Train de Charlevoix runs June 5 to November 1, 2026 between Québec City and La Malbaie. Route, timetable and tips to make the most of it.
Between Québec City and La Malbaie, Route 138 is the obvious choice for hurried travellers — but a slower alternative deserves attention. The Train de Charlevoix runs along the Saint Lawrence River for nearly 140 kilometres, almost at water level. The 2026 season runs from June 5 to November 1, and this is probably the most leisurely way to arrive in Charlevoix — or to leave it. The eastern terminus is in La Malbaie itself — a natural entry point for anyone who would rather start a stay in Charlevoix without driving.
The river line: 140 km of panoramic window
The track follows the edge of the Saint Lawrence from the eastern outskirts of Québec City, passing beneath Cap Tourmente, then climbing gently as the shoreline gets steeper. The cars are built for the scenery: oversized windows, seats angled toward the river, light onboard service. It is a way of travelling that values time over speed — count roughly four and a half hours for the full Québec–La Malbaie route with stops.
The capes that scroll past are not anonymous. Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, Cap-aux-Oies, the Isle-aux-Coudres opposite, the sand coves where the tide pulls back — this is precisely the coastline that twentieth-century Charlevoix painters put on the map. Seeing it from a train window, without a windshield between you and the landscape, shifts the scale of observation.
2026 season: June 5 to November 1
The 2026 season opens early — in early June — and runs until the very beginning of November, covering late spring, summer and autumn. The fall colours of September and October turn the trip into one of the most photogenic train rides in Quebec, and that is also when traffic peaks: book early for autumn departures. In summer, midweek runs (Tuesday, Wednesday) tend to be the most comfortable if you would rather travel in a quieter car.
The route: Québec, Baie-Saint-Paul, Saint-Irénée, La Malbaie
The morning departure is from the Chute-Montmorency station on the eastern edge of Québec City — around 8 a.m. for the full La Malbaie service. A technical halt lands the train in Baie-Saint-Paul around 10:30, then it heads farther east. Saint-Irénée is an intermediate stop — convenient for anyone visiting the Domaine Forget festival in summer — before reaching La Malbaie in the early afternoon.
The Baie-Saint-Paul stop is one of the most used. The town is compact, its art galleries and the Charlevoix microbrewery within walking distance of the station. Many travellers spend a few hours in town before catching the second leg, the Baie-Saint-Paul–La Malbaie section offering the line's most spectacular views.
How to use it from La Malbaie
For anyone staying in Cap-à-l'Aigle or La Malbaie, two scenarios work especially well.
A day return to Baie-Saint-Paul. Shorter — roughly an hour and a half each way — it leaves a full day in town for galleries, restaurants and the microbrewery, with a late-afternoon return facing the river. It is an elegant option for guests who would rather not drive.
Arriving in Charlevoix by train. Rather than driving the 138 from Québec, some travellers leave their car in the city and arrive by rail. Transfer services pick up passengers at the La Malbaie station and take them to their lodging. It is probably the most poetic way to enter the region — four hours watching the river, and arrival without having touched a steering wheel.
Practical: tickets, bags and alternatives
Booking is online at traindecharlevoix.com or by phone (1-833-616-7135). Several formats exist: one-way, day return, packages combined with lodging or activities. Bags are allowed on board; for longer stays with bulky luggage, a quick call to the ticket office confirms the modalities. Onboard catering is light — coffee, pastries, sandwiches; nothing industrial, but not a full gastronomic meal either. Plan to eat before boarding, or save room for a proper lunch on arrival in Baie-Saint-Paul or La Malbaie. A light fleece is also worth packing: the car climate is cooler than a midsummer afternoon in town, especially on east-bound stretches when the sun shifts off the river.
The driving alternative remains. The 138 is faster (about an hour and a half non-stop between Québec and La Malbaie); the scenic 362 between Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie is the prettier road. A useful compromise: arrive by car, return by train (or the reverse). You get the flexibility of a vehicle to explore back roads and the slow pace of the rail for the river's broader picture.
For a first stay, our Charlevoix chalet rental guide covers the main logistical questions, and our things to do in Charlevoix overview gives a framework for planning days once the car (or train) is parked. The slow rhythm of the trip carries naturally into the rest of the day — a late glass on a terrace, a walk along the river, and the stay is underway.
To rent two luxury chalets in La Malbaie (Cap-à-l'Aigle), Charlevoix, Charlevoix Chalets offers Le Littoral chalet with heated pool, sauna and spa and L'Embâcle chalet with heated pool and spa. Book your stay online or call 418-476-1442.