nEXO Optical Simulations Workshop
Getting to Campus
When arriving in Montreal at the Pierre-Elliot Trudeau airport, the easiest way to get to campus is by Taxi or Uber, the fare from the airport to the University is roughly $50-60 CAD depending on the trip.
There are also public transit options, the 747 bus runs regularly (Roughly every 10 minutes during peak times, every half hour off-peak), which will take you to Lionel-Groulx metro on the green line, and connects directly to the McGill Metro station.
Bus and train fare are identical and require an OPUS card or tickets to board, there are stations for purchasing transit passes at YUL airport near the exit. For reference, the entire island of Montreal, including McGill university and the airport are within transit Zone A.
For people arriving by car, it is recommended to park at the parking lot behind the Molson Stadium, below is an image of the route to it from the Rutherford building, note that the road goes under the Molson Stadium bleachers after the right turn.
McGill campus and Rutherford physics are located very close to the McGill Metro Station. The walk is uphill and takes ~7 minutes.
The metro in Montreal is a very reliable and fast way to travel the city, and when booking accommodation it is beneficial to check if you're staying nearby a metro station.
In addition to the metro, Montreal is a very walkable and bike-friendly city! In the summer and fall there are temporary bike rentals called BIXI that can be taken one-way and cost $0.15 CAD per minute of travel with a flat $1.00 charge for rental. BIXIs can be rented with a credit card and no membership is required for the basic fare. If planning to travel by BIXI, downloading the app before arriving is advised, the app gives you live information about which stations have bikes available, but isn't required to rent a bike.
Navigating Campus
McGill Campus is right in the heart of downtown Montreal! There is a nice tool available for navigating campus here.
Things to do in Montreal
*Visit Old Montreal: This historic district is full of beautiful architecture, cobblestone streets, and charming cafes.
*Explore Mount Royal: Take a walk, run, or bike ride through this sprawling park to get a stunning view of Montreal from above.
*Bike the Lachine Canal: A historic canal in Montreal that connects the Old Port of Montreal to Lake Saint-Louis. The canal is a popular destination for outdoor activities, including biking, walking, and boating, and features several parks, picnic areas, and historic landmarks along its banks.
*Visit the Montreal Botanical Garden: This beautiful garden showcases a variety of plant life and is a great place to relax and take in nature.
*Check out the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts: This museum features a vast collection of artwork from around the world and is a must-see for art lovers.
*Walk down Mont Royal Avenue: A vibrant pedestrian-only street in the heart of the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood of Montreal. The street is lined with a variety of independent shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars, as well as public art installations and green spaces. It is particularly lively during the summer months, when outdoor terraces and street performers can be found throughout the area
*Visit the Notre-Dame Basilica: This stunning cathedral features incredible Gothic architecture and beautiful stained glass windows.
*Explore the Mile End neighbourhood: This area is known for its trendy cafes, vintage shops, and cool bars.
*Stroll through Jean-Talon Market: This open-air market has a wide variety of fresh produce, meat, seafood, cheese, baked goods, and other specialty foods from Quebec and beyond. The market is a great place to stroll, sample some local delicacies, and pick up ingredients for a picnic.
Places to eat in Montreal
*Schwartz's Deli: A Montreal institution, Schwartz's is known for their smoked meat sandwiches and has been serving hungry customers since 1928.
*L'Express: This classic French bistro has been serving traditional French cuisine since 1980, with dishes like steak frites and escargot.
*Joe Beef: This restaurant is a favorite of foodies and features a unique menu with dishes like lobster spaghetti and foie gras breakfast sandwiches.
*Au Pied de Cochon: This restaurant is famous for its hearty Quebecois fare, including foie gras poutine and duck in a can.
*Kitano Shokudo (Otto Bistro): A charming and authentic Japanese restaurant located in Montreal's Mile End neighbourhood, featuring a variety of delicious and authentic Japanese dishes, with a focus on high-quality ingredients and traditional preparation methods. The restaurant also offers a variety of vegetarian and gluten-free options, as well as a selection of Japanese sake and beer to complement your meal .
*Otto Yakitori: Hip & Cozy restaurant devoted to charcoal-grilled Yakitori with drinks.
*La Banquise: Montreal is known for its poutine and this is one of the city’s most popular restaurants. This restaurant offers a variety of poutine options, including vegetarian and vegan options, as well as other comfort food dishes, and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
*St-Viateur Bagel: Montreal is known for its bagels, and St-Viateur is one of the city's most famous bagel shops. Try a bagel with cream cheese or lox for a classic Montreal breakfast.
*Fairmount Bagel: Another popular Montreal bagel shop with slightly sweeter tasting bagels. Fairmount has been making bagels since 1919 and is known for their wood-fired oven.
*Le Robin Square: This cozy restaurant serves up contemporary Canadian cuisine, with a focus on locally-sourced ingredients.
*Maison Publique: This gastropub features a seasonal menu of inventive dishes, like mushroom tartine and venison tartare.
*Damas: This restaurant serves up Syrian cuisine in a stylish setting, with dishes like kebabs, shawarma, and falafel.
*Olive et Gourmando: This popular cafe and bakery is known for their sandwiches, salads, and baked goods, like their famous chocolate chunk cookie.
