edit Calgary Travel Guide

By plane

By train

By car

By bus

By boat

By transit (train/bus)

Calgary's public transit system was first established in 1909 as the Calgary Municipal Railway. Since then, it has developed into an efficient, fast, and extensive transit system. In particular, it was significantly built up in preparation for the 1988 Winter Olympics. They have a light rail transit system called the C-Train (LRT) that runs faithfully and frequently. In the downtown core, you can ride the C-Train for 14 city blocks for free, along the length of 7th Avenue. There are three spurs of LRT track meeting in the downtown along 7th Avenue; line 201 starts in the far south (at Somerset-Bridlewood station), travels to the downtown, then exits the downtown to the northwest, travelling to Dalhousie Station. Line 202 starts in the northeast at Whitehorn Station, and travels into the downtown, ending at 10th Avenue Station within the downtown. Trains are marked with the end station they are travelling to; a 'Somerset' train leaves Dalhousie Station, travels south into the downtown, then south to Somerset station (where it turns around to become a 'Dalhousie' train). Unfortunately, the LRT does not serve the Calgary International Airport.

Although buses come along somewhat less often, and tend to serve commuters more than tourists, it is still possible to get around to the main places without too much difficulty. Bus routes are numbered, and generally designed to connect with the downtown or with an LRT station. Trains run every 10 minutes (5 minutes or less in rush hour), serving from around 4 AM to 1 AM. Major bus routes may run as early as 5 AM and late as 1 AM, but many more only operate until 8 or 9 PM, or, worse, during rush hours only. Bus frequencies can be as low as one per hour, although 30 minutes is more common.

Transit tickets are $2.25 for adults, and permit 90 minutes of travel connecting to any transit line. It is possible to buy packets of 10 tickets for a flat rate of $19.50 at any convenience store. The C-Train is on the honor system, although inspectors do occasionally check riders for valid tickets, with expensive fines ($150 or more) being charged. Travel on the C-Train in the downtown free fare zone is free of charge.

Information about the Transit System is available on the Calgary Transit Web Page, or by phoning their information line (403)262-1000 from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM, local time.

By car

Many people can be confused or lost when they first drive around in Calgary. Not because the streets are confusing, but rather because Calgary is laid out into four quadrants (North-East, South-East, South-West and North-West) and the type of road (Street or Avenue) matters in terms of direction (streets go north-south, avenues go east-west). Once you understand the layout of the city, you will find it very easy to navigate.

Calgary is divided into its quadrants at Centre Ave and Centre St. Being north of Centre Ave means you are in the northern quadrants and being east of Centre St means you are in the eastern quadrants. All street and avenue numbers radiate out from centre so being on 17th ave SW is fairly close to centre while being on 52nd St NE is not.

Most of Calgary's roads are numbered, the only time when they are not numbered is when the road is very important (usually called a Trail) or if they are the side streets in some community. The layout of Calgary's roads is rectangular with very few roads that aren't straight.

Pathways, bikeways and pedestrian-friendly areas

With approximately 635 km of pathways and 260 km of on-street bikeways within its boundaries, The City of Calgary boasts the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America. Pathway maps are available online or at Calgary Co-op stores. Downtown, there are many pathways along the rivers and park areas. Use common sense at dusk and at night, particularly on the east side of downtown along the river.

Cycling

Calgary has a good network of off-street bike paths, although motorists are sometimes less-than-courteous. Weather is unpredictable, and snowy cycling conditions may occur anytime from September to May. Bike racks are fairly common, especially in shopping areas. Calgary Transit has bike racks at C-Train stations and allows bikes on the C-Trains during off-peak hours. Some bike routes also have buses equipped to accomodate bicycles with racks on the front. Cyclists must remember that they must obey the same rules of the road as other vehicles. Cyclists under 18 are required to wear a helmet.

The most heavily travelled bike path (and one worth a recreational ride) are along the Bow and Elbow River, especially the path along the Bow from Crowchild Trail to the Zoo. Another major pathway extends north up Nose Creek valley, including two places to cross Deerfoot Trail. While there is a pathway that leads to the airport, connecting to it requires crossing an industrial area, which is not recommended for novice cyclists. Cyclists are not permitted on Stephen Avenue Mall or Deerfoot Trail.

Walking

Downtown Calgary is a compact area which is easily accessible on foot. The pathway system, Eau Claire Market area and Stephen Avenue Mall (8th Avenue) are the primary walking destinations of downtown workers in the warmer months. In the wintertime, everyone navigates their way around the downtown core via the Plus 15 system, so called because the enclosed walkways joining buildings are approximately 15 feet above ground.

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