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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Rimouski
Stop 1 night for the Pointe-au-Père lighthouse and submarine, or 2 nights to add Bic National Park; skip it if you are only passing on Route 132.
Rimouski is a university and marine-research town of about 47,000 on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, roughly 3 hours by car from Quebec City. Most travellers treat it as a fuel-and-food stop on the way to the Gaspé Peninsula, but the Empress of Ireland museum, the Onondaga submarine and Bic National Park justify a night. The town centre is small and walkable; everything outside it needs a car.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (warm, ferry and park open); Feb for snow and quiet
- Avoid
- Nov (rain, no snow activities, many closures); mid-Oct–Apr for the ferry
- Stay
- 1–2 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$140–220 excl. bed · High C$220+ 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
- 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$2.50–5 |
| Poutine | C$5–27 |
| Bistro lunch, two courses | C$16–23 |
| Dinner main at a bistro | C$24–39 |
| Draught beer in a brewpub | C$7–10 |
| Junior hockey ticket, adult | C$17.50 |
| Taxi across the centre | C$10–18 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YYY · Mont-Joli regional airport
- About 35 km east; daily Air Canada and Pascan flights from Montréal and Québec City (check current schedule).About 22 mi east; daily Air Canada and Pascan flights from Montréal and Québec City (check current schedule).
- YXK · Rimouski Airport
- General aviation and cargo only; no scheduled passenger service.
Typical fares
- Orléans Express, Québec City → Rimouski
- 4.25–4.75 h
- Orléans Express, Rivière-du-Loup → Rimouski
- about 1.5 h
- VIA Rail The Ocean, Montréal → Rimouski
- about 8 h, three trips a week, night call
- Île Saint-Barnabé boat from the marina
- about C$16.50, every 30 min in season
Get around
The centre is walkable in 15–20 minutes end to end. For Pointe-au-Père, Bic or the canyon you need a car or taxi; there is one taxi company and a minimal city bus network. Taxi-Bus must be reserved about an hour ahead with a membership card.
See and do
Known for
- Pointe-au-Père lighthouse and Empress of Ireland museum
- HMCS Onondaga submarine
- Parc national du Bic
- Poutines at Cantine de la gare
- Marine research at UQAR and ISMER
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pointe-au-Père maritime site | Route 132 east about 15 km by car, or taxiRoute 132 east about 9.3 mi by car, or taxi | About 20 min |
| Parc national du Bic | Route 132 southwest to the park entrance, then walk or bike | About 30–40 min |
| Canyon de la Porte de l'Enfer | Car south via Saint-Narcisse-de-Rimouski | About 40 min |
| Trois-Pistoles | Route 132 west by car, or Orléans Express bus | About 45 min by car |
| Rivière-du-Loup | Autoroute 20 or Route 132 west by car; Orléans Express bus | About 1 h 15 min by car |
| Gaspé Peninsula | Route 132 east, or Orléans Express along either shore | 6–8 h by bus to Gaspé |
Sleep
- Downtown / rue Saint-Germain
- Walkable to restaurants, the regional museum and the train station; best for one night without a car.
- Boulevard René-Lepage Est
- Highway-side hotels with free parking; best if you arrive by car and leave early.
- Pointe-au-Père
- Near the lighthouse and museum, 15 km east; quiet, few beds, needs a car.Near the lighthouse and museum, 9.3 mi east; quiet, few beds, needs a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sa KOOT |
| I would like this one | Je voudrais celui-cizhuh voo-DREH suh-LWEE SEE |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ?oo son lay twa-LET |
| Can I pay by card? | Puis-je payer par carte ?pweezh pay-YAY par KART |
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
- The Ocean train calls at Rimouski around 01:30 eastbound and 01:50 westbound, three times a week: plan the station transfer, not a full night's sleep.
- The Rimouski–Forestville ferry has been suspended since 2022: check before you build a crossing into your route.
- Most signs and menus are French only; a few words of French help outside the hotels.
- Winter snow is heavy (over 600 mm in January on average): allow extra driving time.
Rimouski is a low-crime small city; the real risks are winter driving on Route 132, fog on the river, and cold water along the shore. 911 for anything urgent.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Rimouski yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Pointe-au-Père lighthouse and Empress of Ireland museum
- HMCS Onondaga submarine
- Parc national du Bic
- Poutines at Cantine de la gare
- Marine research at UQAR and ISMER
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Parc national du Bic (Sépaq): www.sepaq.com/pq/bic/
- VIA Rail — Rimouski station: www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/stations/quebec/rimouski
- Orléans Express: www.orleansexpress.com/en/
- Wikivoyage: Rimouski, revision 5240233 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5240233
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Rimouski
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies here; the US consulate general is in Montréal and the US embassy in Ottawa. Canadian services: 911.
Prices in Canadian dollars, before sales tax.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/rimouski). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.