Jericho79

We're moving to Calgary (from NS) soon, and looking at areas in the NW/SW of the city. I'll be working downtown and getting the c-train/bus (hopefully).

Can anyone give me some idea as to the commute times. I'm planning to work 8 to 4 ish.
Also considering areas like Cochrane or Okotoks, but I want to make sure i'm not spending hours a day on a bus.

Thanks for your help.

haggis88

i don't know about Cochrane or Okotoks, but there's a shuttle runs from Airdrie into downtown Calgary in the morning, then one back at night...but its only once per day and doesn't go the other way...i imagine Okotoks and Cochrane will be similar

As for commute times, i'm in NW Calgary and it would take me about 30-45 mins to get downtown in non-rush hour on a bus (well 2 buses actually lol)

Flossie and Jim

Most people seem to start around 8am downtown so you'll be travelling at the height of the morning peak. A 4pm finish will probably give you a little head start on the rest of us who finish at 4.30/5.00.

It takes me just under an hour door to door from the NW to the eastern end of downtown but I have to do Bus-CTrain-walk. Its about a 30 minute CTrain ride downtown to Crowfoot (take off 5 mins if you get off at 8th Street), and about 20-25 from Dalhousie. Then add any connector bus or walk on top of that.

If I were looking again for somewhere to live I would check out the communities along the new West LRT line as I believe its a pretty quick line for travelling in and isn't quite as crowded as the more established lines.

Also, don't forget the express bus services too - there's a pretty good service from places like Panorama and Country Hills up in the North down Centre Street.

I think if you drive in from Cochrane then its about 20-25 mins for the drive to Crowfoot, but note there is a big wait list for paid reserved parking spaces at the station - I got on the wait list back in October and since then I've moved up two hundred places and I'm around 900 in the queue!!! To get a free spot you would need to get there at the crack of dawn!

If you can get a free parking space at work it isn't really that bad a drive to downtown. On a heavy traffic day it takes me 30-40 minutes, 20 on a quiet holiday day.

Almost Canadian

Surely the commute time, if you are using the C-Train, will depend upon how far you choose to live from a station.

haggis88

this is the service i use to go downtown, its absolutely brilliant during off-peak times, for activities where one may become intoxicated and can't be arsed waiting for a (very scarce) taxi. You really can't argue with unlimited trips on the bus and train for 90mins for $3

joinerboy

Hi
I live SW and sometimes use the C-train to travel from the NE where I work to the final station in the SW which is 69 st station I live about 10 min drive from 69st. Downtown to 69st takes about 15 mins on the train on average but if your boarding at peek time in the downtown area it can be packed to the doors on most nights.

Almost Canadian

Travelling from the station at Somerset (the most southerly station) to downtown takes about 35 mins. I travel from High River to downtown and the entire journey takes about an hour.

The parking lot at Somerset is full by 6:00 a.m. and, as mentioned above, the waiting list for reserved spots is such that you will be waiting for one for some time.

I have no idea how quickly the parking lots of the stations further north fill.

As you wish to travel at 8:00 a.m., this means that you will either have to have someone drop you off at the station, walk to the station or catch a feeder bus. Most of the feeder buses operate on a 20 minute schedule and, obviously, the further you live from the station, the longer that element of the journey will take.

Many communities also have express routes straight to downtown. The downside with these is that, if you are travelling outside of their scheduled times, they will not work for you.