Car Rental in Ottawa

Why rent a car in Ottawa?

Ottawa, Canada’s capital city,  is a great place for renting a car as some of the best things to do in Ottawa lie outside of the city. There’s plenty to enjoy in Ottawa, too, from interesting architecture to classy museums and large public parks. With a rental car, nearby Montreal or Quebec and Ontario’s beautiful national parks are also within your reach.

Top ways to enter Ottawa

• Ottawa Airport: Although not as large as some other airports in Eastern Canada, flying here is still the most convenient way to reach the capital city. Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Airport handled over five million travelers in 2018 and provides flights to all the largest cities in Canada, the United States, and beyond. Located 13 km (8.1 mi) south of the city center, the airport can be reached in about 20 minutes. 
• Montreal Airport: Located just 184 km (114 mi) east of Ottawa, Montreal-Trudeau Airport has flights to and from many destinations in North America, as well as in Europe, Africa, and Asia. The airport is expected to handle 20 million travelers in 2019 for the first time in its history.
• Toronto Pearson Airport: With 49 million served passengers in 2018, Toronto Airport is by far the largest in Canada and one of the busiest in the Americas. A hub for Air Canada, West Jet, and a number of other companies, the airport has flights to and from all inhabited continents of the world. Located 460 km (285 mi) southwest of Ottawa, Toronto Airport can be reached in about 4 hours and 30 minutes.

City facts

• Ottawa has a humid continental climate with warm summers, cold winters, and four separate seasons. The average high temperature is 26.6 °C (79.9 °F) in July, the warmest month, and -5.8 °C (21.6 °F) in January, the coldest. Ottawa has rather high precipitation throughout the year. It’s quite rainy from May to October; in winter, the city experiences a lot of snowfall.
• Although Ottawa is Canada’s capital, it is only the fourth most-populated city in the country. Just over 1 million people live in Ottawa and its metropolitan area.A culturally and linguistically diverse city, Ottawa is home to diasporas from all over the world; many indigenous Canadians also live in the city.
• Ottawa borders Gatineau, a city in the Quebec region that is just across the Ottawa River. Together they form the National Capital Region. Unlike Ottawa, Gatineau is overwhelmingly French-speaking.

Top sights and activities

• Parliament Hill. Located in the very center of the city and overlooking the Ottawa River, Parliament Hill is the number one landmark of Canada's capital. Here you can visit the Parliament of Canada, the House of Commons, the Senate, and the recently renovated Library of Parliament. Known simply as The Hill by locals, the former military fort was turned into a governmental hub in the mid-19th century.
• Canada Museum of Nature. Full of artifacts, fossils, and fascinating stories, this modern and interactive museum is the best place to learn about Canada's history, geology, and animals. First established more than 160 years ago, this is nowadays one of the most modern and advanced cultural institutions of its kind in North America. Visit the museum’s official website to learn more. 
• National Gallery. Worth visiting for its unique building alone, the National Gallery is home to some of Canada's finest artworks. Covering both classical and contemporary art, it features works by practically all of the most notable Canadian masters, as well as artists of international fame such as Botticelli, Matisse, and Turner.
• Rideau Canal. If you’re visiting Ottawa during the colder months of the year, be sure to try ice skating on the city’s canal. Often frozen over for months, skating on the Rideau Canal is one of the favorite pastimes of locals and tourists alike. Near the canal, you’ll find skate rental places, as well as cafes to keep you fuelled while you’re on the ice.
• Canada Aviation and Space Museum. Established way back in the 1960s, this is one of the best museums of its kind in Canada. Appropriately located at Ottawa–Rockcliff, the oldest airport in Canada, the museum displays a huge collection of various aircraft, as well as provides an insight into the history of Canadian aviation. The museum (not to be confused with the Macdonald-Cartier–Cartier, which is nowadays the main commercial airport serving the capital) is just a 15-minute drive south of the city center.
• Dominion Arboretum. Part of the Central Experimental Farm, an urban farm and a research center, the Dominion is one of the most interesting green areas in the city. Taking up a relatively small area that borders the Rideau Canal, as well as Dow’s Lake, it nonetheless has about 1,700 different tree species and also includes the Ornamental Gardens known for its winter–hardy roses and other types of flowers. Quite centrally located, the arboretum is just a short distance southeast of the city center.

Traffic and parking

• The speed limits vary between different roads. The general limits are 90 km/h to 110 km/h on motorways and outside cities and from 30 km/h to 50 km/h inside cities.
• The legal alcohol limit is 0.05%. Driving under influence exceeding the limit is a criminal offence and can lead to hefty fines, a driving ban, and even imprisonment.
• The insurance and car documentation needs to be in the car whenever you’re driving.
• If you’re the driver, you need to have your license with you at all times.
• Using the mobile phone while driving is prohibited. The rule is strictly imposed with high fines.
• The phone number for emergencies is 911.

Toll roads

There are a number of toll roads in eastern Canada. 

Ontario Highway 407 is toll road for which you can only pay electronically. As you will be driving a rental car, the bill will be automatically sent to your rental car provider. The exact fee will depend on how long will you drive along this road. Some rental providers do include an additional toll charge fee. Do get in touch with your rental car provider in advance to find out more. Visit the official Highway 407 website to find out more information about fees and payment methods.

Highway 412 is another toll road in Ontario. It is part of the same toll system as the Highway 407. The exact fee will depend on the time of the day and the day of the week of your travel, as well as the length of your travel along this road. 

There are some other toll roads in Ontario. Do look them up in advance depending on your planned route. 

In the rest of Canada, payment method and fees differ for different toll roads. It is best to look them up in advance, finding the information for each province in which you plan to travel. You can also use a toll calculator to calculate the approximate fees for your upcoming ride.

Ideas for day trips

• Montreal. The capital of French-speaking Canada, nearby Montreal is one of the most interesting cities of North America thanks to its unique history, culture, and atmosphere.
• Algonquin Provincial Park. This nature area is about 240 km (150 mi) from Ottawa, but the rather long road is nevertheless worth traveling. The park is home to countless fauna and flora  species associated with Canada, from moose, white-tailed deer, bears, and great grey owls to sugar maple. 
• Gatineau. Just across the river, Gatineau's main attraction is the famous Canadian Museum of History. Previously called Canadian Museum of Civilization, it tells the long story of human settlement in Canada, from First Nations migrating on the Bering Strait to Vikings settling on the eastern coast and Western European colonists arriving 500 years ago. 

Most popular cars

The most picked rental car in Canada is the Kia Rio, although travelers also love the Jeep Wrangler and the Nissan Rogue. The most popular rental car types are economy, intermediate, and fullsize. The latter can be a good choice if you plan to travel outside Ottawa and into nature areas.

Further destinations

• Toronto. About a  four-hour drive southwest of Ottawa, Ontario's (and Canada’s) largest city is a great place to visit thanks to its unique neighborhoods, bustling arts scene, and hip atmosphere. Don’t miss out on landmarks like the CN Tower and Black Creek Pioneer Village, then drive to explore nearby Niagara.
• Quebec. Located right across the river from Ottawa, the mainly French-speaking region of Quebec is not just the aforementioned Montreal. Attractions of this culturally distinct region include its sophisticated capital, Quebec City, whale-watching in Saguenay, and no fewer than 22 national parks.
• The United States. Vast, culturally fascinating, and with endless things to see and do, you might naturally feel tempted to visit Canada’s southern neighbor. Famous cities like Detroit, Boston, and New York are all a seven-to-eight-hour drive away from Ottawa. There are car rental companies that permit cross-border travel (you can find those by inserting car pickup and dropoff locations on our website), but you should check to see if you need a visa to visit the United States.

Car rental prices in Ottawa

• Small cars - from $56 per day
• Large cars - from $26 per day
• SUVs - from $26 per day
• Medium cars - from $35 per day
• Vans - from $89 per day
• Premium cars - from $83 per day

Money-saving and other tips

Follow these tips to get a good rental car deal in in Ottawa:

• Compare rates of different rental car providers
• Book your rental car well in advance
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit on the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Ottawa is the cheapest in March when renting a car is about 59% cheaper than the yearly average.