Tour bus and motorhome parking

Free tour bus parking is available at the following locations:

• Commissioner Street (East Side) between Albert Street and Wellington Street
• Metcalfe Street (East Side) between Argyle Avenue and McLeod Street
• Carling Avenue (South Side) between Preston Street and Booth Street
• Princess Avenue (South Side) between Sussex Avenue and Rideau Gate

Tour bus parking permits allow parking for up to 24 hours at any on-street paid tour bus parking space identified by a yellow tour bus meter or paybyphone tour bus space. Each permit is valid for a maximum period of 24 consecutive hours without having to pay the hourly rate.

Tour bus parking permits are now available using paybyphone! Using the paybyphone app, use location code 103000 to purchase a 24 hour tour bus permit. The location code is valid at all paid on-street tour bus parking spaces.

Tour bus permits remain available for purchase online for in-person pickup.

The tour bus parking map is available to print or download.

• Tour buses must depart immediately after dropping off and/or picking up passengers on Wellington St.
• Please note that tour buses cannot stop, park or load passengers on Parliament Hill at any time.

A map of tour bus loading and unloading zones around Parliament Hill is available to print or download. 

Tour buses can drop off visitors in the lay-by area adjacent to the site on Princess Avenue, next to the main entrance gate on Sussex Drive. Drivers must remain with their buses during the tours. Visitors may enter onto the site by nearby entrance gates located on Sussex Drive. For more information, contact the Rideau Hall Visitors Services Office at 613-991-4422 or 1-866-842-4422.

You must get permission from the museum before parking (please contact the museum for hours).

• Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
  • Paid overnight parking available.
• Canadian Aviation and Space Museum
  • Paid overnight parking available.
• Canadian Museum of History
  • No parking available on-site.
  • Free tour bus parking available at:
    • Robert-Guertin Arena, 125 rue de Carillon, Gatineau, Québec
• Canadian Museum of Nature
  • Four spaces available on Metcalfe Street across from the museum.
• Canadian War Museum
  • In front of the main entrance of the War Museum and Vimy Place: 3-hour maximun.
• Diefenbunker Museum
  • Five spaces available inside the Bunker Gates from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Tour bus parking is permitted at the following beaches: 

• Mooney’s Bay, at the yellow tour bus meters, between 7 am and 6 pm
• Petrie Island, between 7 am and 6 pm

In accordance with the Idling Control By-law (No. 2024-437), tour buses cannot leave their engines running for more than three minutes when the exterior temperature is between 0°C and 27°C, including Humidex. When it is colder or hotter than these temperatures, idling is limited to ten minutes. These idling limits do not apply to tour buses when passengers are embarking or disembarking. Learn more about reducing idling in Ottawa.

Motorhomes cannot park in any City parking lots. Free parking for motorhomes is available at the following locations:

• Rideau Carleton Raceway, 4837 Albion Road
  • Register with the Casino Courtesy desk.
  • Overnight parking is not permitted.
• Walmart, 3651 Strandherd Drive
  • Overnight parking available.
  • Confirm with the store manager during store hours:
    • Monday to Sunday: 7 am to 11 pm
• Casino du Lac Leamy, 1 Boulevard du Casino, Gatineau, Quebec
  • Available from 8:30 am to 4 pm.