Ottawa and Montreal are quite close: the distance is about 165–170 km (around 100–105 miles) in a straight line, and roughly 180–200 km (110–125 miles) by road, depending on the route you take.

Quick Scoop

  • Straight-line (as-the-crow-flies) distance: about 165 km / 102 miles.
  • Typical driving distance: about 180–200 km / 112–125 miles via Highway 417/40.
  • Usual driving time: around 2 hours, often listed between 1 h 45 and 2 h 20 depending on traffic and exact start/end points.
  • Train time: roughly 1 h 50 to 2 h 15 on many Montreal–Ottawa services.

Mini travel notes

  • The main driving route is Highway 417 on the Ontario side connecting to Autoroute 40/20 near Montreal, which is a major, well-maintained corridor.
  • In winter, locals often advise allowing extra time and driving more cautiously because snow and ice can make Highway 417 challenging, especially at night.
  • Many travelers also like the train option between Montreal and Ottawa to avoid winter driving and highway traffic.

Tiny example to picture it

If you drive at about 100 km/h the whole way with light traffic, a ~190 km trip is just under 2 hours; add a bit of buffer for city traffic at each end and you’re in the 2-hour ballpark door to door.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.