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.
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