Coach Hire Canada

Minibus and Sprinter Rental in Montreal

Montreal rewards a group that can hop between neighbourhoods: Old Montreal in the morning, Mount Royal at lunch, Jean-Talon Market before dinner. A minibus or Sprinter with a driver keeps everyone together, and the driver knows where the vehicle is allowed to stop.

Meeting at Montréal-Trudeau

Montréal-Trudeau International Airport is in Dorval, about 19 km by road from Place Ville Marie: about 25 minutes in light traffic. Minibus and coach pickups are checked in with the airport ahead of time, and your group makes its way to Door 7, Departures level, where the driver shows the airport's confirmation.

The vehicle isn't allowed to park at Door 7 and wait; it stays in the airport's waiting area until your group is gathered. The airport asks that someone from the group be on hand to round everyone up, so pick one person to be the organizer before you land.

Sprinter 19-seat minibus, side view
Sprinter 19-seat minibus, side view

Old Montreal is getting quieter

The old town is steadily giving streets back to walkers. Since September 2024 the esplanade in front of Notre-Dame Basilica has been for pedestrians only. In 2026, vehicles can't use Place Jacques-Cartier or rue Saint-Paul Est between 15 April and 29 October, and the city is widening a pedestrian-priority zone across the old town through 2030.

That means you'll often be dropped at the edge and walk in. Tour-bus set-down and parking spaces sit around the district, such as Quai de l'Horloge in the Old Port and the corner of de la Commune and Bonsecours, where signs allow stays of 15 minutes up to 24 hours. You'll see them signed "AUTOBUS TOURISTIQUE", with times on the 24-hour clock.

Flying into Montreal

Places your group will want to see

  • Parc Jean-Drapeau — Island park with the Biosphere and Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve
  • Jean-Talon Market — Little Italy
  • Montreal Museum of Fine Arts — Sherbrooke Street West
  • Space for Life (Biodôme, Botanical Garden, Insectarium, Planetarium) — Olympic Park area
  • Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal — Côte-des-Neiges
  • Mount Royal Park — Lookouts over downtown
  • Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex — Old Montreal
  • Old Port of Montreal — Waterfront along Rue de la Commune; Clock Tower, Montréal Science Centre, La Grande Roue
  • Notre-Dame Basilica — Place d'Armes, Old Montreal; the esplanade became pedestrian in September 2024

Neighbourhoods groups stay in

  • Laval
  • Dorval / airport hotels
  • Plateau Mont-Royal
  • Quartier des spectacles / Quartier Latin
  • Old Montreal / Old Port
  • Downtown / Sainte-Catherine / Peel

Arriving by ship

Winter, bridges and a few local rules

Québec requires winter tires from 1 December to 15 March on Québec-registered vehicles, rentals included, so a local minibus or Sprinter must be fitted for the season. There's no right turn on a red light anywhere on the island, and in most boroughs engines go off at any stop longer than three minutes.

Heading to a game or concert at Place Bell in Laval? The A-25 bridge is tolled, which the operator factors in.

Out to the Laurentians and the Townships

Mont-Tremblant is about 1.5 hours north, while Magog, on Lake Memphremagog, takes you into the Townships in about 1.25 hours. Ottawa is roughly two hours and Quebec City about three, either a day out or the start of a tour. Burlington, Vermont is about two hours plus the border.

Your questions

Can we be dropped right at Place Jacques-Cartier?

Not during the 2026 closure, which runs from mid-April to late October. Your driver sets down at a nearby tour-bus space and you'll walk the last few minutes.

We're coming for the Grand Prix. What should we know?

The 2027 race weekend is May 21 to 23 at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on Parc Jean-Drapeau. Book early and ask us about timings to and from the island.

Do we need a Montreal-based vehicle for a winter trip?

Not necessarily. Québec-registered vehicles must have winter tires in season; vehicles registered elsewhere are exempt from the law, so ask how any vehicle coming from outside Québec is equipped.

More trips we can arrange

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