Getting to Calgary

The most convenient way to get to Calgary is by air. The city is serviced by Calgary International Airport, the third largest airport in Canada. The airport connects Calgary to the world, with destinations across Canada, the United States and Europe served. Otherwise, getting to Calgary by car is an attractive proposition, as the province of Alberta is covered by an extensive network of primary and secondary highways. Or, you can take a train through the Canadian Rockies.

By car

There are two main routes into Calgary. The north/south Queen Elizabeth II Highway connects Calgary to Edmonton in the north, and to the Montana border at Coutts/Sweetgrass in the south. The major east/west route into Calgary is Highway 1 (the TransCanada Highway). Both routes are excellent, well-maintained, four-lane divided highways. A more scenic route into Calgary is Highway 22 (the Cowboy Trail), which runs parallel to the mountain foothills from the US border north as far as Edmonton.

By rail

Calgary is serviced by VIA Rail Canada (Phone: +1 888 842 7245; website: www.viarail.ca) and Royal Canadian Pacific (Phone: +1 403 508 1407; website: www.cprtours.com), but the nearest VIA Rail station is in Edmonton. The scenic, luxurious, albeit expensive, Rocky Mountaineer train ride to Kamloops, Banff and Calgary from Vancouver operates three times a week from May through September. The trip consists of two days of daylight travel, and includes four meals and overnight accommodation in Kamloops. The Rocky Mountaineer is operated by the Great Rocky Mountaineer Railtours. Phone: +1 800 665 7245; website: www.rockymountaineer.com.

By bus

Calgary can be reached by Greyhound bus (Phone: +1 800 661 8747; website: www.greyhound.ca) from most points in Canada including from Banff and Edmonton as well as towns in the United States. The depot is at 877 Greyhound way SW, west of downtown, near the corner of 9th avenue SW and 16th Street SW. For those who prefer luxury coach travel, Red Arrow Motorcoach (Phone: +1 800 232 1958; website: www.redarrow.ca/home) connects Calgary to Edmonton, Red Deer, and Fort McMurray, with several departures daily.

By air

Calgary’s International Airport receives over 1,300 flights per week and is no more than one stop from every major city in the world. The approximate flight time to Calgary from London is 9 hours, 10 minutes; from New York: 5 hours, 50 minutes (plus transfer); from Los Angeles: 3 hours; from Toronto: 4 hours; and from Sydney: 17 hours, 20 minutes (plus transfer). Once you’ve landed, downtown Calgary is only a 20 to 30-minute car ride from the airport, depending on the time of the day.

Calgary Airport

Calgary International Airport is 17kms northeast of the city centre. The busiest airport in Alberta and the third busiest in Canada, Calgary International is the transport hub for southern Alberta.  The airport handles over eight million passengers every year and boasts the largest civil aviation runway in the country. It is well-appointed with the usual facilities that you would expect from any modern airport such as ATMs, banks and restaurants. Phone: +1 403 735 1372; website: www.calgaryairport.com.

As with any modern airport, Calgary International is equipped with amenities that include duty-free shops, an electronic hotel finder in French and English, a medical clinic, post office, food court and bars. Lost property and baggage storage can be found on the Departures level. Other facilities include a children’s play area, a pet exercise area, smoking lounges and facilities for the disabled. There are lifts and ramps where necessary, and TTY telephones are provided for hearing-impaired travellers. Parking for disabled drivers is available on levels 2 and 4 of the Parkade structure.

Calgary airport transportation

From public transit to luxury limousines, Calgary International Airport offers a full range of ground transportation choices to the city. Calgary Transit provides public bus transportation to and from the airport via route number 57 as well as a service to and from the Whitehorn LRT Station. The Airporter Shuttle Express provides a shuttle service between the airport and downtown Calgary on a scheduled basis. It has a counter on the Arrivals level, adjacent to International Arrivals, and buses depart from bus bay 12 on the Arrivals level.

Airport sedans provide premium transportation service for travellers in luxurious Lincoln town cars, and transfers are available on-demand from the Arrivals level kerb, adjacent to the taxi stands. A number of airport hotels offer a courtesy shuttle service, with guests picked up at bus bays 10 and 11 on the Arrivals level. Off-airport car rental companies also provide a courtesy shuttle service to and from their rental offices. Shuttles pick up customers at bus bay 21 on the Arrivals level. Taxi cabs are also plentiful and await passengers at all hours for the journey to downtown Calgary.