Dollar Car Hire
Montreal

After collecting your luggage at Montréal–Trudeau Airport, look for the prominent overhead signs for "Car Rentals" or the French equivalent, "Location d'autos." These will guide you to a dedicated rental car facility, typically located in the multi-storey car park adjacent to the terminal. The Dollar counter is situated within this central area alongside other rental agencies. Once you complete the paperwork, you'll be directed to the designated level in the car park to collect your vehicle.

After clearing Canadian customs and immigration, you will exit into the main international arrivals hall. From there the airport is well signed to guide travellers to their next destination. Simply follow the universal pictograms of a car and key, together with text for "Car Rentals / Location d'autos." The route is straightforward, leading you directly from the secure arrivals area to ground transport facilities, including the rental counters, without needing to re-enter other parts of the terminal.

Friday afternoons are a peak arrival time at Montréal–Trudeau Airport, as both business and leisure travellers arrive for the weekend. While rental agencies are staffed to handle higher volumes, it is sensible to anticipate a possible queue at the counter. To help speed up the process, have your driving licence and reservation confirmation ready when you approach the desk. Allowing a little extra time during these busy periods ensures a smoother, less rushed start to your visit to Montréal.

For arrivals after midnight, the most effective step is to include your flight number in your car rental reservation when you book. This allows local Dollar staff to track your flight status and anticipate your arrival, even if it is delayed. While many airport rental locations have extended hours to accommodate late flights, it is prudent to confirm the specific YUL location's opening hours online before you travel. That way you will be fully informed and can proceed with confidence on arrival.

The walk from the Dollar rental counter to your vehicle at YUL is typically very short. The rental desks are conveniently located within the same building as the car park where the cars are kept. In most cases it's just a matter of taking a lift or a brief walk across a connecting corridor to the designated level. The entire transition from completing your paperwork to getting behind the wheel usually takes only a few minutes.

Yes, the vehicle pickup area at Montréal–Trudeau Airport is located within a covered, multi-storey car park. This is a significant advantage, especially during Montréal's cold and snowy winters. You will be sheltered from the elements while you inspect your vehicle, load your luggage, and adjust your seats and mirrors. This indoor environment makes the start of your rental experience much more comfortable and allows you to get organised without exposure to inclement weather.

The best place to install a child car seat is in the parking space where you first collect your vehicle. The rental car car park at YUL offers a calm, controlled environment away from the flow of highway traffic. Before you exit the car park you can take all the time you need to ensure the seat is installed correctly and your child is secure. This allows you to focus completely on navigation and driving conditions once you merge onto the busy roads into Montréal.

When travelling with oversized items like skis, snowboards, or large strollers, booking a larger vehicle such as an SUV or a people carrier is highly recommended. Trying to fit bulky gear into a compact car can be stressful and time-consuming in the car park. A more spacious vehicle ensures that all your luggage and equipment will fit comfortably, making the pickup process at YUL much smoother and allowing you to start your journey without hassle.

US travellers should be prepared to present a valid driving licence from their state of residence and their passport for identification. It is also essential to have your rental confirmation details handy. A common surprise for some visitors is the importance of ensuring their documents are current and not expired. Taking a moment to verify the validity of all your identification and travel paperwork before your trip helps ensure a smooth and efficient pickup process at the rental counter.

While Québec has French-first language laws, Montréal–Trudeau is an international airport designed for global travellers. All essential signage is bilingual, featuring both French and English, and often includes universal symbols. You will see signs for "Location d'autos" followed by "Car Rentals," along with an icon of a car and a key. Finding the Dollar counter is straightforward for English speakers, as the airport ensures clear guidance for all visitors.

One common mistake is not being prepared for the immediate merge onto a busy motorway, Autoroute 20. It's wise to take a moment in the car park to adjust your mirrors and get comfortable with the vehicle's controls before you start driving. Another frequent issue is navigating the initial interchanges, so having a sat-nav or navigation app ready and active before you leave the rental facility is crucial. This helps prevent last‑minute lane changes and ensures a confident start to your drive.

The most straightforward route is to follow the signs from the airport to Autoroute 20 East ("Est") towards "Centre‑Ville" (downtown). This motorway will take you most of the way. As you approach the city core, your sat‑nav will likely direct you to exit onto surface streets like Rue Saint‑Antoine. Following this road east will lead you directly along the northern edge of Old Montréal, making it a relatively simple approach with fewer complex manoeuvres than other routes.

This is a crucial rule for visitors: turning right on a red light is strictly prohibited on the entire Island of Montreal. This is a major exception to the rule in much of North America, including the rest of the province of Québec. Visitors often assume they can turn after a stop, which can lead to a fine. You must always wait for a green light or a dedicated green arrow before making a right turn anywhere in the city.

After significant snowfall, the city posts temporary, bright orange signs indicating a snow‑removal operation and banning parking on that side of the street. These bans are strictly enforced and vehicles are quickly towed to clear the way for ploughs. If you plan to park on the street overnight in winter, it is essential to check for these orange signs every evening. Using a hotel car park or a public car park is the safest way to avoid having your rental towed.

Driving around Mount Royal at the weekend can be busy, with many pedestrians, cyclists and other cars sharing the road. The main car parks, especially the one near Beaver Lake (Lac aux Castors) and the Kondiaronk Belvedere lookout, are very popular and tend to fill up quickly, often before noon. To secure a spot it's best to arrive early in the morning. Expect a leisurely drive, as speed limits are low to ensure the safety of all park users.

Driving to Jean‑Talon Market is relatively straightforward, as it's located just off major boulevards in the Little Italy neighbourhood. The primary challenge is parking. While there is some metered street parking, it is highly sought after and often occupied. The most reliable and convenient option is the large underground car park located directly beneath the market itself, which provides easy access without the stress of searching for a street space.

Treat the whole Olympic Park area as a single destination. The Olympic Stadium, Botanical Garden, Biodome and Planetarium are all in one large complex. The smoothest plan is to drive to the main Olympic Park car park entrance, leave your car for the day, and explore all the attractions on foot. They are within easy walking distance of each other, which is far more efficient than trying to drive and park at each individual site.

Montréal's road construction season typically runs from spring through autumn and is known for being extensive. Expect lane closures, diversions and traffic delays, particularly on major motorways and in the city centre. Numerous orange cones are a common sight. The best way to manage this is to use a real‑time traffic and navigation app like Waze or Google Maps, and to allow significant extra time for any journey.

Montréal uses photo radar and red‑light cameras to automatically enforce traffic laws, especially on major routes like the Décarie Expressway and around school zones. For visitors, this means it is crucial to watch the posted speed limits at all times, as enforcement is constant and does not require a police officer to stop you. A fine can be issued automatically and sent to the rental agency, so adhering to speed limits is the best way to avoid an unexpected penalty.

A reserved lane, often marked with a large white diamond symbol on the road, is restricted to specific vehicles such as buses, taxis and sometimes car‑pools during certain hours. Signs alongside the road indicate which vehicles are permitted and the times the restriction applies. To avoid entering by mistake, pay close attention to overhead and kerbside signage, especially during morning and evening commute times when these lanes are most commonly active.

Getting on and off the Island of Montreal requires using a bridge or tunnel, which are the main arteries connecting the city to its suburbs. These crossings are major traffic bottlenecks, especially during weekday rush hours (approximately 7–9am and 4–6pm). When planning a day trip, it's best to schedule your departure and return outside these peak times. Checking a real‑time traffic app before you leave can help you choose the least congested crossing for your trip.

For the drive itself, taking Autoroute 40 or Autoroute 20 East provides a straightforward route to Québec City. To avoid stressful driving in the historic centre, park your car at a public garage on the edge of Old Québec, such as near the Parliament Building or the convention centre. From there, the charming, walkable streets of the old city are easily accessible on foot. This allows you to enjoy the scenic drive without the hassle of navigating narrow, congested streets at your destination.

Weekend trips to the Laurentians require some planning. Traffic on Autoroute 15 North can be extremely heavy on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings, with return traffic peaking on Sunday afternoon. To avoid the worst of it, try to leave Montréal early. On arrival at popular destinations like Mont‑Tremblant, parking in the main pedestrian village fills up quickly, so arriving before 10:00 is key to securing a convenient spot.

The most direct route to the Eastern Townships is Autoroute 10 East, which offers a pleasant and scenic drive. It takes you directly from the outskirts of Montréal into the heart of the region. A popular first stop is Knowlton (on Lac‑Brome), known for its quaint shops and cafés. Alternatively, continuing to Magog provides lovely views of Lake Memphremagog and serves as a great hub for exploring the area.

Bridges and tunnels are the primary choke points for traffic entering and leaving the Island of Montreal. During peak rush hour travel times, crossing times can easily double or triple. If you are travelling to or from YUL during these times, especially if you need to cross the St Lawrence River, allow for significant extra travel time. A journey that might take 30 minutes in light traffic could take well over an hour.

If you're not used to winter driving, the key is to slow down significantly and increase your following distance to at least double what you normally would. Apply gentle pressure to both the accelerator and the brakes to avoid skidding. Stick to major motorways and main roads, as they are the first to be ploughed and salted. If conditions feel unsafe, the best practice is to postpone your journey until the ploughs have had time to clear the roads.

Spring in Montréal is known as pothole season due to the freeze‑thaw cycle damaging the roads. It is essential to drive more cautiously and actively scan the road surface ahead of you, especially on side streets. Reducing your speed gives you more time to react and safely steer around the worst of them. Being vigilant helps ensure a more comfortable ride and prevents the jarring impact of hitting a deep pothole unexpectedly.

During major summer events like the Jazz Festival or Just for Laughs, driving in the city centre becomes extremely difficult due to numerous street closures. The festival areas are largely pedestrian‑only. The best strategy is to avoid driving into the immediate vicinity altogether. Plan to park in a public car park several blocks away from the main festival zone, or near a metro station, and then walk or take public transport for the final approach.

Mile End is a vibrant but dense neighbourhood with very limited on‑street parking. The least stressful approach is to arrive early on a weekday morning, before 9am, when you have a better chance of finding a space. Alternatively, consider parking on a larger, less congested thoroughfare on the edge of the neighbourhood, such as Boulevard Saint‑Laurent or Avenue du Parc, and enjoy a short walk to the iconic bagel shops and cafés.

The best way to enjoy an evening in Old Montréal with a car is to park on the periphery and explore on foot. There are several large, well‑lit public car parks located along Rue Saint‑Antoine and near the Old Port, just outside the historic district's core. By parking in one of these lots you can easily walk to all the restaurants and sights without the stress of navigating the narrow, one‑way cobbled streets, which can be particularly challenging after dark.

Gas stations in the areas surrounding Montréal‑Trudeau Airport are plentiful and many operate 24/7, making early morning fuel stops very convenient. Their layouts are standard for North America, with pay‑at‑the‑pump options and easy‑to‑navigate entrances and exits. You will have no trouble finding a major brand station that is open and accessible, regardless of how early your flight departs. Just allow a few extra minutes for this final stop before your return.

For a hassle‑free refuel, look for petrol stations along the main boulevards just outside the airport's immediate perimeter. Roads like Boulevard Côte‑de‑Liesse, Boulevard des Sources, or in the adjacent town of Dorval have numerous, easily accessible stations. Filling up at one of these locations is much simpler than navigating the dedicated airport road system and allows you to proceed directly to the rental car return entrance afterwards.

It's sensible to budget at least 30 to 45 minutes for the entire car return process. This includes the time to drive to the rental return area, have the vehicle inspected by staff, and complete the final paperwork. This buffer should be added on top of the airline's recommended arrival time for your flight. Allowing this extra time ensures that even if there's a short queue at the return lane, you'll have a stress‑free walk to the check‑in counters.

As you approach the terminal area, pay close attention to the large overhead signs. There will be specific signs for "Rental Car Returns" (or "Retour des voitures de location") that direct you into a separate lane or entrance from the main passenger drop‑off and arrivals levels. Following these dedicated signs is key to avoiding the passenger traffic loops. The entrance to the rental return facility is typically well marked as you get closer to the car park.

The airport's road system is designed for this scenario. First, follow the signs for "Departures" and drop your friends off directly at the curb for their airline. After they have exited the vehicle, simply stay in your lane and continue to follow the airport roadway loop. The signs will then guide you around to the entrance for "Rental Car Returns," allowing for a smooth and logical transition from passenger drop‑off to vehicle return.

A common issue for drivers is missing the specific turn‑off for the rental car return area and accidentally looping back into the main airport traffic for departures or arrivals. This most often happens when drivers are not paying close attention to the overhead signs as they approach the terminal complex. To avoid this, slow down as you approach the airport and actively look for the signs that explicitly mention "Car Rental Return," which will lead you to the correct entrance.

When planning to drive outside Québec, it is important to verify the policy on out‑of‑province or cross‑border travel. Geographical restrictions can sometimes apply, so it is always best to confirm your travel plans at the rental counter when you pick up your vehicle. The staff can provide clarity on any rules or considerations for taking the car into another province or into the United States, ensuring your itinerary complies with the rental agreement.

A good strategy is to use your rental car for excursions to destinations outside the city, such as the Laurentian Mountains, Québec City, or the Eastern Townships. For exploring Montréal itself, park the car at your hotel or a central public car park. Neighbourhoods like Old Montréal, the Plateau and the downtown core are best experienced on foot. Use the efficient and clean metro system for longer distances within the city, giving you the best of both worlds.