Calgary International Airport (YYC) sits about 10 miles northeast of downtown, and Calgary Transit’s Route 300 airport express bus runs directly downtown, though most visitors headed onward to the Rockies plan on a rental car instead.
Chinook Winds Make Winter Unpredictable
Calgary’s winters can swing dramatically thanks to chinook winds, warm air currents off the Rockies that occasionally push temperatures up by 20 degrees Celsius or more within a day. Summers are pleasant and dry, and July brings the Calgary Stampede, one of the world’s largest rodeos, which drives the year’s biggest crowds and highest rates.
The Gateway to the Canadian Rockies
Most visitors heading to Banff National Park, about 90 minutes west, or Lake Louise fly into Calgary first, making it as much a launching point for mountain trips as a destination of its own.
Getting Around Once You Land
The C-Train light rail covers downtown and several neighborhoods well, and the Plus 15 network of enclosed skywalks connects much of downtown above street level, useful during Calgary’s cold months.
Search live fares to Calgary above, and plan a rental car if the Rockies are part of your trip.