Carnaval de Québec 2027 runs from Friday 5 February to Sunday 14 February 2027, according to the Carnaval de Québec. For ten days the city celebrates winter and Nordic culture with Bonhomme's Ice Palace, ice and snow sculptures, two Night Parades, musical evenings, the ice canoe race on the St. Lawrence and activity sites for children and adults. The organiser calls it the world's largest winter carnival, and it draws visitors from far beyond the city.
It is also an outdoor festival in a Quebec February, which is why the ground plan matters. A pre-booked Elly8.net car meets you at Quebec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) and takes you to Old Quebec from US$115 in a business sedan or US$150 in a business SUV, fixed and all-in, and the 5-hour evening package, from US$550, keeps a warm car waiting while you watch the parade. Rides in Quebec City 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.
How do you get around Quebec City during Carnaval?
Use a car for the airport and for evenings, and walk inside the sites. The organiser lists recommended drop-off points near the main sites, including D'Auteuil and Grande Allée and Place d'Youville. An Elly8.net car sets you down there, waits nearby and brings you back, from US$110 an hour or US$550 for a 5-hour evening.
The main Carnaval sites sit just outside the walls of Old Quebec, around the Parliament and along Grande Allée. On its FAQ page, the organiser lists recommended drop-off points for the main sites at Place de l'Assemblée, Parc de la Francophonie and Place d'Youville:
- Wilfrid-Laurier and Georges-Est, reached via Avenue Taché or Cour du Général-de-Montcalm.
- D'Auteuil and Grande Allée.
- Place d'Youville.
The organiser adds that on weekdays, when the pedestrian zone is not in effect, vehicles may get closer to the sites depending on the traffic signage in place. In other words: on weekends and busy evenings, expect to be set down at the edge and walk a short distance. The chauffeur agrees the drop-off point and a pickup time and place with you before you leave the car.
What happens during Carnaval
The organiser's must-sees include:
- Bonhomme's Ice Palace, built entirely from blocks of ice each year near Old Québec, the focal point of the festival.
- The Night Parades, two of them, free to watch, with VIP tickets available. Bonhomme leads the way. The parade nights and route are published in the program; check them before you book your evening car.
- The ice canoe race on the St. Lawrence, which spectators can watch for free from Quays 19 and 21 of the Port of Québec, in the Lower Town.
- Ice and snow sculptures, the Snow Bath, musical evenings and the after-parade, plus sledding and children's activities.
Admission to the sites uses the Effigy, the official Carnaval pass; children aged 12 and under do not need one. Some activities, including the musical evenings and VIP parade seats, are ticketed separately. The organiser's information booth is at the corner of Grande Allée and Honoré-Mercier.
Québec City's tourism office lists the same dates, 5 to 14 February 2027, and recommends the two night parades among the highlights.
The transport problem: cold, closures and hills
Three things make Carnaval week harder to get around than it looks on a map. First, the weather: evenings are well below freezing, and the parades and outdoor sites are best enjoyed when you are not also waiting at a bus stop. Second, closures: the pedestrian zone and parade nights close streets around the sites, and the Upper Town's one-way streets and gates in the walls leave little kerb space. Third, the hills: the Upper Town and the Lower Town are linked by steep streets, and the ice canoe race and some activities are down by the river while the main sites are up on Grande Allée.
Winter driving rules also apply. Quebec requires winter tires on Quebec-registered passenger vehicles from 1 December to 15 March, according to the Government of Quebec, and partner vehicles are equipped for the season. If you were planning to rent a car and drive in from the airport after dark, that is one more reason to let a chauffeur do it.
The arrival: Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB)
YQB is about 17 km (11 mi) from Old Quebec, roughly 24 minutes on a clear road; snow and evening traffic can add time. Give us your flight number; the chauffeur tracks the landing and waits inside the arrivals area with a name board, with complimentary waiting after a tracked landing for de-icing delays and slow baggage. The car is warm when you reach it. See airport transfers and meet and greet.
| Trip | Distance | Clear-road drive | Business sedan | Business SUV | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YQB to Old Quebec | 17 km / 11 mi | about 24 min | US$115 | US$150 | US$300 |
| YQB round trip | 17 km / 11 mi each way | about 24 min each way | US$220 | US$285 | US$570 |
| Evening out and event night (5 hours) | within the city | as directed | US$550 | US$700 | US$1,100 |
| By the hour, as directed (3-hour minimum) | within the city | as directed | US$110 / hr | US$140 / hr | US$220 / hr |
The First Class Sedan is US$205 and the First Class SUV US$185 from YQB. Many visitors also arrive by train or drive up from Montreal; for a pickup at a Quebec City station or a hotel outside Old Quebec, use the web booker. Our train station transfers page explains station meetings.
The plan for Carnaval
Arrival. In winter we recommend a business SUV for two or more travellers: room for heavy coats, boots and luggage. Families of five or more, or groups with skis for a side trip, are better in an Executive Sprinter. Child seats are available on request; tell us the ages when you book.
Parade night: the evening package. The 5-hour evening out and event night package is fixed from US$550 in a business sedan, US$700 in a business SUV, US$825 in a First Class SUV, US$900 in a First Class Sedan and US$1,100 in an Executive Sprinter. A typical evening is dinner, a drop-off at an agreed point on the edge of the closures, the parade, and a pickup at a set time and place, with the car waiting nearby and the heater on.
Days on the sites. For a day split between the Ice Palace, the Lower Town and a restaurant, book car service by the hour, as directed, with a 3-hour minimum: US$110 an hour in a business sedan, US$140 in a business SUV, US$165 in a First Class SUV, US$180 in a First Class Sedan and US$220 in an Executive Sprinter. The 8-hour full-day chauffeur is fixed from US$810 in a business sedan to US$1,620 in a Sprinter.
Groups. School groups, clubs and companies hosting clients during Carnaval can book Sprinters and several cars together; the organiser also has a page for groups and travel professionals. See group transportation and event transportation. The chauffeur follows Quebec rules on passengers and alcohol; the Carnaval's bars and musical evenings are where the celebrating happens.
Corporate and congress guests. The provincial capital hosts government and association visitors all winter, and Carnaval week adds client entertainment. Corporate roadshow days are fixed from US$990 in a business sedan to US$1,980 in a Sprinter; see corporate car service. If you need a French-speaking or bilingual chauffeur, ask the desk when you book.
Prices for Carnaval: the Quebec City packages
Prices on the Quebec City price list do not change for Carnaval. They are per vehicle, fixed and all-in, and include the chauffeur, the vehicle, taxes, standard gratuity and airport meet and greet; tolls, parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost.
| Package | Business sedan | Business SUV | First Class Sedan | Executive Sprinter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YQB to Old Quebec | US$115 | US$150 | US$205 | US$300 |
| By the hour, as directed (3-hour minimum) | US$110 / hr | US$140 / hr | US$180 / hr | US$220 / hr |
| Evening out and event night (5 hours) | US$550 | US$700 | US$900 | US$1,100 |
| Full-day chauffeur (8 hours) | US$810 | US$1,035 | US$1,325 | US$1,620 |
| Montmorency Falls and Ile d'Orleans (6 hours) | US$610 | US$775 | US$995 | US$1,215 |
The First Class SUV is US$185 from YQB, US$165 an hour, US$825 for the evening and US$1,215 for the full day. Every price is on the Quebec City fares panel, and the fleet page lists seats and luggage space for each class.
Old Quebec hotels fill for both Carnaval weekends, and SUVs for parade nights are the first vehicles to go. Reserve now to fix the vehicle and the price.
Honest alternatives
The organiser recommends public transit, and for many visitors it is a good choice. Its getting to the Carnival page points to the RTC bus network, to Clicknpark for reserving a parking space near the sites in advance, and to the Québec ferry for visitors coming from across the river. In 2026 the organiser also ran free Vidéotron shuttles every 30 minutes between the Upper Town and the Lower Town site at Espace Quatre Cents; check the page for the 2027 timetable.
From the airport, YQB publishes fixed taxi fares to downtown Quebec City, one by day and one at night, between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.; taxis are requested at the counter on level 1, according to the airport's taxi page. For a couple landing in daylight with light bags, the taxi is good value.
A pre-booked car earns its place for late or delayed winter flights, families with child seats, groups who want one warm vehicle, guests with limited mobility (the organiser notes that its outdoor sites are only partially accessible), and evenings when you want to know exactly where the car will be after the parade. See chauffeur vs taxi and chauffeur vs Uber and Lyft.
Make a winter trip of it
The signature Quebec City package is a 6-hour day to Montmorency Falls and Ile d'Orleans, fixed from US$610 in a business sedan to US$1,215 in a Sprinter; the frozen falls are a winter sight in their own right. The private city tour runs from US$440 to US$880; see private city tours.
The same fixed-price service runs as a Montreal car service, a Mont-Tremblant transfer for the ski hill, an Ottawa chauffeur, and south of the border as a Boston car service, a Providence chauffeur and a Hartford car service. Longer drives between cities are under city to city car service.
How to book Carnaval transport
- Enter your pickup and drop-off. Use the YQB flight number for arrivals; for evenings, give your hotel and the site or parade you are going to, and the desk proposes a drop-off point from the organiser's list.
- Choose the vehicle. Business Sedan, Business SUV, First Class Sedan, First Class SUV or Executive Sprinter.
- Reserve now, or use the web booker. Fixed fares go to secure checkout in US$ on the Quebec City prices panel; custom evenings and station pickups go through the web booker. Confirmation arrives by email.
Companies and associations can open a corporate account with monthly invoicing. Tour operators and travel agents booking Carnaval packages use the travel agent account. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, refunded to the original card; see the cancellation policy.
Elly8.net books the car only; for flights and hotels our travel partner is BookingWorldwide.net. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2027 Quebec Winter Carnival?
From Friday 5 February to Sunday 14 February 2027, according to the Carnaval de Québec. The two Night Parades are free to watch; their dates and route are published in the program, so check them before you book an evening car.
How much is a car from YQB airport to Old Quebec?
The fixed Elly8.net fare is US$115 in a business sedan, US$150 in a business SUV, US$185 in a First Class SUV, US$205 in a First Class Sedan and US$300 in an Executive Sprinter, all-in per vehicle. The drive is about 17 km (11 mi), around 24 minutes on a clear road. Prices do not change for Carnaval.
Where will the car drop us for the Carnaval sites?
At one of the organiser's recommended drop-off points, such as D'Auteuil and Grande Allée, Wilfrid-Laurier and Georges-Est, or Place d'Youville. On weekdays, when the pedestrian zone is not in effect, the car may get closer. The chauffeur agrees the pickup point with you before you leave the car.
Can the car wait during the night parade?
Yes. The 5-hour evening out and event night package, from US$550 in a business sedan, includes the drop-off, the wait nearby and the ride back. Agree a pickup time and place before the parade; the chauffeur messages you if police move the car.
Are your cars ready for winter?
Yes. Quebec requires winter tires on Quebec-registered passenger vehicles from 1 December to 15 March, and partner vehicles are four model years old or newer and equipped for the season. Complimentary waiting after a tracked landing covers de-icing and snow delays at YQB.
Do you have child seats?
Yes, on request. Tell the desk the children's ages when you book so the right seats are fitted before pickup. Children aged 12 and under do not need an Effigy to enter the Carnaval sites.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free cancellation more than 72 hours before pickup. At 72 hours or less a 10% fee applies, at 48 hours or less 50%, and at 24 hours or less or for a no-show 100%. Refunds go to the original card.
