French learners often wonder when to use monter dans and when to use monter à. Both can be translated as “to get in” or “to get on,” but their use depends on the type of transport or the situation.

Monter dans
The expression monter dans is used when someone goes inside a closed or enclosed vehicle. The idea is that you are entering into something with walls or a cabin. It can also be used when going up inside a structure such as a tower.

Examples:

• Je monte dans la voiture. = I get into the car.
• Il est monté dans le bus. = He got on the bus.
• Nous sommes montés dans l’avion. = We boarded the plane.
• Elle est montée dans le train. = She got on the train.
• Nous sommes montés dans la tour Eiffel. = We went up inside the Eiffel Tower.

Monter à
The expression monter à is used when someone gets on a mode of transport that is not enclosed, or when the focus is on being on top of the transport rather than inside it. It is also used for animals. In everyday spoken French, monter à is often more common and can be used more loosely than monter dans.

Examples:

• Elle est montée à cheval. = She got on the horse.
• Je monte à vélo. = I get on my bicycle.
• Ils sont montés à moto. = They got on the motorcycle.
• Il est monté à scooter. = He got on the scooter.

When both forms are possible
Sometimes both monter dans and monter à can be used with the same type of transport, but the meaning shifts slightly. For example, with a plane:

• Il est monté à l’avion à Marseille. = He boarded the plane at Marseille, with emphasis on the act of embarking.
• Il est monté dans l’avion à Marseille. = He got into the plane at Marseille, with emphasis on entering the cabin.

With a ship, both are also possible:

• Elle est montée à bord du navire. = She went on board the ship.
• Elle est montée dans le navire. = She went inside the ship.