Day Trips from Montreal by Train and Car

October 29, 2026

Day trips from Montreal

Montreal is a good base for getting out of the city, but the distances are bigger than many first-time visitors expect. Prices are in Canadian dollars, and sales tax is added to most of them. Check the official sites for current rates and timetables.

Quebec City

Quebec City is 270 km away. VIA Rail runs about five trains each way per day, taking 3 hours 10 minutes to 3 hours 40 minutes each way. Some trains stop at Sainte-Foy with a shuttle to the Gare du Palais, so check which station your ticket uses. With that much time on the train, the city is better as an overnight stay than a same-day return. Highlights are Old Quebec (a UNESCO World Heritage district listed in 1985), the Chateau Frontenac, Dufferin Terrace and the Petit-Champlain quarter.

Ottawa

Ottawa is about 185 km away and VIA Rail takes about 2 hours 4 minutes, with roughly five trains a day. That makes a long but workable day: Parliament Hill, the National Gallery of Canada and, across the river in Gatineau, the Canadian Museum of History.

Mont-Tremblant

Mont-Tremblant is about 130 km north, around 1.5 hours by car. The public bus takes about 2 hours 50 minutes and runs only about twice a day, so rent a car or plan the timetable first. In winter the 2025/26 adult lift ticket ranged from $155 to $185, and 2026-27 prices had not been published at last check. In summer a panoramic gondola ride up the mountain is the main draw, with a return ticket listed at about $31 in 2025.

Eastern Townships

The Eastern Townships begin about 1 to 1.5 hours from the city by car. Options include the Dunham wine route, the lakeside town of Magog, the village of Knowlton, and Balnea, a spa at Bromont beside Lac Gale. Opening hours vary through the year, and the status of individual wineries was not confirmed, so call ahead.

Parc Omega

Parc Omega at Montebello is a drive-through wildlife park, about 130 km away and 1.5 to 2 hours by car. It stays open all year. Published adult admission figures conflict, so check the park’s own site for today’s price. It is a wildlife drive, not an adventure park, and has no tree-top courses.

Trips that are too far

The whitewater of the Ottawa River is three to four hours from Montreal, and Mont-Sainte-Anne lies about 300 km away near Quebec City. Neither suits a day return from the city. For river rafting on the same day, the Lachine Rapids at LaSalle are inside the city; guided operators there take children from age 6.

Travel tips

Book VIA Rail seats early for summer weekends and holidays.
In winter, check road and weather alerts before driving north.

Timetables: VIA Rail Montreal to Quebec City , VIA Rail Montreal to Ottawa . Search trips: GetYourGuide Montreal day trips .