate a day of sightseeing in Old Montréal and the Old Port with a quick hop over to St Helen’s Island on the N5 express, and explore all that Parc Jean-Drapeau has to offer—not to mention some of the most Instagrammable vistas of the city. Don’t forget to tag your best shots with #mtlmoments!
N6: Montréal-Mercier / Île Charron
- Stops: Quai du parc de la Promenade Bellerive (Zone A) / Quai Nord (Zone B)
- Dock: 8300 Bellerive Street
- Service dates: June 20 to September 7, 2026
Route info: Departing from Parc de la Promenade-Bellerive, the N6 lands on Charron Island, home to both the Parc de l’Île Charron and the Parc national des Îles-de-Boucherville. There’s also the Longueil Municipal Beach and the popular free-of-charge Parcours de disc golf Île Charron frisbee golf course close at hand near the dock point, referred to as “PIC” to those in the know. And while this route may be short, the island itself has a long and interesting history reaching back to France’s Louis XIV who held its possession until 1672. A true hidden gem, the photogenic expanses of Charron Island are worth taking a pause and soaking in the surrounding nature.
Mark Hamilton
Mark Hamilton is the community director for QueerMTL, a musician in the projects Woodpigeon, Frontperson and Brittle Dreams and a curator and historian specializing in LGBTQ+ activism and zinemaking. He’s lived in Montréal since 2015, during which time he’s most often spotted atop a BIXI bike usally running a few minutes late.