Day Trips from Montreal to Quebec City and Beyond

October 29, 2026

Leaving Montreal for the day

Not every popular excursion is a true day trip. This page sorts the options by how realistic they are from Montreal, using rail and road times. Prices are in CAD and sales tax is added to most of them, so confirm everything with the operator.

Easy: within two hours each way

Ottawa is 185 km away. VIA Rail lists the journey at about 2 hours 4 minutes, with around five trains a day, so you can leave in the morning and be back for dinner. The main sights are Parliament Hill and the National Gallery, and the Canadian Museum of History stands across the river in Gatineau.

Eastern Townships towns begin about 1 to 1.5 hours away by car. Magog and Knowlton are village stops, the Dunham wine route is the draw for tasting, and Balnea at Bromont is a spa beside Lac Gale. Opening hours change by season and the trading status of individual wineries was not confirmed, so phone ahead.

Parc Omega at Montebello is a drive-through wildlife park about 130 km from the city, or 1.5 to 2 hours by car. It opens year-round. Posted adult prices differ widely between sources, so check the park’s site rather than relying on a figure from a review.

Possible but tiring

Mont-Tremblant is about 130 km away, close to 1.5 hours by car. Without a car, the bus takes about 2 hours 50 minutes and has only around two departures a day, which makes a same-day return awkward. In winter the adult lift ticket for 2025/26 ran from $155 to $185, and 2026-27 prices were not yet released. In summer the panoramic gondola cost about $31 return in 2025.

Better as an overnight

Quebec City is 270 km by rail. VIA Rail trains take 3 hours 10 minutes to 3 hours 40 minutes each way, so a day trip leaves little time on the ground. Stay one night. Some trains end at Sainte-Foy, with a shuttle to Gare du Palais, so read your ticket. The old city was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and the Chateau Frontenac, Dufferin Terrace and Petit-Champlain are the usual walks.

Too far for a day

The Ottawa River whitewater centres are three to four hours away, and Mont-Sainte-Anne is around 300 km from Montreal, close to Quebec City. For a rafting trip on the same day, use the guided Lachine Rapids operators in LaSalle instead; they accept children from age 6.

Packing and timing

Check VIA Rail seat availability early for summer weekends.
In January and February, watch road and weather alerts and carry warm clothing in the car.
Bring a charged phone and a paper copy of your return train time.

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