Avis Car Hire
Montreal

Finding your hire car at Montréal–Trudeau Airport is straightforward if you follow the overhead signs. After collecting your luggage, look for pictograms of a car and key, together with the text "Car Rentals" or "Location de voitures." These will direct you to the dedicated rental counters, conveniently located on the ground floor of the main terminal car park. Simply follow the marked route and you’ll arrive at the service desks without having to navigate complex terminal levels.

For a late-night arrival at YUL, the pickup process is designed to be efficient, although the terminal will be quieter. Counter opening times can vary, but major hire firms are used to accommodating late flights. Having your reservation details, driving licence and any other required information ready will speed things up considerably. Once you have the keys, the vehicles are in the adjacent car park, allowing a quick exit so you can be on your way promptly.

When leaving the airport hire car area, your main aim is to follow signs for Autoroute 20 Est (East). This is the principal motorway that leads directly towards downtown Montréal, which appears on road signs as "Centre-Ville." Pay close attention to the overhead signs as you merge from the airport roads onto the motorway network. Heading for Autoroute 20 Est will put you on the most direct route and help you avoid unintentionally driving west towards Toronto.

The most straightforward route to Old Montréal is to take Autoroute 20 Est from the airport. This road eventually becomes Autoroute 720, also called the Ville-Marie Expressway, which runs through the city centre. To reach Old Montréal you can take one of the well‑signed exits, such as Rue de la Montagne or Rue Berri. Following signs for "Vieux-Montréal" from the expressway will lead you into the historic district with minimal complex turns.

During peak periods like summer weekends or major holidays, it’s sensible to add at least 30 to 45 minutes to your car hire pickup schedule. This buffer covers potentially longer queues at the rental desk and increased passenger flows throughout the airport. You may also face heavier traffic on the airport roads when leaving. Allowing this extra time helps ensure a relaxed start to your journey without feeling rushed.

After collecting your car, a useful tactic is to drive a few minutes to a nearby commercial area in Dorval before joining the main motorway. You’ll find large shopping centres with spacious car parks, such as Jardins Dorval off Boulevard Dorval. Pulling into one of these car parks provides a safe, calm spot to adjust mirrors, programme your GPS and secure luggage before merging onto busy highways.

One of the most significant rules that surprises US visitors is that turning right on a red light is prohibited across the Island of Montréal unless a sign specifically permits it. Another difference is the flashing green light, which indicates you have the right of way to make a protected left turn. Also remember that speed limits are posted in kilometres per hour (km/h), not miles per hour (mph), a crucial detail when adjusting to local speeds.

Montréal’s road signs are predominantly in French, but they’re easy to understand once you know a few key terms. Look for "Est" (East), "Ouest" (West), "Nord" (North) and "Sud" (South) for directions. "Sortie" means exit and "Centre-Ville" means downtown. Highways are called "Autoroutes." Focusing on route numbers and these directional words will make navigation simpler, and most GPS systems pronounce the French names clearly.

A low-stress route to the Plateau is to take Autoroute 20 Est towards downtown, which becomes Autoroute 720. Rather than threading through the densest part of the city, you can exit onto a major north–south artery like Boulevard Saint-Laurent or Rue Saint-Denis. Taking one of those main streets north will lead you straight into the Plateau, allowing you to avoid the most complex downtown interchanges and stick to more predictable grid-like streets.

One-way streets are a defining feature of Montréal’s central neighbourhoods, including downtown, the Plateau and Old Montréal. It’s essential to rely on a good GPS navigation app, as it will account for these restrictions. Always check the arrow signs at junctions before turning. Trying to navigate these areas without GPS can easily lead to circling blocks, so planning your route in advance is the best way to avoid frustration.

Driving up to the Mount Royal Chalet and the Kondiaronk Belvedere is relatively straightforward, with the main access being Voie Camillien-Houde. The drive is scenic and not particularly challenging. However, parking at the top is the main issue: the lots are small and fill up quickly, especially on sunny weekends. To secure a space it’s best to go early in the morning or later in the afternoon on weekdays.

The simplest way to visit the Botanical Garden and Olympic Park is to treat them as a single destination for parking. The Olympic Park has a large, well‑signed underground car park accessible from Rue Sherbrooke Est or Avenue Pierre‑De Coubertin. Parking there allows you to walk easily between the stadium, the gardens, the Biodôme and other attractions. This centralised approach removes the need to find separate parking for each venue.

Driving to Jean-Talon Market at the weekend can be very busy, with significant vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the surrounding Little Italy area. The most efficient parking solution is the market’s own multi‑level underground garage, with an entrance on Rue Henri‑Julien. While on-street parking exists, it’s extremely limited and often restricted. Using the dedicated garage saves you the time and stress of circling the blocks searching for a space.

Montréal is known for extensive roadworks, marked by ubiquitous orange signs. When you encounter a detour ("Détour"), it’s best to follow the posted signs, as your GPS may take a moment to recalculate. These detours are generally well signed and will guide you around the closure back onto your intended route. The key is to remain patient, reduce your speed, and trust the local signage to navigate the temporary change.

To enjoy a smooth day trip to Mont‑Tremblant, the best strategy is to leave Montréal early in the morning, ideally before 08:00 on a weekday or even earlier at weekends. The primary route is Autoroute 15 Nord, which is a straightforward drive. An early departure helps you avoid the worst of the city’s outbound commuter traffic and the wave of fellow day‑trippers, ensuring a more pleasant journey through the Laurentians.

For a calmer drive to Québec City, plan to leave Montréal either very early before 07:00 or after the morning rush, around 09:30. This timing avoids heavy commuter traffic leaving the city. The drive along Autoroute 20 Est is generally direct and efficient. A mid‑week trip often feels less hectic than travelling on a Friday or Sunday, when traffic volumes are higher.

The Samuel De Champlain Bridge is a modern, multi‑lane structure, but its approaches can be complex with lanes splitting off to different autoroutes. To navigate it successfully, use your GPS and watch the large overhead signs well in advance of the bridge. Know which motorway you need to connect to on the other side (e.g. A‑10, A‑15) and start moving into the correct lane at least a kilometre or two beforehand to avoid last‑minute manoeuvres.

The Ville‑Marie Tunnel (Autoroute 720), which runs beneath the city centre, is a common spot where visitors miss exits because they come up quickly with little warning. Before entering, it helps to know your exit number and name in advance. Similarly, on major bridges like the Jacques Cartier, lanes can split abruptly. Reviewing your route on a map beforehand to visualise key decision points is a good practice.

Montréal has a very efficient but strict snow‑removal system that can affect overnight parking. When snow clearance is planned, temporary orange signs are put up and lights on posts will flash to indicate that parking is forbidden on that street. Ignoring these signs will result in your hire car being towed. The safest, least stressful option is to use a hotel or public car park during the winter months.

For drivers new to winter conditions, the biggest hazards around Montréal are black ice and reduced visibility. Black ice, a transparent sheet of ice, is especially common on bridges, overpasses and in shaded areas, making the road unexpectedly slick. During a snowstorm visibility can drop significantly and blowing snow can cause drifting. It’s crucial to slow down, increase following distance and drive smoothly without sudden braking or acceleration.

Driving during a freeze‑thaw cycle in Montréal requires extra caution. As snow melts during the day and refreezes at night, unpredictable patches of ice form, especially on exit ramps, at junctions and on less‑used side streets. Slushy puddles can hide deep potholes. On such days it’s important to reduce speed and be prepared for sudden changes in traction, even on roads that appear clear.

Parc Jean‑Drapeau is easily reachable by car via the Concorde or Jacques Cartier bridges and has numerous large car parks. However, it’s essential to check the park’s official schedule before you go. On days with major events such as the Grand Prix, music festivals or concerts, road access can be heavily restricted or closed to the public. On those days parking will be limited and may require pre‑booking, so plan ahead.

The least stressful plan is to arrive downtown well over an hour before puck drop. The area around the Bell Centre has numerous underground car parks, and arriving early gives you a better chance of finding a space easily. Some people find it convenient to pre‑book a parking spot online via a parking app. After the game expect significant traffic delays, so you might plan to have a coffee or dessert nearby to let congestion clear.

For a "park once" day, a good strategy is to use one of the large multi‑storey public car parks in Old Montréal or near the Quartier des Spectacles. By leaving your car in one of these central locations you can comfortably explore a wide area on foot. This covers the historic streets of Old Montréal, the Old Port waterfront, Chinatown and the main downtown shopping district along Rue Sainte‑Catherine, all without needing to move your car again.

Montréal parking signs can be complex, often stacking multiple rules on one post. The key is to read the entire sign from top to bottom. Notice the days of the week, specific enforcement hours and symbols like the green P for paid parking or red circles indicating restrictions. Many signs also specify permit‑only parking for residents ("reservé aux résidents"), so be sure you are not in one of those zones to avoid a fine.

When arriving at a hotel on a narrow street in Old Montréal, the usual practice is to pull in as close to the entrance as possible and switch on your hazard lights. This signals to other drivers that you are temporarily stopped. Unload your luggage onto the pavement as quickly as you can, and if possible have one person stay with the bags. The driver should then proceed immediately to a designated hotel or public car park to avoid creating congestion.

For first‑time visitors the most challenging areas to drive in are often the downtown core at rush hour and Plateau‑Mont‑Royal due to its dense one‑way streets and difficult parking. A smart workaround for east–west travel is to use larger multi‑lane boulevards like René‑Lévesque or Sherbrooke. These main arteries handle more traffic and generally have clearer signage, allowing you to bypass the most complex neighbourhood grids.

Autoroute 40, the Trans‑Canada also known as "The Metropolitan", runs through a dense elevated section of the city and is often congested with local and commercial traffic throughout the day. Autoroute 20 runs further south along the waterfront and can be a slightly less hectic option for bypassing the city core, especially outside peak rush hours. Which to choose depends on your destination, but many travellers find A‑20 a more manageable cross‑town route.

To set off west towards Ottawa or Toronto the best strategy is to depart after the morning rush hour, typically after 09:30 on a weekday. For Toronto you’ll want Autoroute 20 Ouest. For Ottawa your route is Autoroute 40 Ouest. Leaving after the peak commute lets you navigate the island’s motorway system with far less traffic, giving a much smoother start to your journey.

Speed limits in Québec are posted in kilometres per hour and are strictly enforced, particularly on major autoroutes where the Sûreté du Québec patrols. While general traffic flow may at times sit slightly above the posted limit, excessive speeding is not tolerated. The level of enforcement feels similar to that in major US metropolitan areas, so it’s best to drive at or near the legal limit to be safe.

For a quick, convenient break with children, the official service centres, known as "Halte routière", located along the main autoroutes just outside the city are excellent options. These facilities typically offer clean toilets, picnic areas and food services, providing a safe place to stop and stretch. Alternatively, many suburban areas have large parks with playgrounds a short detour off the motorway, ideal for letting kids burn off some energy.

The best plan for visiting the Biodôme, Insectarium and other Space for Life attractions is to drive directly to Olympic Park. Use the main parking entrance on Viau Street, which leads to a large underground car park that serves all the venues. Parking there lets you leave the car for the day and explore everything on foot. This centralised approach is much easier than trying to find separate parking for each museum.

When exploring the smaller, scenic back roads of the Laurentians it’s sensible to prepare for patchy mobile coverage. While major towns and resorts have reliable service, you can encounter dead zones in more remote valleys and forested areas. Before you leave Montréal, download offline maps of the region to your phone’s GPS app. That ensures you can navigate confidently without a continuous data connection.

To plan a good fall foliage drive create a loop route rather than an out‑and‑back. For example, head north into the Laurentians via Autoroute 15, explore scenic roads around towns like Saint‑Sauveur, and return to Montréal via a different route through the Eastern Townships. Travelling on a weekday instead of the weekend will significantly reduce crowds at popular viewpoints and in charming small towns, making for a more peaceful experience.

Rather than driving into residential areas, arrange to meet friends at a large, easily accessible shopping centre. Locations like Carrefour Angrignon near the end of Autoroute 20 or Marché Central near Autoroute 40 are ideal. These spots are simple to find, offer ample free parking and have coffee shops where your friends can wait comfortably. This keeps you on main roads and makes the pickup process smooth for everyone.

On a weekday morning you should plan to leave downtown Montréal at least 90 minutes before you need to be at the terminal. The drive can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes or more in traffic, which is heaviest between 07:00 and 09:30. This generous buffer accounts for potential congestion on Autoroute 720 and Autoroute 20, ensuring you reach the airport with plenty of time for car return and check‑in.

The rental car return at YUL is well signposted, but it needs your attention as you approach the terminal complex. As you get close, follow the overhead signs for "Rental Car Returns" or "Retour des voitures de location." The entrance is a dedicated ramp that splits from the main passenger drop‑off lanes. Stay in the designated lane and reduce your speed to ensure you don’t miss the turn‑off — it leads directly into the multi‑storey car park where returns are processed.

The most efficient process is to drive to the Departures level first to drop off your passenger and luggage. This allows them to proceed straight to check‑in while you handle the vehicle. After they are safely on the kerb, follow the airport roadway that loops you back around. On your second pass follow the signs specifically for "Rental Car Returns" to enter the correct facility without backtracking.

The Dorval area, just a few minutes’ drive from the airport, is ideal for a quick grocery stop. Main roads like Boulevard des Sources or Boulevard Dorval host several large supermarkets (such as IGA or Provigo) with roomy car parks. These stores are conveniently located just before you would join major autoroutes like the 20 or 520, so you can stock up and get straight back on your way into the city.

If you find yourself on the wrong autoroute, the most important thing is to stay calm and avoid sudden lane changes. Continue to the next exit. Once off the motorway you can safely pull into a petrol station or a commercial car park to reorient yourself. This gives you a stress‑free moment to check your GPS, work out where you are, and plot a simple, low‑speed route to get back on track towards your intended destination.