Montréal

North America > Canada > Montréal (YUL)

The Car or no Car advice for  Montréal can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Montréal ;  is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).

🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Montréal ?

These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.

🇨🇦 Mode

Score
🚆 Non-car score non-car score 9

💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Montréal?

These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.

🇨🇦 Factor

Score
🚗 Car Score car rental availability score 8
🚗Do we need a car in Montréal? Is it worth it? Should we rent one? | Comment
🚗 Should you rent a car in Montréal, Canada?
Short answer: usually no — Montréal is one of North America’s easiest big cities without a car 🧭🚇

📍 Getting Around Montréal — the Reality

When people ask should you rent a car in Montréal, the answer is strongly shaped by how good the city’s public transport and walkability are.

  • Dense, neighbourhood-based city

  • Excellent Metro system covering most areas visitors want

  • Strong bus network filling the gaps

  • Very walkable central districts

  • Winter can be cold, but transport is designed for it ❄️

For most city stays, a car is unnecessary and often inconvenient.

🚇 The Metro: The Backbone

Montréal’s rubber-tyred Metro is fast, frequent, and reliable.

  • High frequencies all day

  • Stations well integrated into neighbourhoods

  • Easy transfers and simple fare structure

  • Far more useful for visitors than surface streetcars

This alone answers should you rent a car in Montréal with a confident no for most trips.

🚆 The REM (Réseau express métropolitain): A Game Changer

Montréal’s new REM — often compared to an RER-style system — has made a huge difference to regional travel.

  • Extremely high frequencies, closer to a metro than a commuter rail

  • Fully automated, reliable, and consistent

  • Replaced sections of older rail lines that ran infrequently and irregularly

  • Dramatically improved access to suburbs and the South Shore

Compared to the new light rail in Toronto, the REM is widely seen as far more effective:

  • higher frequency

  • full grade separation

  • fewer conflicts with traffic

  • much better suited to regional movement

For visitors and residents alike, it has transformed how easy it is to reach areas that once almost required a car.

✈️ Airport Access

  • Direct rail access via the REM

  • Simple, predictable journey

  • No need for taxis or car hire

This alone removes one of the biggest reasons people rent cars in other cities.

🏙️ When a Car Still Might Make Sense

You might consider renting if you:

  • are heading well outside the city

  • plan rural or countryside trips

  • want to explore regions not served by rail

Within Montréal itself, a car often slows you down.

⚠️ Downsides of Having a Car

  • Parking is expensive and limited

  • Winter driving adds stress

  • Traffic and roadworks are common

  • Many areas are faster by Metro

🔑 Bottom Line

So, should you rent a car in Montréal?

❌ Usually no, if:

  • you’re staying in the city

  • you’re using the Metro and REM

  • you value simplicity and speed

✅ Yes, if:

  • you’re heading into Québec beyond Montréal

💡 Rule of thumb:
Montréal is a Metro-and-REM city — one of the rare North American places where rail genuinely replaces the car. 🚇✨

🚗Do we need a car in Montréal? Is it worth it? Should we? Destinations | Comment

🚗 ✅ ❌ Summary Table

This summary score brings how much you really need a car, whether it’s worth it, driver options, local driving rules, and an overall recommendation.

🇨🇦 Factor

Score
🚗Should You Rent a Car in Montréal?
 overall should you rent a car score 3
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