If you’re a tourist visiting our spectacular country of Canada, then you’ll of course want to get the most out of your trip. So the stunning cities Montreal and Ottawa are probably both on your travel agenda! While both cities are chock full of history, gorgeous buildings, restaurants and exciting things to do, they have very different vibes meaning it’s well worth visiting both.
Travel by bus – First best option
It takes roughly two hours to travel between Montreal and Ottawa by car; you take the Autoroute 40 onto Queensway 417. It’s a simple, straight drive along a four lane national highway system so it’s very driveable. One option would be to hire a car, there are plenty of hire companies that allow you to hire in one city and drop off in the other if you’re not doing a round trip. Just be aware that in Canada, we drive on the right so if you’re coming from places like the UK, Australia or certain countries in Asia and Africa this will be the opposite side of the road AND the other side of the car to what you’re used to. Many people find that they pick things up quickly when they start to drive on the other side, but it’s worth being aware of.
Travel by Train – Third best option
Both Ottawa and Montreal have rail stations with direct trains that run between the two each day, making this another quick and easy way to travel. Again, the trip is around two hours long so you won’t get there any faster by rail compared with bus or car but it is another option particularly if you’re staying close by to either station.
Travel by Plane – Fourth best option
The plane journey between Ottawa and Montreal is around forty minutes. However, when it comes to any flight there are always risks for delays, and you’ll need to get to the airport early to give your flight time to board. This means in some cases it can take much longer than two hours to travel. For this reason, it’s not the most efficient way to move between the cities, but may be one to consider in certain situations.
Are you planning on travelling between Ottawa and Montreal on your visit to Canada? Which of the above options would you choose?
Montreal is a French speaking city and has a distinctly French/ European feel to it. It’s known for being the home to the famous Cirque de Soleil, the museum of fine arts and lots of other hidden gems in the city centre. Ottawa is more of an English speaking city and is known for its stunning parks, museum of agriculture and of course the Ottawa river. This gives you the opportunity to get out onto the water on boats and various types of vessels to see the city from another perspective.
There are approximately 200km between Montreal and Ottawa, so if you’re planning on visiting both you’ll need to consider how you’re going to travel, and the best route to take. Here are four different options to decide between.
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