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Montreal Airport Taxi to Downtown: Everything You Need to Know

Are you heading to Montreal for a quick, fun vacation or a business trip? Then you need to know how much everything will cost, starting with the taxi trips! Hereโ€™s an overview of services for a Montreal airport taxi to downtown Montreal as well as a guide to taxi fares for your next trip.

Plane Landing - at Montreal Airport - JP Valery - From Unsplash
Photo: JP Valery from Unsplash

How Much Does a Taxi Cost from YUL Montreal Airport?

Luckily for you, the taxi fare from Montreal airport to downtown isnโ€™t that much, depending in where you are going, if you compare it to other cities, although some may find it steep. 

It costs $48.40 CAD during the day and $55.65 between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. without needing a taximeter to tell you the answer, as itโ€™s a flat rate for airport-downtown runs.

However, most other locations will need the taximeter to calculate the price, with the minimum rate being over $20.60 during the day and $23.70 at night. Basically, Montreal taxi prices start at 4.10/4.70, add 2.05/2.35 per km and 0.77/0.89 per minute during the day/night. 

You can pay cash with Canadian dollars or by credit card. Just make sure when you get in that the machine is working correctly if you only have cards to pay. Visa, MasterCard and American Express are common, but other cards, like Dinerโ€™s Club and such are not accepted.

Regardless, thatโ€™s not all you need to know, right?

Read on to discover how to grab a Montreal Airport taxi to Downtown and all the tricks that come with it!

Taxi at the Terminal Airport -Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay

How to Get a Taxi from YUL to Downtown Montreal

Now that you know how much youโ€™ll pay, itโ€™s time to figure out how to get that taxi that will take you to your B&B, hotel or hostel! 

Typically, youโ€™ll deal with one of the following Montreal taxi companies:

Official Taxi Providers

Because of how bustling YUL airport is, youโ€™ll find official taxi providers offering their services by the arrivals floor near the central exit in a very organized matter. These companies include the following:

Youโ€™ll find the current waiting times on this page of the airportโ€™s website.

Youโ€™ll find dispatchers around that can help you with all your needs. For instance, if you need a limo or a car thatโ€™s equipped for passengers with special needs. Please note that such accommodation differs significantly from the regular taxi fare. Taking a limo, for example, will generally cost you over $100 CAD.

Yellow Taxi Sign - Waldermar - From Unsplash
Photo: Waldermar from Unsplash

Alternative Options Like Uber or Lyft

If you donโ€™t feel comfortable relying on traditional taxi companies, you can always go with transportation apps.

You can download Uber or more recently Lyft, to get your taxi ride.

The best thing about these apps is that they offer an estimated fare before you even start the ride and real-time tracking of the drive. Do keep in mind that the costs can vary when compared to regular taxis. 

The app will let you know exactly at which door to meet your Uber driver. 

Personally, this is what I prefer, as it often comes out cheaper since they are not subjected to the fixed rate. However, I understand that some people do not want to encourage these types of companies and I respect that.

Uber Transportation App - Tingey - From Unsplash
Photo: Tingey from Unsplash

Other Options to Get Around Montreal

Not really liking what you are reading or wanting a more direct hassle-free option? There are other ways too to treat yourself or get someone to pick you up with a sign at the exit! Check these options out:

Private Driver - an Alternative Way to Get Around - in Montreal - Paul Hanaoka - From Unsplash
Photo: Paul Hanaoka from Unsplash

Must-knows for Tourists

Navigating a new city can be challenging, especially when dealing with language barriers, unfamiliar customs, and lots of baggage! For those of you arriving at YUL soon, here are some tips to keep in mind:

  1. Tipping Taxis in Quebec

Tipping in Canada, like the USA, is customary, and taxi drivers are no exception. Tipping anywhere about 10% of the fare is typical, depending on the quality. Of course, for excellent services, you can tip more than that, but 10% is normal. For other types of tipping, itโ€™s around 15-18%.

  1. Regular Practice and Etiquette

For your and the cabโ€™s safety, please ensure always to enter the taxi from the curbside. Also, while most cab drivers in Montreal are bilingual, itโ€™s always a good idea to note down the address of your destination on your phone or a piece of paper, in case.

One thing I highly recommend is GoogleMapsing your itinerary before leaving home and grabbing screenshots, or downloading the map offline if you donโ€™t have a SIM card.

  1. Peak Times from the Airport

Like any major city, Montreal has rush hours you canโ€™t escape. These are usually from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

During these times, itโ€™ll be longer to find a taxi as theyโ€™ll be high in demand, so you will have to queue until they arrive. The problem isnโ€™t really the taxis, itโ€™s the traffic that prevents them from arriving rapidly within the airport pickup zones. 

Reaching your destination on time will also be challenging, so plan accordingly.

GPS in a Car - Ravi Palwe - From Unsplash
Photo: Ravi Palwe from Unsplash

Now that you know how to catch a Montreal airport taxi to downtown, start planning your trip to Quebecโ€™s metropolis with these guides, trips and tricks:

Looking for a cheap flight to Montreal? Have a look on Cheapoair I use regularly. Once you’re there, rent a car to roam free with AutoEurope or RentalCars or hop on a bus around Montreal and surrounding cities with Busbud.

Keep this saved for later in one of your Pinterest boards!

How to Get There and Around / Montreal / Quebec Destinations / Travel Budget / Trip Planner
About Author

Passionate about travel and food, Jennifer Dorรฉ Dallas is a freelance travel writer, author and creator since 2010. On top of this amazing Chasing Poutine blog, she also founded Moi, mes souliers in 2010 and she is the author/co-author of around two dozen Lonely Planet, Ulysse and Parfum d'encre travel guidebooks, in addition to having contributed to other books and hundreds of tourism and Web platforms, magazines, DMOs and Websites over the years. As a lecturer in Web writing and SEO for a Quebec college and consultant for various companies and DMOs, she loves combining technological advances with the classic beauty of words, and is a member of TMAC, SATW, NATJA and IFTWTA!

3 Comments

  • Ko
    July 9, 2024 at 11:17 PM

    Thanks! It would be helpful if you put a date on thisโ€” taxis in the past have been $41 flat airport to downtown but I canโ€™t tell how recent your info is

    Reply
  • Ko
    July 9, 2024 at 11:19 PM

    Whoops! Just found the date! Apologies!

    Reply
  • Ko
    July 10, 2024 at 12:06 AM

    Sorry! One more comment! I take cash for taxis because (1) a taxi driver switched cards on my son once (late at night, he was tired) and used his card $$$$ so I have zero trust, and (2) I had difficulty choosing a different tip amount than those pre-selected (for a terrible driver) and the machine was set up to make it impossible and after numerous tries gave up and gave him a tip he absolutely did not deserve
    (I worked in the service industry and tip very generously but also hold the line at poorโ€” in this case dangerous even by Montreal drivers standardsโ€” service)
    FWIW!

    Reply

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