You're sitting in a cafe in the North End, finishing a cannoli, and suddenly you think, "I could be eating poutine by dinner." It’s a classic Northeast impulse. But then the logistics hit. You start wondering about border waits, whether your GPS will lose its mind once you hit Quebec, and—most importantly—how far is Montreal from Boston really?
The short answer? It’s about 310 miles if you're driving. That’s roughly five hours of windshield time, give or take. But if you’ve ever driven I-93 on a Friday afternoon, you know "five hours" is a beautiful, bold-faced lie told by Google Maps.
The Raw Numbers: Distance and Time
Let’s look at the actual physical gap between these two hubs. If you were a crow flying in a straight line, you’d only cover about 250 miles (around 400 kilometers). Since most of us aren't crows and don't own private Cessnas, the ground reality is a bit different.
- Driving: 307 to 312 miles depending on your starting neighborhood.
- Flying: About 1 hour and 15 minutes in the air.
- Bus: 7 to 8 hours (Greyhound has a vendetta against speed, apparently).
- Train: 14+ hours. Seriously. Don't do this unless you really, really love looking at trees from a vintage Amtrak seat.
Honestly, the drive is the sweet spot. You leave the Atlantic coast, cut through the heart of the Green Mountains, and pop out in a city that feels like a slice of Europe dropped into North America. It’s one of the best "bang for your buck" road trips on the East Coast.
Choosing Your Route: I-89 vs. I-91
Most people just mindlessly follow the blue line on their phone. That’s a mistake. Depending on what you want to see, there are two main ways to tackle the how far is Montreal from Boston question.
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The Standard: I-93 to I-89
This is the "Burlington Path." You take I-93 North out of Boston, hop on I-89 in Concord, and ride it all the way to the border. This route is gorgeous. You’ll pass through Montpelier (the smallest state capital in the US) and have the option to stop in Waterbury for the Ben & Jerry’s factory.
Pro Tip: Stop at the Sharon, Vermont rest area. It sounds weird, but they have a massive indoor greenhouse that processes the building's sewage using exotic plants. It’s fascinating, slightly smelly if the fans are off, and a great leg-stretcher.
The Scenic Alternative: I-93 to I-91
This takes you through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. If you have an extra hour, take the detour through Franconia Notch. The mountains here feel much "bigger" and more aggressive than the rolling hills of Vermont. You’ll eventually hit I-91 and cross the border at Derby Line. This crossing is often quieter than the Highgate Springs crossing on I-89, which can save you thirty minutes of idling behind a line of minivans.
The Border Factor (The Great Time Suck)
When calculating how far is Montreal from Boston, you have to account for the "Border Tax." This isn't money; it’s time.
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Crossing at Highgate Springs (I-89) on a holiday weekend can add 45 minutes to your trip easily. On a random Tuesday at 10:00 AM? You might breeze through in three minutes.
What you need in 2026:
- A valid Passport or Nexus card. Don't even try with just a birth certificate.
- Clean car. Don't have a bunch of fruit or firewood rolling around in the trunk. The border agents will find that one stray orange and they will be annoyed.
- No Radar Detectors. They are illegal in Quebec. If the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) sees one on your dash, they will take it and give you a hefty fine. Tuck it away before you cross.
Flying vs. Driving: Which Wins?
If you’re looking at the clock, flying seems like the winner. Air Canada and occasionally Delta run hops from Logan (BOS) to Pierre Elliott Trudeau (YUL). The flight is barely long enough for the flight attendants to hand out a bag of pretzels.
But here’s the math people forget:
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- 2 hours for security and check-in at Logan.
- 1 hour 20 minutes in the air.
- 45 minutes for Canadian customs and deplaning.
- 30 minutes for a $50 Uber into downtown Montreal.
Total time? About 5 hours. Exactly the same as driving, but without the ability to stop for Vermont maple syrup or cheap New Hampshire gas. Unless you're traveling solo and hate driving, the car is almost always the superior choice for this specific trip.
The Bus and Train: A Tale of Patience
I’ll be blunt: the train situation is a mess. There is no direct rail link between Boston and Montreal. You have to take the Amtrak Downeaster or a bus to New York or Albany, then catch the Adirondack north. It turns a 5-hour car ride into a 15-hour odyssey. It’s scenic, sure, but so is a movie about trains.
The bus (Greyhound/FlixBus) is better but still a grind. It’s cheap—usually around $70–$100—but you’re at the mercy of the border agent’s mood. When a bus hits the border, everyone has to get off with their bags. If one person has a paperwork issue, the whole bus sits there. I’ve had "7-hour" bus rides turn into 11-hour nightmares.
Essential Pit Stops to Make it Feel Shorter
The best way to handle the distance is to treat it like a journey, not a commute.
- Concord, NH: Grab a coffee at The Barley House.
- Woodstock/Quechee, VT: See the gorge. It’s a 165-foot drop and takes five minutes to see from the bridge.
- Burlington, VT: If you take the I-89 route, Burlington is only 90 minutes from Montreal. It’s the perfect spot for a "last American meal" at The Farmhouse Tap & Grill.
What to do first when you arrive
Once you cross that 310-mile threshold and the signs switch to French, you're in a different world. Montreal is a island, and the traffic getting onto the island can be brutal. If you’re arriving during rush hour (3:30 PM – 6:30 PM), add another 45 minutes to your arrival time.
The city is incredibly walkable, so the first thing you should do is find a parking garage, dump the car, and forget it exists until you leave. Navigating Montreal’s "construction season" (which is basically every season except deep winter) is a headache you don't need.
Actionable Steps for Your Trip
- Check the Border Wait Times: Use the official "CBP Border Wait Times" app or the Canadian equivalent before you decide which highway to take. If Highgate is backed up, pivot to I-91.
- Gas Up in Lebanon, NH: Gas is significantly cheaper in New Hampshire than in Massachusetts, Vermont, or Quebec. Fill the tank to the brim before you hit the Vermont border.
- Download Offline Maps: Your cell data might get spotty in the mountains, and international roaming can be finicky the moment you cross. Having the Montreal city map offline is a lifesaver.
- Switch to Kilometers: Your car might do this automatically via GPS, but if not, remember that 100 km/h is roughly 62 mph. Don't be the person doing 100 mph on the Autoroute 15 because you got confused.
- Verify Rental Paperwork: If you're renting a car in Boston, tell the agency you are going to Canada. They need to ensure the insurance card is valid for international travel, or you might get turned around at the gate.