6 Best Ways to Travel from Quebec Airport to Quebec City

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If you're coming to Quebec City, chances are you'll be landing at YQB. The Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) is the main airport in Quebec City. It is not as big as some of the other airports in Canada, which means you’re unlikely to have to walk very far and it is generally easy to figure out where to go. And in case you’re wondering: yes, the airport staff is bilingual and all signage in the Quebec City airport is in French AND English.

Here are the 5 best ways to commute from the Quebec City airport to the old Quebec and elsewhere in downtown Quebec City.

Quebec City Airport Taxi

Why take a taxi

Taking a taxi from the Quebec City airport is the fastest way to get to your destination. Taxi pick-ups are located about 100 meters from the baggage carousel exit. You can walk this distance indoor (convenient in winter!).

All taxis accept cash, credit cards and debit cards.

You don’t need to order a taxi in advance for pick-up at the Quebec City airport. There is normally a queue of taxis waiting there to pick up passengers. If there isn’t any (which is rare), you can call one using the free direct-line taxi phone in the terminal.

how much is a taxi from quebec airport to old town?

Taxis in Quebec City charge a flat rate to travel from the airport to two specific areas in Quebec. If you’re going outside of those areas, the taximeter will apply.

The cost of a taxi ride from the Quebec City airport varies by time of the day and destination:

• Downtown Quebec (Old Quebec and Quebec)
  • Day rate: $ 42.45
  • Night rate: $ 48.65
• Area surrounding the airport (Sainte-Foy, Ancienne-Lorette, Université Laval, etc.)
  • Day rate: $ 19.20
  • Night rate: $ 21.90

I’m sure some of you will be horrified to read this: it is customary in Quebec to tip your taxi driver 10%-15% of the cost of your ride.

Where To Get a taxi At the quebec City airport ?

All signage in the terminal is bilingual (French and English). When you exist the baggage area, turn left to head to the taxi area. The taxi rank is only a 3-5 minutes walk from the baggage area.

Quebec City Airport Car Service (Private Transfers)

It is possible to arrange your own private transfer from the Quebec City Airport. This is particularly useful if you need a larger cab as most of the taxis in the queue will be normal size taxis. If you need a maxi cab, you can either call up a local taxi company in advance, or upon landing, or organise a private transfer from YQB.

Viator allows you to pre-book your private transfer to or from the Quebec City airport here.

Uber in Quebec Airport

Why Use Uber

Uber is a good way to travel from the Quebec airport to anywhere in Quebec City, and it is normally cheaper than a taxi. It will get you to your destination as quickly as a normal taxi, but you may have to wait a few minutes for it to get to the airport (in comparison, there is normally a queue of normal taxis ready to pick people up).

Uber Pick Location

The Quebec City airport doesn’t have a Uber-specific pick-up area. Your Uber driver will pick you up at the arrivals curbside, just like any other person picking up a relative. So don’t head to the regular taxi rink. In fact, Ubers often pick people up closer to the baggage area exit than a normal taxi would.

Once you have ordered a Uber, the app will tell you exactly where to go.  For instance, it may say your pick-up location is the “Domestic arrivals hall under the footbridge by Column 13”. The Quebec City airport is relatively small, and it’ll be easy to find your way.

Car Rental at Quebec Airport

Which car rental Companies operate at the Quebec City Airport?

The following car rental companies have a rental office at the Quebec City airport:

• AVIS
• Budget
• Enterprise
• Thrifty
• Hertz
• National
• Alamo

If you're like me and you like to book with the closest car rental company, you'll be interested to know that all car rental companies are next to each other at the Quebec City airport (YQB).

Before booking, you might want to compare prices for the various car rental companies.

Public Transport Bus From Quebec City Airport

The cheapest way to travel from the Quebec Airport to your hotel is by bus. A one-way ticket for one adult costs $3.40 and children aged 5 and under travel for free.

The main bus stop at YQB airport is easy to find. When you exit the luggage area, turn left and walk towards door D. It'll take less than two minutes to get there. The bus stop is right outside door D, as per my photo above.

You can buy a ticket inside the Quebec City airport terminal. The ticket vending machine is located near the information desk. You can also pay cash when you board the bus, but the fare is $3.75 ($0.35 higher) and you will need the exact amount because drivers don’t have and aren’t allowed to give change. Here's a link to the official bus fares page.

Bus Route 76

• Timetable: Bus Route 76 runs 7 days a week from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. At peak hours (6:30am – 8:30am, and 3pm – 6pm during the week) it runs every 30 minutes, otherwise every 60 minutes. You can view the exact timetable here.
• Bus Stop: The bus departs from the main street outside the terminal. On the bus timetable, it’s referred to as bus stop # 7300 – Aérogare.

Bus Route 80

• Timetable: Bus Route 80 runs 7 days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 1 a.m. It runs every 30 minutes at peak hours, otherwise every 60 minutes. You can view the exact timetable here.
• Bus Stop: It departs from the main street outside the terminal. On the bus timetable, it’s referred to as bus stop # 7300 – Aérogare.

best bus route from the Quebec City Airport

There are two bus routes going to and from the Quebec City airport. The best bus route depends on your final destination:

• Sainte-Foy : Route 76
• Saint-Roch : Route 80
• Old Quebec (Place D'Youville) : None of the two airport bus lines go directly to the Old Quebec. The quickest way to get to the Old Quebec is to hop on the first bus that you see (either 76 or 80) and change to bus route 800 or 801 at a connecting station. Those routes will bring you to Place D'Youville in the upper Old Town. There is no need to check the timetable for bus routes 800 and 801: they are Quebec City's highest frequency routes and you will never wait for long.
• Old Quebec (Chateau Frontenac, Petit Champlain, etc.) : Connecting on to bus route 11 will give you more flexibility than bus routes 800 and 801. Bus Route 11 is less frequent than the 800 and 801, but it goes nearly everywhere in the touristy area: Place D'Armes, Chateau Frontenac, Gare du Palais, Petit Champlain, etc. Only Bus Route 76 can connect you with Bus Route 11. You will need to get off on Route de l'Eglise, at bus stops # 3875 or #1857 (tell the driver you'd like to get off at the corner of Route de l'Eglise and Boulevard Laurier). Then you will need to walk approximately 25 meters to a Route 11 bus stop on Boulevard Laurier (bus stop #1441 or #1823).

Connecting to another bus route

Your transfer is included (electronically) in your original ticket and valid for 90 minutes. So keep you ticket until you're on board your second bus. If you paid cash on board the bus, you’ll need to ask the driver for a transfer coupon (do this when you board, not when you get off). The transfer coupon will let you get on the next bus route for free.

• Connecting From Bus Route 76: Bus route 76 will bring you to a major bus connection station called “Gare de Sainte-Foy” (bus stop # 5902). Get off there to take the next bus. If you miss the stop, don’t worry. You can get off at any of the next three stops on Route de l’Eglise.
• Connecting From Bus Route 80: Bus Route 80 will bring you to a bus connection station called “Terminus Les Saules” (bus stop # 5729). Get off there to take the next bus.
  

It's completely fine to ask the bus driver to inform you when you reach your bus stop destination. They are accustomed to such requests. Keep an eye on the route though, just in case they forget!

Eva (An Uber Alternative)

Eva offers rideshare services similar to Uber. It is a convenient way to travel from the YQB airport to downtown Quebec, and it is cheaper than a regular taxi.

As mentioned earlier, the YQB airport doesn’t have a Uber-specific pick-up area. Your Eva driver will pick you up on the main street (arrivals curbside), just like an Uber driver would.

Best Hotels Near Quebec City Airport

There are no hotels attached to the Quebec City airport, but there are several options nearby. From the many hotels that are within a 5 to 10 minutes driving distance from the Quebec City airport, our favourites are:

• Best all-round: Home2 Suites by Hilton (more details here)
• Best for families: Hotel Must (more details here)
• Best budget hotel: Chateau Repotel Henri IV (more details here)
• Best for business: Hotel Comfort Inn Airport East (more details here)

So there you have it, five great ways to get from the Quebec airport to your final destination. In short:

• Take a taxi if you can afford it! There is no need to book in advance.
• Take Uber if you’re a member, that’ll save you a few bucks.
• Take the bus for less than $4 if you’re on a budget.