Quebec City vs. Montreal: Two Distinct Cities

Quebec City and Montreal are two separate cities in the province of Quebec, Canada.

• Quebec City – Provincial capital; historic fortified core (UNESCO); population ~540,000 (metro ~800k).
• Montreal – Largest city in province; economic/cultural hub; population ~1.8M (metro ~4.3M).
• Distance: ~250 km (155 mi) apart; ~2.5–3 hours by car/train (Via Rail).

They differ in character: Quebec City is older, more European, political; Montreal is larger, bilingual, festival-driven, commercial.