Which means of transport to use Québec?

From the airport to the city centre Québec

Quebec City is served by the Jean Lesage International Airport (aeroportdequebec.com). To reach downtown Quebec City, you can opt for the public transit system (rtcquebec.ca). Bus line 76 takes you to Sainte-Foy in less than 30 minutes, while line 80 goes to the heart of the Saint-Roch district in one hour ($3.50 CAN one way, no night service). Of course, you'll also find taxis (flat rate of 15.40 CAN$ for Sainte-Foy and 35.10 CAN$ for downtown), limousines, car rental companies and hotel shuttles. Eva and Uber services are also available at the Quebec City airport.

Arrival by train Québec

VIA Rail serves all of Canada from east to west (viarail.ca). There is a station in downtown Quebec City (Gare du Palais), one in Sainte-Foy and another in Charny on the south shore (one of the districts of Lévis). It is more pleasant to travel by train than by bus. Note that a tourist train links the Chute-Montmorency park (Beauport) to La Malbaie in the Charlevoix region, following the banks of the St. Lawrence (mid-June to mid-October, traindecharlevoix.com).

Arrival by boat Québec

For those who would like to sail to Quebec City instead of taking a bridge, you should know that a ferry service is available between Lévis and the Quebec capital (traversiers.com). It operates year-round from 6am to 2am (6:20am to 2:20am from Quebec City - see website for complete schedule). The cost is CAN$3.75 per adult and CAN$8.90 for the car.

Public transport Québec

Arrival by bus. Intercity buses serve the bus stations of Sainte-Foy and downtown (Gare du Palais). There are of course other stations in the Quebec City area as well as on the south shore. Depending on the destination, the companies vary but the main ones are Orléans Express (orleansexpress.com) and Intercar (intercar.ca). The most frequent route is Montreal-Quebec City with very frequent departures (no night service).

In the city, the public transit system is the best option for getting around, except in Old Quebec, which is best explored on foot. The Réseau de Transport de la Capitale (RTC) offers bus services (serves the entire city), Métrobus (serves activity centres) and eXpress (weekday rush hour service). On Fridays and Saturdays, nearly 15 bus lines provide service for night owls (a few trips are offered at night only). To use the bus, you need to buy a rechargeable Opus smart card (6 CAN $) or pay cash (exact amount): 3.20 CAN $ for one trip (3.50 CAN $ in cash), 8.85 CAN $ for one day, 16 CAN $ for the unlimited weekend (valid from 5:30 pm on Friday) and 31 CAN $ for 5 consecutive days All information is available on the RTC website (rtcquebec.ca).

Bike, scooters & co Québec

There are no self-service scooters in Quebec City, but since 2021, an electric-assisted bike-sharing service has been offered (rtcquebec.ca/practical-information/complementary-services/avelo, single trip and monthly subscription available). Other cities and municipalities in the region could be added to the list, as the Quebec government is offering a financial assistance program to develop the service throughout the province. It is also possible to rent bikes for short or long term, and sometimes through a guided tour, with the following companies Cyclo Services (cycloservices.net), Location Écho Sports (locationechosports.ca) and Vélos Roy-O (velosroyo.com).

With a driver Québec

There are taxis everywhere in Quebec City and most companies have their own app. Among the most popular companies are Taxis Coop Québec (taxiscoop-quebec.com) and Taxi Laurier (taxilaurier.ca, covers the greater Quebec City area). Eva (eva.coop) and Uber (uber.com/ca/en-ca/ride/) are also available in Quebec City.

For longer distances, and to save money on trips, it is also worthwhile to consult centralized carpooling systems. The two best known companies are AmigoExpress (amigoexpress.com) and Covoiturage.ca (covoiturage.ca).

By car Québec

French, Belgian and Swissdriving licenses are accepted for a period not exceeding six months; if not, you will need an international license. If you wish to rent a car in Quebec, you must be 21 years old, or even 25 years old for certain models, and have a credit card. Gasoline, which is sold by the litre, is less expensive than in Europe but more expensive than in neighbouring provinces, and its price varies greatly from day to day and from company to company, much to the annoyance of Quebecers.

As for regulations, the speed limit is 100 km/h on highways, 90 km/h on regional roads and 50 km/h (sometimes less) in town. Seat belts must be worn by all passengers and car seats must be used by the youngest. The maximum permissible blood alcohol level is 0.08 g/l, and driving while impaired can lead to a fine or more (frequent checks). Snow tyres are also compulsory in winter, from¹ December to 15 March.

The traffic rules and signs are more or less the same as in Europe, with a few differences. Traffic lights are placed on the other side of the street intersection. There is no right of way in Quebec (priority is given to the first one to arrive) and it is allowed to turn right at a red light everywhere except when a sign indicates that it is forbidden. You must come to a complete stop when following or passing a stopped school bus (almost always yellow) with working red flashers.

As for parking, no problem in the region. But in the city, especially in Old Quebec, parking is often difficult and, before stopping your vehicle, you may have to read three or four signs to find out if you are on the right sidewalk, in the right time slot and thus avoid a ticket or worse, impoundment! Also check if the parking spaces are paid for, which may well be the case. Warning: it is strictly forbidden to park in front of a fire hydrant. If you make a mistake, you can be sure that you will receive your ticket within 5 minutes. Also, be aware that you can only park your vehicle in the direction of traffic. To save you the trouble, there are about forty public (and paying) parking lots in the following areas: Vieux-Québec - Cap-Blanc - Colline Parlementaire, Montcalm, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Saint-Roch and Saint-Sauveur. For more information on parking in Quebec City: ville.quebec.qc.ca/citizens/parking.

Finally, it should be noted that every large city has its share of traffic and Quebec City is no exception...