If you are travelling from Toronto, you'll notice that the 401 turns into Highway 20 once you cross the border into Quebec. You can stay on this highway all the way to Quebec City, but we recommend taking the bypass as HWY 20 cuts through downtown Montreal and it is very easy to get stuck in traffic, lost, or both.

Yes, you can drive from Toronto to Quebec City while completely bypassing the island of Montreal, which is a popular choice for those looking to avoid the city's notorious traffic congestion. The most efficient "bypass" route involves taking Highway 401 East from Toronto until you reach the Quebec border, where it becomes Autoroute 20. As you approach the western tip of Montreal, you should exit onto Autoroute 30 East (the Contournement de Montréal). This is a toll highway that swings south of the city, crossing the St. Lawrence River via the Beauharnois Bridge. It allows you to skip the downtown core and the heavily congested bridges like the Champlain or Jacques-Cartier. You will stay on Autoroute 30 until it merges back with Autoroute 20 near Vaudreuil-Dorion or continues toward Sorel-Tracy. Alternatively, you can take Highway 7 from Ontario to join Highway 417 toward Ottawa, then take Autoroute 50 on the north shore of the Ottawa River toward Trois-Rivières, which eventually leads to Quebec City via Autoroute 40, though the Autoroute 30 southern bypass remains the fastest and most direct "non-Montreal" route.