A private-driver tour of Montreal covers the city's spread-out highlights without parking, hills or a metro map: Old Montreal and the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Old Port, the lookout on Mount Royal, Saint Joseph's Oratory, and, with more time, the Olympic Park and the markets of the north. On Elly8.net the four-hour private city highlights tour costs from US$440 in a business sedan to US$880 in an Executive Sprinter, fixed and all-in per vehicle, with the chauffeur waiting at each stop.
Below are four itineraries we would actually suggest, with the order that avoids the worst traffic, how long to allow at each stop, and the cost of each in every vehicle class. The honest caveat first: Montreal has an excellent metro, and a solo traveller who enjoys walking can see a great deal for the price of a C$11.25 24-hour pass. A car earns its place when there are several of you, someone has limited mobility, the weather is poor, or the day is short.
How much does a private Montreal tour cost?
On Elly8.net, the four-hour private city highlights tour is US$440 in a business sedan, US$560 in a business SUV, US$660 in a first class SUV, US$720 in a first class sedan and US$880 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle and all-in. An eight-hour full day starts at US$810, and hourly service at US$110.
| Package | Hours | Business sedan | Business SUV | First class sedan | First class SUV | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private city highlights tour | 4 | US$440 | US$560 | US$720 | US$660 | US$880 |
| Evening out and event night | 5 | US$550 | US$700 | US$900 | US$825 | US$1,100 |
| Full-day chauffeur | 8 | US$810 | US$1,035 | US$1,325 | US$1,215 | US$1,620 |
| Day trip: Mont-Tremblant | 10 | US$1,015 | US$1,290 | US$1,660 | US$1,520 | US$2,025 |
| By the hour, as directed | 3-hour minimum | US$110/h | US$140/h | US$180/h | US$165/h | US$220/h |
Prices include the chauffeur, vehicle, taxes and standard gratuity. Parking and attraction tickets are not included; parking is billed at cost. Elly8.net prices are per vehicle, so four people sharing a US$560 business SUV tour pay US$140 each, as arithmetic for comparison only.
See Montreal prices and reserve
Itinerary one: the four-hour first look
The classic first visit, and the one the highlights tour is built around. Start at 9 or 9:30 a.m. from a downtown hotel, before Old Montreal fills up and before the afternoon build-up on the roads around the mountain. The order below runs from the river up to the mountain and back down, so the car never doubles back across downtown, and the busiest stop comes first, while the lanes are still quiet and the light on the old stone facades is soft.
- Old Montreal and the Notre-Dame Basilica (about 60 to 75 minutes). The chauffeur drops you at Place d'Armes, opposite the Notre-Dame Basilica. Check the basilica's own site for visiting times and tickets, then walk the lanes toward Place Jacques-Cartier while the car moves to an agreed pickup point, because curb space in the old quarter is scarce.
- The Old Port (about 30 minutes). A short hop down to the waterfront at the Old Port of Montreal, where the Grande Roue de Montreal Ferris wheel sits on the quays. In summer it is busy; in winter it is quiet and cold, and the car is a welcome refuge.
- Mount Royal (about 40 minutes). The drive climbs the mountain to a parking area, and the Mount Royal Kondiaronk lookout, the classic view over downtown and the river, is a walk from there. Allow for the walk both ways.
- Saint Joseph's Oratory (about 45 minutes). On the mountain's western slope, the Oratory is a hillside basilica set high above the street. The car drops you close to the entrance, which matters given the long flights of steps from the street.
- Back through the Golden Square Mile. Return along Sherbrooke past McGill University and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and finish at your hotel or a lunch reservation.
That is a full four hours with time to walk and look. If you want to go inside the museum as well, add an hour at US$110 in a business sedan.
Itinerary two: the east end and the markets
A second-day tour for travellers who have seen the old town, and the best rainy-day option.
- Olympic Park (about 60 minutes). The Olympic Park Tower is the leaning tower above the Olympic Stadium that defines the east-end skyline. Check the park's site for what is open to visitors on your date and buy any tickets ahead.
- Espace pour la vie (about 90 minutes). Next door, Espace pour la vie groups the Biodome, the Botanical Garden, the Insectarium and the Planetarium. Choose one or two; trying to see all four in a morning turns the day into a march.
- Jean-Talon Market (about 60 minutes). North-west into Little Italy for lunch at Jean-Talon Market, one of the city's public markets, with produce stalls, cheese and bakeries.
- The Plateau and Mile End (about 30 minutes). A slow drive through the outside staircases and the bagel shops, with a stop if you want one.
Book this one hourly: four hours at US$110 in a business sedan is US$440, or US$560 in a business SUV for a family with a stroller. A private city tour on our network works the same way in every city.
Itinerary three: a full day, mountain to river
Combine both: Old Montreal and the basilica in the morning, the Oratory and Mount Royal before lunch, Jean-Talon or a downtown restaurant for lunch, then Olympic Park and the Biodome or Botanical Garden in the afternoon. The full-day chauffeur package is eight hours, from US$810 in a business sedan to US$1,620 in an Executive Sprinter, about 8% below the hourly rate.
The full day suits families, travellers with limited mobility and groups who want one plan and one vehicle. An Executive Sprinter seats twelve, which also makes it the practical choice for a small corporate group or a wedding party taking out-of-town guests around the city the day before; our Montreal wedding limo guide shows how couples fit a guest tour into the weekend, and the Montreal limo bus guide covers bigger vehicles for an evening. Seats and bag space by class are on the fleet page.
Itinerary four: an evening in Old Montreal
Montreal is a strong evening city. The five-hour evening out and event night package, from US$550 in a business sedan, covers dinner in Old Montreal, an evening at the basilica, which runs its AURA experience inside the church, or a show in the Quartier des Spectacles, and the ride back. The car waits nearby, so the walk home on cold cobblestones is not part of the plan. For hockey, concerts and shows, our event transportation page explains how pickups work around big venues.
When to go, and what changes the plan
Summer festivals. The Festival International de Jazz de Montreal runs from June 25 to July 4, 2027, centred on the Quartier des Spectacles, where streets close to cars. Tours that pass through downtown on those days route around the closures, and pickups move to the edge of the site.
Grand Prix weekend. The Canadian Grand Prix runs on May 21 to 23, 2027, and the whole city is busy. Tours that weekend need more time between stops and an early start.
Winter. Snow and short days make the car more valuable, not less. Mount Royal and the Oratory are beautiful under snow, and a warm vehicle between stops changes the experience. Allow extra time for snow clearing on the mountain roads.
Weekday afternoons. From about 3:30 p.m., traffic on the expressways and bridges builds. Start tours in the morning, or plan an afternoon tour that stays inside the downtown core.
Tourisme Montreal lists current exhibitions and events if you want to build the day around something specific.
Private driver vs the alternatives
| Option | Cost | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro and walking | C$11.25 for a 24-hour pass | solo travellers, good weather, fit walkers | hills, stairs and transfers between sites |
| Taxi between stops | metered, from a C$4.10 start | two people, a few stops | hailing or calling at every stop |
| Rideshare between stops | live price in the app | flexible plans | a new car and wait at each stop |
| Group coach tour | per person, set route | solo travellers who like company | fixed timing, no door-to-door |
| Private driver, business SUV | US$560 for 4 hours, per vehicle | families and groups of up to 6 | the highest price for one person |
| Private driver, Executive Sprinter | US$880 for 4 hours, per vehicle | groups of up to 12 | needs planning for curb space in Old Montreal |
The metro fare is the STM's 24-hour pass, which also covers the 747 airport bus. Taxi rates are those published by the airport and explained in our Montreal taxi fare estimator. The private driver wins when the party is three or more, when someone cannot manage long walks or stairs, when the weather turns, or when time is short and the day has to work first time.
Beyond the city: Tremblant, Quebec City and Ottawa
The signature Montreal day trip is the ten-hour Mont-Tremblant day, from US$1,015 in a business sedan to US$2,025 in an Executive Sprinter. The chauffeur drives north through the Laurentians to the pedestrian village, waits through the gondola, a spa afternoon or lunch by the lake, and drives back the same evening. If you are staying at the resort instead, the Mont-Tremblant car service page lists fixed YUL transfers.
Quebec City and Ottawa are longer days; enter the addresses in the web booker for a fixed price, or stay over and book a local tour on arrival. Our city to city car service page covers one-way runs between cities.
How to book a Montreal tour
- Choose the package, or hourly for your own plan, and enter the hotel pickup.
- Choose the vehicle by passengers and bags. Child seats are fitted on request.
- Reserve now and send the desk your stops, or tell us what you want to see and we will suggest an order. Confirmation arrives by email.
Rides in Montreal are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. If you would like a French-speaking or bilingual chauffeur, ask when you book. Every package is on all prices and packages, and the airport and city prices are on the Montreal limo service page.
Elly8.net is a member of LWD, LAI, HWD and VWD: LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory. For flights and hotels, our travel partner is BookingWorldwide.net.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a Montreal city tour be?
Four hours covers Old Montreal, the basilica, the Old Port, the Mount Royal lookout and Saint Joseph's Oratory with time to walk. Add the Olympic Park, the Biodome or Jean-Talon Market and you need a full eight-hour day. Shorter visits can book hourly, with a three-hour minimum.
Does the price include entrance tickets?
No. Tour prices cover the chauffeur, the vehicle, taxes and standard gratuity for the booked hours, per vehicle. Tickets for the basilica, the Olympic Park Tower, Espace pour la vie or museums are bought separately, and parking is billed at cost.
Does the driver act as a guide?
The chauffeur drives, waits and knows where to drop you, but is not a licensed tour guide. If you want commentary inside the sites, book a guide separately or use the sites' own tours, and the chauffeur will time the day around them.
Can we do a private tour with young children?
Yes. Child seats are available on request; give each child's age and weight when you book. A business SUV gives room for seats and a stroller, and the Biodome and Botanical Garden suit families well on a rainy day.
What is the best time of year for a chauffeured Montreal tour?
Late spring and early autumn have the mildest weather and fewer road closures. Summer is lively but festival closures change routes. Winter is when a private car helps most, with warm stops between snowy sights. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup.
Can the tour start or end at YUL?
Yes. Many travellers use a long layover or arrival day to see the city. Book hourly from the airport pickup, with your flight number, and the chauffeur meets you inside arrivals; or book a YUL transfer from US$120 and a separate tour on another day.
