Car hire in Montréal

Driving your rental car in Montréal

Once you have booked your Montréal car hire, we advise making yourself familiar with the rules of the road in the provinces and cities you are planning to visit.

The highway code is not identical across Canada. There are some basic rules that are consistent across the country, such as:

• You must drive on the right side of the road
• Speed limits and distances are in kilometres, not miles

However, there are specific bylaws for individual provinces and even cities. It is therefore essential to check the most up-to-date regulations that will apply to all the regions you are planning to visit.

A few examples of such specific rules for driving in Montréal include (but are not limited to):

• Turning right on a red light on the actual Island of Montréal is strictly forbidden.
• Winter tyres are mandatory from 1st December to 15th March.
• Road signs are in French.

Please note that any driving tips provided on our page are for general guidance only and do not cover all the regulations that will apply when driving in Montréal and in Canada, and are subject to change.

Additional useful tips for navigating the traffic in Canada’s second-largest city are:

• Construction work and road closures are common, so plan your route to avoid unnecessary delays.
• Montréal streets get very congested during the morning and evening rush hours, between 7am and 9am and between 4pm and 6pm, so try to avoid driving through the city at these times if possible.
• Parking your car rental in downtown Montréal can be tricky with very complex and varying parking rules. Using the public transport for sightseeing is your best option.

Top day trips from Montréal

Montréal is a short driving distance from mountains, scenic countryside, and other iconic Eastern Canada cities. Montréal car rentals will give you the freedom and flexibility to enjoy some amazing day trips once you have soaked up all the sights of the city.

Here are our favourite day trips from Montréal:

• Mont-Tremblant village (approx. 142km, typically 1.5 hours to 2 hours): Mont-Tremblant is a year-round mountain resort. The Swiss-style alpine village is Québec’s premier ski resort in the winter. In summer, it turns into outdoor playground where you can go hiking, mountain biking, kayaking or ride a scenic gondola.
• Eastern Townships (typically between 1 and 2 hours depending on destination): Known as the garden of Québec, the Eastern Townships is a picturesque region characterized by rolling hills and lush green mountains, dotted with lakes, small villages, wineries, cideries and farms. The region covers approx. 12,500 square kilometres, so you must do some research and decide where you want to go. Popular places include North Hatley, Knowlton, Magog, Coaticook and Sutton.

1-2 week long road trips from Montréal

If you want to explore the top highlights of Québec and Ontario from Montréal, you will need to plan at least a week-long road trip. You can make a round-trip or book a one-way car rental in Montréal with a drop-off in Toronto.

Québec can also be combined with a visit to Canada’s maritime provinces – Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. At Canadian Affair we have a great variety of fly drive holidays to choose from. Call our Canada Travel Experts to let us know of all the places you would like to visit from Montréal, and we will expertly craft your dream itinerary. All our self-drive packages include flights, accommodation and a car hire.

Here are few iconic places to consider for your road trip:

• Québec: Montréal, Québec City, Gaspé Peninsula, Saguenay Fjord National Park
• Ontario: Toronto, Niagara Falls, Ottawa
• Atlantic Canada: Halifax, Cape Breton Island, Bay of Fundy, St. Andrews by-the-Sea, Cavendish Beach

View Eastern Canada road trips