Welcome to Calgary
Calgary is a city rich with beautiful landscapes, picturesque skylines, and urban vibrancy. It’s a place on the fringe - familiar, but largely undiscovered. From its bustling downtown to character-filled neighbourhoods, along winding rivers and inside every welcoming venue, Calgary is full of secrets, surprises, and stories — and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet!
Not only a business centre and an outstanding event destination, the Blue Sky City also has a dynamic array of experiences that allow visitors endless opportunities for adventure and to live in the moment. In the downtown alone, you can discover over 1,000 shops, 200 restaurants, and 50 entertainment spots. Within the city there are also 8,000 hectares of open space and parkland to explore. Plus, the spectacular Canadian Rockies are only an hour’s drive from the city centre.
With one of the world’s most modern airports, world-class accommodations and venues, an exploding culinary, arts and culture scene, and an impressive list of attractions and activities to suit every type of visitor, Calgary is a city that delivers a remarkable experience from arrival to departure.
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About Tourism Calgary
Tourism Calgary is the official destination management organization for Calgary's tourism industry. For more than 60 years, the organization’s primary purpose has been to promote Calgary and area as the destination of choice. With a vision of making Calgary the ultimate host city, Tourism Calgary markets the city locally, nationally, and internationally and advocates for
its ongoing development as a destination. The organization hosts and attracts visitors, conventions and events, and activates the city by fostering the growth of shareable, memorable
experiences. In 2023, Calgary saw an estimated 8.4 million visitors and a resulting visitor spend of $2.9 billion.
Calgary Fast Facts
- Calgary has over 850 km of paved pathways... bring your sneakers for a picturesque run
along the Bow or Elbow rivers.
- The sunniest of Canada’s metropolitan cities, Calgary enjoys an average of 333 days of
sunshine each year.
- The Bow River is the 3rd best spot for trout fishing in the world.
- Calgary is within an hour’s drive of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and close to four other UNESCO World Heritage sites: Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park and Dinosaur Provincial Park.
- 200,000+ free pancakes are served during the Calgary Stampede.
- Alberta does not have a provincial sales tax.
- Chinook winds can warm a winter day by as much as 15°C (59°F).
Getting Around Calgary
Public Transit
The backbone of Calgary’s transit system is the C-Train, a light-rail train system that runs NW to SE and SW to NE. The downtown core is a Free Fare Zone, allowing passengers to travel
between hotels, restaurants, and events free of charge. The University of Calgary, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and Stampede Park are some of the major stops outside city
centre.
Regular bus and C-Train tickets are purchased at YYC or paid by cash on the bus or at the
station.
For more information, visit calgarytransit.com.
Car Rentals
Rental cars are available in a variety of sizes and for any duration you wish in Calgary. Rental offices are located throughout Calgary, with a cluster of car rental desks at YYC Calgary
International Airport and throughout downtown Calgary.
Taxis, Limousines & Ride Sharing
Taxis charge a base rate and an additional surcharge at the airport. Most services have online and mobile booking apps. Stands are located at YYC and at most downtown hotels. Connecting from YYC to downtown will take approximately 25 minutes.
Limousines and luxury sedans charge a fixed rate and are a great way to begin your stay in Calgary. Limousines and sedans are available for transportation from YYC as well as general
transportation and special occasions from several organizations in the city.
Ride sharing is a convenient mode of transportation with Uber offering the digital service in Calgary. Download the Uber mobile app to book a ride on the spot from a local driver.
Bike & E-Scooters
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. Dockless electric scooter sharing programs are available in Calgary. Users can use a variety of mobile apps to locate and rent e-scooters across the downtown core.
Explore Calgary on Foot
The downtown core is very walkable, with plenty of wayfinding signage to guide you to attractions, restaurants, and public art. Calgary also has the world’s largest elevated, climate-
controlled pedestrian pathway — 18 km (11 miles) long, to be exact. The +15 (pronounced Plus 15) links over 100 downtown office buildings and shopping centres. In most buildings, the +15
can be accessed on the second floor — watch for the blue +15 signage.
Getting to Calgary
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 simple with commercial airline access and other options available to travellers. As one of Canada’s largest airports, YYC Calgary International Airport welcomes millions of visitors to Calgary each year. YYC is a hub for major Canadian airlines Air Canada and WestJet and offers direct flights within Canada and to the USA, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Central America. With two in-terminal hotels, several restaurants, and a brand-new international terminal, flying in and out of Calgary is a great experience for travellers from around the world. As a premier shopping destination, YYC boasts more than 135 shops and services for business and leisure travellers to enjoy.
The international airport is conveniently located in the northeast of Calgary, approximately 25 minutes from the downtown core.
Helpful Links
There’s a lot to see and do in Calgary and a lot of information to process. Here are a few helpful links:
