Calgary C-Train

Calgary C-Train Information

A light rail transit system operating in the city of Calgary in the Canadian state of Albania, the C-Train has been open to commuters since the month of May, 1981. Operated by the Calgary transport Corporation, it is a part of the transportation department under the municipal government of Calgary.

The C-Train service in Calgary receives high patronage from commuters and has been ranked as the third busiest of North America’s light rail transit services, coming in behind the likes of the Streetcar System in Toronto and Guadalajara Light Rail System in Mexico.

Calgary C-Train Routes

C Train operates two routes and serves 45 stations over a track length of 58.5 km (36.4 miles). Route 201 operates between Somerset / Bridlewood and Crowfoot. It has two lines, the South line and the Northwest line. South line serves eleven stations while Northwest line has nine stations. Route 202 runs between Saddletown-69 Street SW. It has two lines, the Northeast line and the West line. The Northeast line serves ten stations and the West line has six stations.
With a route length that amounts to a total of fifty-six kilometers, the C-Train service is served by two different routes. The Canadian Pacific Railway Line and light rail track are connected to one another by means of a track switch located close to Heritage Station. Route 201 is the longer of the two routes at thirty-three kilometers long and serves the northwestern and southern territories of Calgary. At a length of only twenty-six kilometers, the shorter Route 202 traverses the western and northeastern sections of the city. Tracks are either elevated or located at an underground level with most of the trains being powered by an electric supply from overhead.

The two individual routes of the C-Train service are further divided into separate lines. Route 201divides into the Northwest Line and South Line, running over thirteen and seventeen kilometers respectively. The South Line has eleven stations while there are only eight stops along the Northwest segment of the route length. The South Line initially began operations in 1981 with only seven stations before a couple of subsequent expansions increased the station count to eleven. Similarly, the Northwest Line was opened for commuter service in 1987 with only five stations. Expansions were undertaken subsequently with the last of them taking place in 2009 to increase the total number of stations to eight.

Route 202 is also made up of two lines: the eight kilometer long West Line and the sixteen kilometer long Northeast Line. The former has only six stations and the latter features as many as ten stations along the way. The Northeast route commenced operations in 1987 with seven stations while the West Line has been opened as recently as 2010.

Calgary C-Train Timings and Schedule

The train service operates all 365 days of the year, and runs from around 5:00 am till 1:00 am.
For detailed information on the schedule of the trains, you can visit the official website at: http://www.calgarytransit.com/schedules-maps

Calgary C-Train Map

Map of C-Train showing its lines and stations, click on the map to enlarge it or Download C-Train Map in PDF.

Calgary C-Train Tickets, Fares and Pass

There is only one fare zone on Calgary Transit and it is standard on various modes of public transport like the C Train, BRT and buses. A single ticket for adult when purchased with cash costs $3.15 while for youth costs $2.10. Booklet of tickets can also be purchased. A book of 10 adult regular tickets costs $31.50 and a book of 10 youth tickets costs $21.00. Various passes are also available that provide unlimited rides for the specific duration. A Day Regular Pass for adults costs $9.50 while a Youth Day Pass costs $6.75. These passes can be purchased from vending machines at all C Train stations. An Adult Monthly Pass can be purchased for $99.00 and a Youth Monthly Pass costs $60.00. A Low income monthly pass costs $44.00.

A Senior citizen (aged 65 years and above) Yearly Pass costs $95.00, which is the regular rate, while the reduced rate for this pass is $15.00.

Calgary C-Train Rules and Tips

Park and ride spaces are provided at most of the C Train stations. More than 13,000 parking spaces are available at these stations. Parking is provided on first come first serve basis. Parking lots can also be reserved by booking them online. Customers can park their cars in the reserved lots between 2:00 am to 10:00 am. After 10:00 am on weekdays, and on weekends and public holidays, the parking lots are free. For security, these parking lots are also patrolled by the Transit Public Safety officers and the Calgary Parking Authority officers.

Calgary C-Train Rules and Tips

The Calgary C-Train system has 6 tips in particular called the Transit 101, to make the journey more enjoyable.
The first tip of Calgary Transit 101 is Understanding, the network provides you with certain tools that help you locate exactly where you want to go. The second tip is Accessing, provides information on various options to access the transit. The third tip is Waiting, helps you plan your trip and avoid any wastage of time. The fourth tip is Paying, the metro network has a wide variety of payment options to choose from. The fifth tip is Riding, it mentions certain etiquettes to be maintained while riding the metro service. The sixth and the last tip is Connecting, it helps you use the transit to take you wherever you want to go.

Most of the stations have areas to park bicycles. However, during peak hours on weekdays, they are not allowed to be taken in the trains. The peak hours being 06:30-9:00 am and 15:00-18:00 pm. On weekends and holidays there are no such restrictions.