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Travel Information

Getting to Calgary is easy with many transportation options to travel from destinations around the world. With one of the world’s most modern and welcoming airports, getting to Calgary by air is easy with commercial airline access and other options available to travellers.

Flying into Calgary, you will land at the Calgary International Airport, northeast of downtown, and a 25 minute drive to the city centre. You can arrange for a car rental from one of several car rental agencies within the terminal. Just outside the terminal doors, local bus, taxi, limo, wheelchair accessible transportation (arrange in advance) or shuttle services (to a few hotels) are available.

Travelling to Calgary on a luxury train service provided by the Rocky Mountaineer is a popular option for visitors looking for a once in a lifetime experience. Train tours departing from and arriving into Calgary provide a wonderful experience to begin or end your trip.

Getting to Calgary by car is easy with connections to several major highway systems. Calgary is accessible by the Trans-Canada Highway (also known as the #1 Highway) and Alberta Highway 2 (also known as Queen Elizabeth II Highway). These highways link Calgary to Banff, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Edmonton, and the United States border.

Highways into Calgary may face delays due to weather occurrences such as forest fires in the summer and avalanches in the winter. It is advisable to plan ahead and find the latest road reports for Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. You can also check the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) for road reports throughout Alberta and road conditions across the United States of America.

Bus tours are a popular way to travel to Calgary and explore surrounding areas, like the Canadian Rockies, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the Canadian Badlands. Charter a group tour or book a single seat for a safe and reliable way to explore Alberta.

Many shuttle services are available to Calgary and from YYC Calgary International Airport to major hotels and motels. Private group bookings are also a great way to explore Calgary, Kananaskis, Banff, and beyond.

Red Arrow transportation operates intercity bus service in Alberta to Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, and Red Deer, and the Prairie Sprinter provides transportation to Medicine Hat. 

Please note that there is no Greyhound service in Western Canada, including all destinations west of Sudbury.

Calgary is well getting which makes getting around easy! You can choose from their many convenient transportation options below.

Bike Sharing:

Calgary has the most extensive urban pathway and cycle path network in North America, with approximately 850 kilometres of regional pathways and 95 kilometres of trails. Bike lanes run against many major streets in Calgary, including 12 Avenue SW, 8 Avenue SW, and 5 Street SW in the city centre. The popular dockless e-bike sharing program Lime is available in Calgary. Users can download the mobile application, locate, and rent bikes starting at $1.00.

Scooter Sharing:

The city of Calgary has also launched a 16-month electric scooter pilot project. There are two companies that are currently offering e-scooter services in Calgary – Lime and Bird. The scooter share program is also based on a dockless system, and is simple to use. Those looking to rent an e-scooter will need to download the respective app and create an account. Rentals are charged per minute.

Calgary’s public transit network consists of buses and two Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines, known as the C-Train. The C-Train (the ‘C’ stands for Calgary) has 45 stations and is the only emissions-free, wind-powered public transit operation in North America. The C-Train offers a fare-free downtown, where commuters may hop on and off the train along 7th Avenue. Connecting conference delegates to Calgary’s destinations, the C-train conveniently connects to the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre, Stampede Park and all quadrants of the city.

Tickets and passes can be purchased with cash or credit card at all C-Train stations, with cash on the bus (change is not given), or at numerous drug stores, grocery stores, and convenience stores across the city.

Fares:

Fares are valid for 90 minutes; passes are valid for one day.

  • Fares for adults are $3.50 ($11.00 for a day pass
  • Fares for youth (6-17): $2.40 ($8.00 for a day pass)
  • children five and under are free. 

Transit routes operate on varying schedules throughout the city. For complete information and to plan a trip, visit Calgary Transit, or use Google Maps, which is completely integrated with Calgary’s transit system.

Taxis charge a base rate of $3.80 and an additional surcharge at the airport. Most services have online and mobile booking apps. Most cabs accept credit, debit, and cash. 

Limousines and luxury sedans are a great way to begin your stay in Calgary. Transportation from YYC Calgary International Airport to downtown Calgary costs a fixed rate of $46.60. Traditional limousines are also available for general transportation and special occasions from several organizations in the city.

Note: Tipping drivers 10-15 per cent of the total cost of your cab or limousine ride is customary in the area.

Ride sharing is a convenient mode of transportation with several organizations offering the digital service in Calgary. Download the Uber or TappCar (a regional ride share program) mobile applications to book a ride on the spot from a local driver. Memberships from other cities are usually valid for these services in Calgary.

Exploring Calgary by car is a convenient way to discover our communities, or take a quick trip to the Rocky Mountains. To navigate around the city, choose from the various rental car or car sharing companies that operate in Calgary.

Canadians (including dual and Canadian permanent residents) and USA citizens need to only carry a valid passport to travel to and within Canada. However, depending on your country or territory, you may need to obtain a visa OR an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) in addition to holding a valid passport. Find more information regarding entry requirements to Canada here.

The Organizing Committee can provide a letter of invitation to those who require one for visas or other related administrative reasons. This letter aims to only assist participants for their travel to Canada and does not imply any commitment for the Organizing Committee to provide financial support.

To receive a Letter of Invitation, delegates must first register for the Conference and letters will only be issued to attendees who have paid for their registration in full. Please be advised that the Secretariat requires 2-3 business days to process visa invitation letters for payments made by cheque or bank transfer.

It is recommended you start your visa application at least 6 weeks before the event you wish to attend. In the case of payment not made with a credit card, the Secretariat needs to verify the registration payment has been received before providing a letter. Please note that cancellations after the preregistration cutoff may result in a partial or full cancellation fee. 

A visa invitation letter is no guarantee to receive a visa and it is the sole responsibility of the attendee to contact the embassy or consulate to obtain the necessary paperwork for entry into the country.

The Secretariat reserves the right to refuse requests for visa invitation letters submitted less than 6 weeks prior to the event.