Coach Hire Canada

Arriving at Montréal-Trudeau as a group

Montréal-Trudeau has a clear routine for group pickups, and it starts upstairs: minibuses and coaches collect passengers on the Departures level, not in Arrivals. Knowing that saves a lot of wandering with luggage carts.

Door 7, one level up

When your minibus or coach is ready, everyone heads up to Departures and out through Door 7, where the driver shows the booking's confirmation email. The vehicle can't sit at Door 7 waiting for you. It stays in the airport's designated waiting area until everyone is gathered, then comes round.

That's why the airport wants someone from the organizing side on hand to round people up. For a tour or a wedding party that may be the planner or guide. For a family reunion, pick one calm person with a charged phone.

Executive Sprinter van, side view
Executive Sprinter van, side view

Choosing a meeting point

YUL has three: near Door 7 on the Departures level, between Doors 5 and 6 on the same level, and near Door 24 down in Arrivals. If relatives are landing on different flights, choose one and tell everybody in advance. Door 24 is a natural place for the first arrivals to wait before the whole party heads upstairs together.

The terminals

  • Single passenger terminal (in Dorval)

Good to know at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport

  • A taxi minivan carries 5 to 6 people with 5 medium suitcases; taxis are dispatched from Door 23 on the Arrivals level.
  • Parking is prohibited in drop-off areas and on the airport road network; unattended or illegally parked vehicles are towed.
  • The free P4 and P10 Express Drop-offs are the airport's recommended pick-up areas for private vehicles, linked to the terminal by a shuttle of about 5 minutes.
  • Drivers of buses, minibuses or vehicles over 2.05 m high are asked to contact the airport before the trip for the parking procedure.
  • YUL has three group meeting points: near Door 7 on the Departures level, between Doors 5 and 6 on the Departures level, and near Door 24 on the Arrivals level.

What gets booked ahead

Minibus and coach pickups are checked in online beforehand, with the date, a rough time, the curb exit and the type of vehicle. Drivers of buses, minibuses and anything taller than 2.05 m also get in touch with the airport ahead of time to sort out parking. None of that falls to you, but it's why a firm flight number and head count matter.

Into Montreal, and out to the hills

The airport is in Dorval, on the west of the island. It's about 19 km by road to Place Ville Marie, around 25 minutes in light traffic and longer at peak times. Old Montreal, the Plateau and the Sainte-Catherine hotels are all within easy reach. For a ski week or a lake weekend, Mont-Tremblant is about 130 km from Montreal and the Eastern Townships about 120 km.

Your questions

Would taxis be simpler for a family of seven?

Probably not. By the airport's own figures, one taxi minivan holds five or six people and five medium suitcases, so seven of you with luggage means two cars and two arrivals to coordinate at the hotel.

Will our minibus have winter tires in January?

Québec requires winter tires from 1 December to 15 March on Québec-registered vehicles, rentals included, so a locally registered minibus will have them. Coaches and other heavy vehicles, and anything registered outside Québec, are exempt from that law.

Could we be collected from the free drop-off lots instead?

The P4 and P10 Express Drop-offs are the airport's suggested pickup spots for private cars, linked to the terminal by a shuttle of about five minutes. A booked group vehicle follows the Door 7 routine instead.

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