Montreal RESO Underground City + Downtown Tour by MTL Detours
Recommended by 96% of travelers
Montreal, Canada
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Montreal’s chilly winters mean inhabitants have long found creative ways of getting around the cold—and that includes the RÉSO. The most extensive underground pedestrian network in the world, it stretches for over 20 miles (32 kilometers)—and this tour makes exploring simple. This includes some outdoor portions where you can see points of interest in the heart of downtown Montreal. Meet your guide in the city center and explore the maze of tunnels and passageways, and learn about its history.
- Navigate the sprawling RÉSO with ease on this informative walking tour
- Discover the highlights and history of Montreal’s Underground City
- Your guide points out artistic and architectural hotspots
- A private or small group tour means a more personalized experience
What's Included
- Balanced indoor and outdoor route exploring both Downtown streets and the RÉSO network
- Certified, licensed guide with the mandatory City of Montréal permit (not just a “local”)
- Small group (maximum 10 guests) for a personal, conversational experience
- Exploration of key Downtown Montréal landmarks and ares, at street level
- Guided walk through the RÉSO, the world’s largest underground pedestrian network
- The MTL Detours printed local recommendations list: favourite spots to eat, drink, and explore
- Minimum age is 12+ years old. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
- Gratuities. Optional, but always appreciated by your guide.
- Hotel pick up + drop off. Guests must make their own way to out meeting location.
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 1204 Av. McGill College, Montréal, QC H3B 4J8, Canada
Meet outside Café Humble Lion at address 1204 McGill College Avenue. Your guide will greet you on the sidewalk. Arrive 10-15 minutes in advance and note that we do not wait for latecomers.
End point
- Centre de commerce mondial747 Rue du Square-Victoria suite 700, Montreal, QC H2Y 3Y9, Canada
Tour ends at World Trade Center/Centre de commerce mondial de Montreal
Itinerary
Centre-Ville (Downtown) (Pass By)
The Underground City (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Minimum age to attend is 12 years old. All participants require a paid ticket.
- Tour is both indoors and outdoors. Please dress appropriately for the outdoor weather conditions.
- This 2-hour tour covers approx. 4 km (2.5 mi) at a steady city-walking pace and includes several sets of stairs and/or escalators
- Not suitable for guests with a slow walking pace, mobility issues, impairments or serious medical conditions.
- This tour is owned and operated by MTL Detours Montreal Walking Tours mtldetours.ca
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 262 reviews
Noha_A, Mar 2026
Lovely experience with
ELISE
Professional, passionate tour guide
Elise was so nice, human and loves her job
Very informative
We had a lovely time .
Deborah_P, Mar 2026
Catherine is a wonderful Tour Guide! We learned so much about your wonderful city. We will be back!!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re glad you enjoyed your tour with Catherine and we look forward to welcoming you back!
Sarah_S, Feb 2026
Walking the streets of Montreal, you would never know there is a whole other city beneath your feet. This walking tour took us down into that underground labyrinth, and we learned about the history of Montreal along the way.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Montreal's RESO is pretty incredible - we're so glad you enjoyed your tour!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
OvedeLevi_L, Feb 2026
Catherine was an excellent guide, and the tour was very interesting as well as practical for tourism tips.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We appreciate you taking the item to leave a 5-Star review and kind words for your MTL Detours guide, Catherine!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
Wanda_F, Feb 2026
Elise was super knowledgeable, she has all the answers and the best recommendations! She covered everything we wanted
Response from Host, Mar 2026
We're so glad that Elise was able to make your tour with us enjoyable and memorable! We hope you were able to utilize her recommendation to good use during your visit!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
Jonah_v, Jan 2026
Sylvia was stellar, knowledgeable and made the tour all the more exciting
Highly recommend. If you're in Montreal, you cannot do this on your own, as you won't have access to all of the information
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for such a generous recommendation! We’re truly grateful you chose to explore Montreal with us.
Sylvia has a gift for bringing the city to life in a way that’s engaging, insightful, and memorable. We’re so pleased to hear that her depth of knowledge and energy made your experience feel elevated and worthwhile.
There’s so much layered history and culture woven into Montreal’s streets, and it’s wonderful to know you felt the added value of having someone there to connect the dots along the way!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours to show you around Montreal!
Lauren_B, Dec 2025
Jeff was amazing! So enthusiastic and knowledgeable! A great mix of inside and outside! Perfect event to get to know the city.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for the 5-star review and we love that you enjoyed your RESO tour with Jeff! He’s an awesome guide who loves to show his city off and it shows!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours and warmest wishes for a fantastic 2026!
Lim_E, Dec 2025
Great network with shops and restaurants but complex as has many connections and different levels but a good escape from the rather cold weather and snow walking at road level.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you for sharing how much you enjoyed our RESO tour! It’s a tour that offers a really good balance between seeing Montreal from above and below ground.
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
kascheer, Dec 2025
Carolina aka Woman LOL has a great sense of humor which made this walking tour fun as well as informative. We meandered through the labyrinth of underground tunnels stopping at various historical sites. I highly recommend.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We’re thrilled Carolina kept you laughing while guiding you through Montreal’s underground maze! We appreciate the recommendation and we’re so glad you enjoyed yourself!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
Eric_V, Dec 2025
This was a great tour. It was very interesting to learn the history of the Montreal underground tunnels. Sylvia was a great tour guide and was very knowledgeable about the city and its history.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed yourself and that Silvia made your tour memorable! We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with us!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
LoriDawn_C, Dec 2025
Great tour to learn how to navigate mtl underground. First step is knowing it is there… Thank you Sylvia!!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
We’re so glad Silvia helped make your first experience into Montreal’s underground city a great one!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
Christine_H, Nov 2025
Informative, easy pace to follow. Guide considered all on tour and was very pleasant. Well done Catherine.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thanks for the feedback and the lovely shout-out for Catherine! She’s a great guide who loves what she does and we’re so glad it showed.
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
Vanessa_E, Nov 2025
Our guide, Martin was fun, entertaining and informative. I enjoyed the tour completely. It was eye opening to see the underground scene.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thanks for the feedback and 5-stars! Martin is such a fun guide who loves Montreal and we’re so glad it showed!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
Karen_F, Nov 2025
Darren was a terrific guide. Very small group so it was easy to hear everything. The tour went beyond just the Reso. We learned so much about Montreal’s history. Darren was extremely knowledgeable and willing to answer any and all questions. Also glad that this is a local tour company. Thanks Darren!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
We’re so happy you enjoyed our tour with the fabulous Darren! It’s great to hear that exploring beyond the RESO, diving into Montreal’s rich history, and having the chance to ask all your questions made the experience memorable for you.
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
Terry_S, Nov 2025
Darin was knowledgeable and fun. He kept a good pace and covered a TON of useful material! Also know that this tour is locally owned and operated. Finally great suggestions on where to eat.
I highly recommend!
Gerald_S, Nov 2025
There was a nice pace to this walking tour. Guide was patient, answered all our questions graciously. Learnt history of the city and got a sense of direction in the city travelling the underground.
Kelli_S, Nov 2025
While Martin was nice guy, he literally ran in front of the participants every time we moved. We spent most of the time stopping in random places but he did provide good information. We spent minimal time walking the RESO, nor did we see much art which was the focus.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Bonjour and merci for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear the tour didn’t quite meet your expectations.
Pacing can sometimes be a challenge when guests have different walking speeds. It might appear to be brisk to some, as we do cover a lot of ground in a short period of time. Our guides aim to keep a steady rhythm while staying on schedule and ensuring key stops are included.
The tour is a mix of indoor and outdoor areas (as noted in the listing) and not exclusively limited to the RESO passageways. While we try to highlight a few key artworks, the tour also covers the broader story of Montreal’s downtown — including architecture, urban planning, public space, history, and how to navigate the network. Public art is one of several themes, not the sole focus. The stops are carefully selected to provide the best context and background for the commentary at each point.
We appreciate you joining us and are glad you enjoyed Martin’s extensive knowledge.
Irene_D, Nov 2025
This was a fantastic tour. A lot of information provided about Montreal. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions we had
Ashley_E, Nov 2025
Learned lots of history and explained the city very well. Gave us a local perspective of the city and all the ins and outs.
NoahRay_S, Nov 2025
extremely thoughtful and engaging and funny too! our guide Martin was extraordinary and o much information we were hanging on to every single word -- now we feel confident to walk around the RESO on our own!
Keith_J, Oct 2025
Helpful to learn about the underground city. Tour guide seemed very knowledgeable. You are able to take pictures.
Lauren_H, Oct 2025
Excellent/knowledgeable and engaging guide. Comprehensive overview of the RESU with history and view spots in the mix.
Perilou_G, Oct 2025
Amelie’s tour of Underground Montréal was fantastic! She was super knowledgeable and made the time fly.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thanks for the feedback! Amelie will be thrilled you enjoyed her tour so much!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
James_T, Oct 2025
A really informative and interesting tour. Catherine was very friendly and combined the right level of info with each stop on the tour. It was great to see both the underground city and other spots above ground. Would highly recommend this tour
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for joining the tour and taking the time to share your experience! We’re so glad you enjoyed exploring both above and below the city’s surface. Catherine will be delighted to read your kind words. We hope the rest of your time in the city was just as memorable!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
Franco_M, Oct 2025
I loved the tour and the tour guide Sylvia was amazing as I learned alot even though I am a native. I would recommend to others to do the tour
Response from Host, Oct 2025
We love when locals come out to explore their own backyard! it’s amazing how lifelong Montrealers discover things they didn’t know about Montreal on our tours! Thank you for taking our tour and for the kind words about Silvia; she will be thrilled to read them!
Leslie_K, Oct 2025
You will be on your feet for two hours!
Gabriela was a great tour guide. Kept us interested and together.
JoyceWelch, Oct 2025
Very informative insight into Montreal development underground. Would not have been able to learn this on my own.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
We’re glad we could make the Underground City feel easy to navigate and share the bigger story behind it. Thank you for touring with us and taking the time to leave a review! You'll be travelling around Montreal like a local in no time!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!
Cathy_T, Oct 2025
So informative & interesting - much history & background included & fun to go above ground several times & then back under.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thanks for your 5-star review! This tour is designed to weave between the Underground City and the streets above - mixing history with real-time city life. Delighted you enjoyed the balance of both!
Merci for choosing MTL Detours!!
Sandra_B, Oct 2025
Fantastic experience! Not only did we get an interesting tour through the vast extent of the underground passageways and many commercial and business areas, we also popped up to the surface frequently to orient our locations in the downtown areas with the above ground city! However, the wealth of historical, cultural, political, and religious knowledge our guide, Daren, shared during our tour brought the evolution of the development of the city and surrounding areas of Montreal to life! Awesome! Short time in Montreal well-spent!!!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Love this! Thank you for spending part of your whirlwind Montréal visit with MTL Detours! Darren loves connecting the underground tunnels to the city’s bigger story, and his storytelling really reflects that.
We've found that moving between the underground and above-ground stops allows MTL Detours guests to grasp the layout of Montreal's downtown faster, so thank you for highlighting that!
Roz_H, Oct 2025
Darren was very knowledgeable, interesting and funny. This was a brilliant introduction to Downtown Montreal.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for joining MTL Detours Underground City & Downtown tour. Darren’s great at mapping out the downtown core for first-time visitors, and we're so glad you enjoyed your time with him!
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