There are multiple hotels in the old town just depends on your budget. The train station is about 1.5 Kims from Notre Dame Bascillica if you use that as a reference point. The trains are great we caught a train from Montreal to Quebec City it was the best trip and is not normally affected by weather which at this time of the year is very likely if flying.

yes...90 percent is for walkers only. there is a great rental bike system that actually gets used. the city itself is very bike friendly. great city for walking as well. old town is a 20 minute walk from the shearton downtown hotel and you walk through the China Town. enjoy your biking!

The cruise ships dock in in the old port of Montreal which is right in the Historic district of Old Montreal. There are great Hotels like the Westin, Intercontinental and Embassy Suites on Rue St Antoine only ten to fifteen mins walk away. Budget C$ 400 per night. Cheaper options like Holiday Inn and Travelodge are also close by. There are Red double decker buses that are hop on/ hop off that do a daytime circuit that takes 2 hours in all but the tickets are good for two days. Get on anywhere and eventually someone will collect your money (C$56 per person) and give you a wrist band. It’s a good way to see the town quickly. Magill University campus is close to many attractions like the main art museum (Musee Des beaux Arts). Another museum nearby is the McCord which depicts social development of Canada. The Basilica of Notre Dame is worth a visit to see the outstanding interior ( it’s right in Old Montreal). An important shrine is the St Joseph’s Oratory just on the other side of Mount Royal a project of Brother Andre started in 1910 now one of the largest church buildings in the world. Theatre and music venues abound as do wonderful places to eat of all varieties. It’s a world city full of history and contemporary art and culture. With around 4 million it is a bit like New York is to the USA with many waves of immigrants leaving their mark on the city.