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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Quebec City
Ville de Québec
Give it 2 nights: one full day in the walled Old Town on foot, one for the Plains of Abraham or a day trip. Skip the car inside the walls.
Quebec City is the capital of the province of Quebec and the only walled city north of Mexico. Old Town (Vieux-Québec) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, compact enough to walk end to end in about 30 minutes, split into Upper Town on the cliff and Lower Town by the river. Most visitors need 2 nights: one for the Old Town and one for the Plains of Abraham, a museum or a day trip along the St. Lawrence. French is the everyday language; English works in tourist areas.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- Ville de Québec
- Best months
- Jun–Oct; Feb for the Winter Carnival
- Avoid
- Nov (grey, wet, few events); Jan–Feb cold snaps below −20 °C (−4 °F)Nov (grey, wet, few events); Jan–Feb cold snaps below −4 °F (−20 °C)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$90–140 excl. bed · Mid C$160–260 excl. bed · High C$300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Info-Santé (health advice, 24 h) 811
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$3–6 |
| Poutine or a sandwich | C$10–18 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a dépanneur | C$8–10 / C$3–5 |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | C$15–22 |
| RTC bus ride | C$3.10 |
| Funicular, one way | C$5 |
| Museum entry | C$15–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YQB · Québec City Jean Lesage International
- About 20 min from downtown; RTC bus 76 or 80, or a flat-fee taxi (check the current fare)
Typical fares
- YQB → downtown, taxi
- flat fee, about C$35.10
- YQB → downtown, RTC bus 76/80
- about C$3.10, 30–45 min
- VIA Rail Québec City → Montréal
- about C$50–120, 3.25–3.5 h
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside the walls; the Old Town is compact but hilly, and Côte de la Montagne links Upper and Lower Town. The funicular saves the climb (small fee). RTC buses cover the wider city; buy a ticket from the driver or an app. Taxis and Uber work; the airport run is a flat fee. VIA Rail and Orléans Express buses use Gare du Palais, next to the Old Port.
See and do
Known for
- Old Town walls and gates
- Château Frontenac
- Plains of Abraham
- Winter Carnival (Carnaval de Québec)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Montmorency Falls | RTC bus or a 15-min drive northeast of the city | About 45–60 min |
| Île d'Orléans | Drive over the bridge from Beauport, or bus then taxi | About 30 min to the bridge |
| Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré | Drive or bus along Route 138 | About 45 min |
| Montréal | VIA Rail from Gare du Palais, or Orléans Express bus | 3.25–3.5 h by train |
Sleep
- Old Town — Upper Town (Haute-Ville)
- Inside the walls, walk to everything; the priciest beds and the noisiest summer streets.
- Old Town — Lower Town (Basse-Ville)
- Place Royale and the port; quieter at night, but you climb to the Upper Town on stairs or the funicular.
- Saint-Roch
- The real downtown west of the walls; cheaper rooms, restaurants and bars, 15–20 min walk to Old Town.
- Saint-Jean-Baptiste
- Between the walls and Saint-Roch; local feel, cafés, still walkable to the gates.
- Sainte-Foy
- Suburban, near the train and bus stations; only worth it if you arrive late or leave early.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo PLEH |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sa KOOT |
| Can I pay by card? | Puis-je payer par carte ?pweezh pay-YAY par KART |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ?oo son lay twa-LET |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Cobblestones and steep streets: wear shoes with grip, especially after rain or snow.
- Winter ice on stairs and sidewalks; the funicular and indoor routes are the fallback.
- Restaurant bills add 15% sales tax plus a 15–20% tip; the menu price is not the total.
- Summer weekends fill the Old Town; book beds and dinner ahead.
- Some Old Town bars and shops price for tourists: check the total before you pay.
Quebec City is one of the safer big Canadian cities. The real risks are winter ice on stairs and cobblestones, summer crowds and pickpockets in the Old Town, and bar or restaurant bills that add tax plus tip on top of the menu price.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Quebec City yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Old Town walls and gates
- Château Frontenac
- Plains of Abraham
- Winter Carnival (Carnaval de Québec)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Ville de Québec — official site: www.ville.quebec.qc.ca/
- Québec City tourism: www.quebec-cite.com/en
- Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport: www.aeroportdequebec.com/
- RTC Québec — public transport: www.rtcquebec.ca/
- VIA Rail Canada: www.viarail.ca/
- Bonjour Québec — official tourism: www.bonjourquebec.com
- Wikivoyage: Quebec City, revision 5322678 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5322678
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Quebec CityVille de Québec
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has a consulate general in Quebec City (check the address); most other countries: consulates or embassies in Ottawa or Montréal.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/quebec-city). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.