Montreal to quebec city

Oh! They don't stop in winter. They just... don't work. In Quebec you can have 10 miles of construction and you will see 1 guy working. Probably like.. cutting the grass.

There are two seasons in Canada... Winter and Construction.

 

The Dorval circle won't be finished in 2017... it's only running four years behind at the moment....

Taking train tomorrow from QC to M so I will post tomorrow afternoon/evening & let you know about the train ride.

 

We just got off Veendam today and are staying at Hotel 71 in lower QC just a couple blocks from terminal -- such a gorgeous city, very nice hotel staff, bellman walked over to ship with cart to bring our luggage to hotel -- am sure they would help you do the reverse. Would strongly recommend 1 or 2 nts in QC!!! (Our ship was docked here overnight last night and the view from our balcony over lower QC to Chateau Frontenac was fabulous!)

 

Hi there, would you let me know how this worked for you?

Thanks!

I just returned Boston-Quebec with an added car trip at the end driving from Quebec City - Montreal - Kingston - Ottawa. A few observations:

 

-- Yes, Montreal Hwy system has construction and detour everywhere. Now I know why. It is the only city we got lost, but a good map, have a none-driving pax directing helped.

-- Driving Quebec city to Montreal was very straight forward (3 hours at a leisure pace).

-- I encountered a few aggressive drivers in Quebec. Coincidence or real local temperament?

-- We had a 2 stop flight coming home from Ottawa, very tedious. To do again, I'd drive back to Montreal for a one stop flight.

-- Quebec Airport (Jean Lesage) is very small (but was voted the best small NA airport 2 years running), I am not surprise few people able to fly out of it.

 

Overall, wonderful driving trip through these beautiful cities.

Did NCL offer transportation from Quebec City to Montreal or an excursion ending at Montreal airport or luggage express? I need to make things smooth or DH gets freaked out and stressed out.

-- I encountered a few aggressive drivers in Quebec. Coincidence or real local temperament?

 

We're a Latin people. It shows in our driving...:D

It's survival of the fittest - you snooze you lose. Count yourself fortunate that you only encountered a few aggressive drivers...

-- Quebec Airport (Jean Lesage) is very small (but was voted the best small NA airport 2 years running), I am not surprise few people able to fly out of it.

 

You should have seen it before - they've actually completed a major extension project that pretty much doubled the size of the airport. It used to be smaller than the bus station... :rolleyes:

 

Did NCL offer transportation from Quebec City to Montreal or an excursion ending at Montreal airport or luggage express? I need to make things smooth or DH gets freaked out and stressed out.

 

The combined train/bus station is a quick 5-minute taxi ride (or brisk 20-minute walk) from the cruise terminal. You can catch a bus that goes directly to YUL airport from there, for roughly $50/person.

Actually, I just noted you'll be on the NCL Dawn. Which date? Because one of the days it will be here, they will be docking at Wharf 30, which is much closer to the train station; probably a 5-minute walk.

We're a Latin people. It shows in our driving...:D

 

It's survival of the fittest - you snooze you lose. Count yourself fortunate that you only encountered a few aggressive drivers...

 

I agree

It is worse if you have out of Province plates ;)

Actually, I just noted you'll be on the NCL Dawn. Which date? Because one of the days it will be here, they will be docking at Wharf 30, which is much closer to the train station; probably a 5-minute walk.

 

I am just researching for 2014, so am not booked yet. Thanks for the info.

Train is way more interesting than bus. But , if you are on a right schedule, I would not take a chance with the train. It is now rarely late ( as in may be very very late ) but bus is way safer on reliability.

As driving, choosing between A-40 or A-20 highway, 40 has way more trees and very long stretches without services but the approche to Québec city is nicer ( though just for a very short part of the drive). The 20, more industries etc to see as you drive along, many easily accessibles stops along the way, Will get you to cross the Pont Pierre- Laporte Bridge, a spectacular view of the St- Laurent river. Highly recommend that you look at the Québec DOT website to Check for road works right before driving and making your final decision, see the 511 section for info.

May I please ask the experts for a sanity check?

 

We’re thinking of doing a cruise starting in Quebec City. One obvious route for getting there from the UK is to fly to Montreal. However, the flight would not arrive until something like 8.30 pm, so by the time we get out of customs our bodies will think it’s more like 3.00 am. So one sensible thing to do would be to stay at the airport hotel that night rather than trying to get to a hotel anywhere else just for an overnight stay.

 

If we were to do that, our options for getting to Quebec City the next day would seem to be:-

• Fly from Montreal to Quebec City (:eek: expensive) and then get a cab to the pier.
• Take the Orleans Express coach from the airport to Quebec City (infrequent, one transfer) and possibly walk to the pier.
• Take a taxi into town to get the direct Orleans Express coach to Quebec City (more frequent) and possibly walk to the pier.
• Take a taxi into town to get the train from Montreal to Quebec City (infrequent compared to the direct coach) and possibly walk to the pier.
• Rent a car and drive from the airport to Quebec City, and then get a taxi from the rental location there to the pier.
• Take the HAL transfer directly from the airport to the pier (a bit more expensive than the other options, but there’s no pressure to present ourselves at any specific time for the transfer).

I’m normally highly allergic to cruise line transfers, but given that the other surface options seem at best only to be about $30 cheaper, and they all involve more hassle, I’m leaning towards simply giving in to the HAL transfer. This would give us some timing flexibility in the morning so that we can get going sooner if we’re raring to go, or we can linger a bit if we feel like being slower – and we don’t have to decide until we get up that morning.

 

Does this sound sensible or mad?

Book a flight from London to Quebec City . The price will be almost the same as London to Montreal. The stopover will be Toronto or Montreal.

Book a flight from London to Quebec City . The price will be almost the same as London to Montreal. The stopover will be Toronto or Montreal.

 

Not always could be Ottawa or NYC among others

 

but I agree just fly to YQB unless they want to see Montreal

Book a flight from London to Quebec City . The price will be almost the same as London to Montreal.

but I agree just fly to YQB unless they want to see Montreal

Thanks - but unfortunately flying to YQB would not be that simple because I won't be able to get a single ticket to YQB using the channels by which our tickets will come. So any routing to YQB by air would involve an overnight at the connecting point anyway and a separate ticket from there to YQB. Hence flying to YUL being an obvious route, and asking for the sanity check on surface transfers from that perspective.

Thanks - but unfortunately flying to YQB would not be that simple because I won't be able to get a single ticket to YQB using the channels by which our tickets will come. So any routing to YQB by air would involve an overnight at the connecting point anyway and a separate ticket from there to YQB. Hence flying to YUL being an obvious route, and asking for the sanity check on surface transfers from that perspective.

 

If you are on a FF ticket then it may be a problem

If you are on a FF ticket then it may be a problem

Yes, it'll either be that or a restrictive sale fare that won't allow interline connections.

Second-last time we flew to Europe was from r/t from YUL, so went through roughly the same process. Here's my thoughts on each option:

 

-Flying from Montreal to Quebec City isn't worth the expense, especially when YQB is much further from the pier than the train/bus station;

-Feels odd that you have to transfer buses to go from YUL-Québec, thought there was a dedicated bus - maybe Orleans Express have discontinued this service;

-Love taking the train, but between Montreal and Quebec City schedule has always been the issue;

-We ultimately ended up renting a car and driving - the drive is straightforward, and there's a Hertz office that's just up the hill from the train/bus station so in theory still walkable to the pier;

 

I would only consider the HAL transfer if I was staying at the airport, and in your circumstance I probably wouldn't. Get a place in town with a view of the pretty night lights :D.

Globaliser:

 

Great to hear from you. You have provided such great advice on the CC board to those of us that have visited your home town.

 

There are many more qualified than I to answer your query but I will also pitch in my HO anyway. I have almost always driven between the two cities, usually in transit between my home in Ontario and family in New Brunswick. We have also used the train for the same purpose, usually in the winter when we didn't want to deal with the winter roads.

 

My first choice would be to rent and drive. It provides many advantages but I would caution that you will need to be able to adapt to the Montreal driving style and signage. It is indeed easy once you are clear of Montreal traffic. As noted earlier in this tread, the style is " different " though.

 

My second choice would be the train. You don't absolutely have to cab it into Montreal to accomplish that since there is a station very close to YUL. If you check the schedules from the Montreal Dorval station it may or may not work for you. Given how late your arrival will be, I would be inclined to take a hotel at the airport unless, as suggested, you wish to see some of Montreal and you don't mind delaying your sack time by 40 mins or so. I have always enjoyed my visits to Montreal, so perhaps that is worth the delay.

 

anyway, for what it is worth, there you have it. Have a great trip.

I would only consider the HAL transfer if I was staying at the airport, and in your circumstance I probably wouldn't. Get a place in town with a view of the pretty night lights :D.

Thanks, Twickenham! I was hoping that you'd see this post and offer some advice.

 

Normally, I'd do exactly this. Airport hotels and HAL transfers are things I'd stay away from. But arriving at YUL at 2 am (as that's what it will feel like) is pushing me towards the path of least resistance, ie wandering a few yards over to the Marriott - and hence the unusual appeal of then just doing the HAL transfer.

 

I see what you mean about the city centre Hertz location. I'll have a look at that.

Thanks, Twickenham! I was hoping that you'd see this post and offer some advice.

 

Normally, I'd do exactly this. Airport hotels and HAL transfers are things I'd stay away from. But arriving at YUL at 2 am (as that's what it will feel like) is pushing me towards the path of least resistance, ie wandering a few yards over to the Marriott - and hence the unusual appeal of then just doing the HAL transfer.

 

I see what you mean about the city centre Hertz location. I'll have a look at that.

 

There are certainly times when taking the easy way is the right decision. I have to say the YUL Marriott is quite nice, although I found the frosted glass wall between the main room and the bathroom slightly odd. I also feel I should put in a good word for the other Marriott properties at YUL - both the Fairfield Inn opposite the entrance to the airport and the combo Courtyard/Residence Inn are quite nice for budget properties, if price is a concern, and both I believe have free shuttles.

Thanks, LiftLockCouple and Twickenham, for the further thoughts. I will certainly follow up those ideas too to see whether they would work better.

 

Being a Londoner and having frequently been a driver in Hong Kong and New York City, I have almost no fears when it comes to negotiating traffic! I've learned many guerilla tactics over the years.

 

I know what you mean, Twickenham, about unconventional room arrangements. I first encountered an odd one at the InterContinental in Berlin, which had been refurbished so that many of what would normally be fixtures were actually moveable blocks. It meant that you could slide open much of the bathroom, for example, and swivel the TV around to watch it from the bath. And yet everything could also be closed up if necessary.

Thanks,

Being a Londoner and having frequently been a driver in Hong Kong and New York City, I have almost no fears when it comes to negotiating traffic! I've learned many guerilla tactics over the years.

 

.

 

You will need all those tactics driving in PQ :D

 

No offense to Twickenham

 

If we have to drive & stay in PQ we park the car ASAP & only use it again to get out of town ;)

 

Lyn

Globalizer;

 

Staying overnight at a hotel near the airport is a good option.

 

Taking the train from the airport direct to Quebec City is possible, you could then take a cab to the Pier.

 

The only rub is the timetable of trains from Dorval to Quebec City. If I remember correctly, they depart Dorval at 6pm~ish at arrive in Quebec City around 10pm~ish.

 

So that would leave you a whole day of waiting around, and depending on when your ship leaves, the train schedule from Dorval might not be good for you.

 

Since you didn't post your arrival / departure dates, it's a little hard for us locals to give you better advice.

 

Trains from downtown Montreal to Quebec City give you more options...but your check-in time would probably be a good hour later than an airport hotel due to the time it will take to queue for a cab then ride into town.

 

Below is an map of YUL, you can see how close the hotels & the train station are.

 

 

Below is a link to the Via Rail website to check schedules & fares by date:

 

http://www.viarail.ca/en/plan-your-trip/customize-your-train-schedule

 

Below is the link to Orleans Express so you can check the bus schedules and fares between YUL and Quebec City. Enter MONTREAL in the search box and the airport will show up. I think there are 6 or 7 departures per day. The coach busses are comfortable and have plenty of room for bags.

 

http://www.orleansexpress.com/fr/

 

:)

Edited November 24, 2014 by p_mori7

Fantastic, thank you - and that map is really helpful. The cruise isn't for a long while yet, but it's good to have all this detail about the different options.

Globalizer;

 

Staying overnight at a hotel near the airport is a good option.

 

 

Below is an map of YUL, you can see how close the hotels & the train station are.

 

 

Below is a link to the Via Rail website to check schedules & fares by date:

 

http://www.viarail.ca/en/plan-your-trip/customize-your-train-schedule

 

Below is the link to Orleans Express so you can check the bus schedules and fares between YUL and Quebec City. Enter MONTREAL in the search box and the airport will show up. I think there are 6 or 7 departures per day. The coach busses are comfortable and have plenty of room for bags.

 

http://www.orleansexpress.com/fr/

 

:)

 

Wow! belle carte = nice map

People have probably figured it out by now, but here is the Orleans Express link in English

http://www.orleansexpress.com/en/