Transportation in Quebec City

Quebec City's compact core rewards walkers. But when your feet protest the hills, the RTC bus network is your reliable workhorse, clean, punctual, and cheap enough that locals treat it like pocket change. Download the RTC Paiement app before you arrive. It lets you buy single rides or day passes without fumbling for coins. The funicular linking Upper and Lower Town is a splurge worth taking once for the view. But savvy visitors ride it downhill only, walking back up via the Breakneck Stairs saves both money and the queue. From Jean-Lesage Airport, the 80 Express bus runs straight downtown in about 30 minutes, a fraction of a taxi fare, and drops you at Gare du Palais, the central transit hub. Skip the unofficial cab touts outside baggage claim. The official taxi rank operates on metered fares, and there's no flat-rate scheme to negotiate. If you're arriving late, note that the 80 Express stops running in the early evening, making taxi the only option, agree on the metered fare before loading your bags.