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Comment by Vvic | Hacker News Reader

There's also the largest "underground city" in Montréal, Québec to avoid winter. It links up universities, stores, offices, subways and much, much more!

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I feel the "underground city" is a bit oversold to tourists. It's mostly just a bunch of shopping malls and bland corridors. But yeah, you can walk for miles below ground level without ever setting foot outside. Especially if you include a Metro hop or two.

> But yeah, you can walk for miles below ground level without ever setting foot outside.

It's ironic because if you visit Montréal in the summer everyone is outside.

Also, if a French Canadian take you to lunch, expect to eat for 1+ hour. No such thing as a quick lunch.

I think the idea of the underground city is that it's nice in the winter.

I lived in Chicago which has something similar, and never went down there except to take the train. It's all chain stores that have "upstairs" versions as well. Good if you're walking around outside and you notice there's a tornado heading your way, though.

Amen! So many friends have wanted to "visit" it, but it's just shops, Starbuckses, and hallways with nary a mole person to be seen.

I mean really you could say that about most non-tourist attraction neighborhoods.

It's probably indicative that it's nice for everyday residents. Most people's lives are pretty mundane.

I lived in a building connected to the underground in Montreal. I could go see a movie, eat at any major restaurant chain, shop in massive shopping malls, and even get to NYC without ever going outside. I'd say that's pretty cool. Even if it is just a loosely connected group of underground corridors between buildings.

> even get to NYC without ever going outside

Wait what? How?

Train.

Or bus (Line 747 from airport to a metro station and back 24/7) and plane ;)

Tho technically you get a bit of fresh air for that one.

Until the REM is up and running, then truly never need to go outdoors.

While living in Montréal, I could walk around 5 minutes outside (from my apartment to the metro) and never have to go outside again to go to work or school until I had to come back home.

The RÉSO is pretty nice, its main part connects between 6 subway stations under downtown: Lucien L'Allier, Bonaventure (with its bus and railway station), Square-Victoria, Place d'Armes, McGill and Peel. It connects directly to shopping malls, to "Centre Bell" arena and to multiple office buildings. It would be perfect to extend it and connect through Saint-Laurent station to Berri-UQÀM, the biggest station with 3 lines and tunnels to multiple university buildings.

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