Everything you need to know about living, working or studying in Calgary

Getting to Calgary

Air Transat, Air Canada and Westjet are some of the popular airlines that operate flights to Calgary. Sometimes you will have to book a layover in Toronto or Montreal, depending on if your country of origin offers direct flights to Calgary.

Remember that, after getting off the plane, if you’re here for an IEC work or study permit and have flown directly to Calgary, your first step is to get your permit! We detail this process in The arrivals process and your first steps in Canada. The time it takes depends on how long you have to wait for your turn at the automated kiosks, and then how long the queue is in the immigration office.

How to get from the airport to downtown Calgary

Once you are ready to leave the airport, you will need to get to your accommodation in Calgary. By taxi, it costs around CA$45 to reach the heart of Calgary. There are also rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, which serve the airport.

Public transport is the more economical option. The BRT Airport/City Centre 300 bus route is a rapid transit bus that takes you to the city centre. Calgary public transport costs CA$3.70 for a single ticket or CA$11.60 for a day pass. For more information on prices, check the Calgary Transit website.

Bus tickets can be purchased in advance at the 7-Eleven store on Arrivals near Door 11. For more information about where to board, or alternative routes if you are not going downtown, check the Calgary International Airport website.

Public transport

If you’re staying in Calgary long-term, you will want to consider investing in a car. Travel times can immediately double or triple on public transport compared to covering that same distance in a car. If you live on the outskirts of downtown and do not have a car, your public transport options will be even more limited. Although there are buses and trams, there is no subway in Calgary.

The price for an adult single ticket with Calgary Transit is CA$3.70, which lasts 90 minutes. You can change between modes of public transport within that 90 minutes without having to buy a new ticket.

The monthly pass is CA$115.00. Otherwise, you can get a day pass for CA$11.60 or buy booklets of 10 tickets for CA$37.00 if you don’t use public transport that frequently. All options are summarised on the Calgary Transit website.

You can buy tickets and passes online, from ticket machines at certain stations, from certain grocery stores, at customer service centres or City Hall cashiers. Check out your options here.

You can find out the routes and schedules for your chosen mode of transport here.

The different modes of transport

The CTrain

In Calgary, there is no subway. The CTrain is a tram that serves the city via two lines: the red line and the blue line. It is free to ride in the TD Free Fare Zone city centre (from City Hall to 7th Street). Consult the map here for more information on both lines and the TD Free Fare Zone.

The bus

There are a number of bus lines that serve the city. Use the route planner to plan your route and get service updates.The bus service isn’t the best—they aren’t often on time and are pretty terrible in terms of driving, so hold on to your seat!

Cycling in Calgary

Calgary has one of the largest urban cycling networks in Canada. You can easily get around by bike. If you don’t own a bike, you can use the self-service ones in the city. Read more at Shared Micromobility.

You will also easily find advertisements for bicycles to purchase second-hand on Kijiji or Craigslist. If you purchase a bike, be careful and use a lock to avoid having it stolen, as bicycle thefts are unfortunately common.

Walking in Calgary

The downtown area is easily accessible on foot, but it is not an extensive area. A network of footbridges connects buildings together; they are accessible during opening hours and provide protection from the cold on winter days.

Buy or rent a car

Driving licence

If you are staying long-term, your home driving licence (possibly accompanied by an International Driving Permit) is valid in Alberta for 90 days. After this date, you will need to exchange your home licence for an Alberta licence.

Learn more about how to exchange your home licence for a Canadian licence in Everything you need to know to rent a vehicle in Canada.

Buying a car

Purchasing a car is recommended for getting around Calgary easily and for exploring more of Alberta. Remember to assess your budget before committing; you will need to think about the costs of insurance, gas and parking fees.

Before you decide to buy a car, you should also think about wintertime, and whether you are up to the chore of clearing snow and defrosting your windshield in the morning.

For full details, read our guide to Buying a car in Canada.

Car rental

You can use car-sharing services, such as Turo, which is a good alternative if you don’t want to invest in a car. Note that to register, you will usually need a local driving licence, a local credit card and a credit check… which you won’t necessarily have in the first few weeks after you’ve arrived.

Fortunately, in Calgary, all the major “classic” rental companies are also present: Avis, Hertz, Dollar, Budget, etc.