Multi Day Trips and Stays in Montreal

October 29, 2026

Multi-day trips from Montreal

Montreal rewards a stay of three or four days, and it works well as a base for one or two nights further afield. The outline below keeps the day counts realistic. Prices are in Canadian dollars, sales tax is added to most of them, and everything should be checked on the official site before you book.

Three to four days in the city

Day 1, Old Montreal: Notre-Dame Basilica, Place Jacques-Cartier, rue Saint-Paul and Pointe-a-Calliere. The archaeology museum is open Tuesday to Sunday and closed every Monday, so schedule this day around that. An adult ticket is $30 with tax included.
Day 2, Mount Royal and the Plateau: the Kondiaronk Belvedere is free and has the classic city view, and the Plateau Mont-Royal has outdoor spiral staircases and greystone triplexes. Finish with a smoked meat lunch at Schwartz’s on boulevard Saint-Laurent.
Day 3, Space for Life: the Biodome, Insectarium, Botanical Garden, Biosphere and Planetarium are five separate museums, and a single adult ticket is about $25.50 in 2026. Most visitors pick two. A Passport covers all five for 12 months.
Day 4, downtown and the underground city: museums, shopping and the RESO network of about 33 km of indoor corridors, which is especially useful in January and February.

Dinner anchors listed as trading include L’Express on rue Saint-Denis, Le Club Chasse et Peche on rue Saint-Claude, Gibbys on rue Saint-Paul Ouest and Modavie in Old Montreal. Book ahead on weekends.

Adding Quebec City

Quebec City is 270 km away. VIA Rail runs about five trains a day, and each trip takes 3 hours 10 minutes to 3 hours 40 minutes. That is long enough that one night in the city is better than a rushed same-day return. Look for trains that serve the Gare du Palais, since some stop at Sainte-Foy and connect by shuttle.

Adding Ottawa

Ottawa is about 2 hours 4 minutes from Montreal by VIA Rail, with roughly five trains a day. One night gives time for 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 bus is about 2 hours 50 minutes and runs only a few times a day, so a car is recommended for a short stay. Winter lift tickets in 2025/26 cost $155 to $185 for adults, and 2026-27 prices were not out at last check.

Eastern Townships

A car is the best way to see the Eastern Townships, which start 1 to 1.5 hours east of Montreal. The Dunham wine route, Magog, Knowlton and the Balnea spa at Bromont are the usual stops. Check winery and spa hours before setting out.

Practical notes

The 24-hour STM pass costs $11.25, the 3-day pass $21.75 and the weekend pass $17. The same $11.25 buys the 747 airport bus.
The REM light rail does not reach the airport yet, with an opening targeted for 2027.
Do not plan the Olympic Park tower, which is closed until spring 2027, or a horse-drawn carriage, which has been banned since 2020.

Official pages: VIA Rail Montreal to Quebec City , STM fares . Stay: Booking.com Montreal hotels .