Guide · Ottawa → YUL
Ottawa to Montréal airport: train, bus or private car
From Ottawa to Montréal-Trudeau (YUL), the Orléans Express bus goes straight to the terminal in about 1 h 55 min, VIA Rail reaches Dorval station in about 1 h 36 min (you still need a ride to the terminal), and a private car takes a little over 2 hours door to door, about 200 km. With a flight to catch and luggage, the door-to-door car removes the connection.
The options compared
- Bus (Orléans Express), Ottawa VIA station → YUL terminal: about 1 h 55 min, 5 departures a day (first 7:15, last 17:15 on its published timetable). Orléans Express
- Train (VIA Rail), Ottawa → Dorval: about 1 h 36 min on average, about 5 trains a day. Dorval station isn't at the terminal. VIA Rail
- Dorval station ↔ YUL: a free VIA shuttle runs from the terminal (door 8, departures level; call VIA to be picked up). ADM only describes it in the airport-to-station direction. ADM
- Flight Ottawa → YUL: about 50–55 minutes in the air on Air Canada, but check-in and connection time make it the slowest door to door unless you're connecting.
- Private car: about 200 km, a little over 2 hours via Highway 417 / Autoroute 40, from your door to the departures curb. See the Ottawa ↔ YUL service.
How to choose
- Travelling light with time to spare: the bus to the terminal is the simplest public option.
- Early-morning flight: the first bus and trains may arrive too late; check the timetable against your check-in time.
- Family, skis, golf bags, or a group of 3+: a private SUV usually costs less per person than it looks, and nobody changes vehicles.
- Arriving at YUL and heading to Ottawa: a pre-booked chauffeur meets you at arrivals; buses leave on a fixed timetable.
Sources
Times from VIA Rail, Orléans Express and Aéroports de Montréal, checked 3 October 2026. Fares are shown only in each company's booking tool, so we don't quote them here.
Is there a direct bus from Ottawa to Montréal airport?
Yes. Orléans Express runs from the Ottawa VIA Rail station to the YUL terminal in about 1 h 55 min, 5 times a day. Timetable
Does the train go to Montréal airport?
No. VIA Rail stops at Dorval station, near the airport; the last stretch is a shuttle or a car.
How long is the drive from Ottawa to Montréal airport?
About 200 km, a little over 2 hours without traffic.
More guides: Flying Porter from MET: routes, the terminal and getting there · Flying private into Montréal: getting from the FBO to the city · Getting an older parent around Montréal: the options
YOUR NEXT JOURNEY