Edmonton Light Rail Transit — Map, Lines, Route, Hours, Tickets

Edmonton’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) is a commercial transit system consisting of two lines, the Capital and Metro Lines. This system connects to the city’s bus routes. LRT service runs weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. The cost of a standard adult ticket is CAD 3.25 and is also valid for bus travel. The LRT does not provide direct access to the airport; however, passengers can access the airport via connecting bus services.

The Edmonton Metro, also known as the LRT, is a public transit system serving Edmonton, Canada. The Metro system serves approximately 101,000 passengers per day.

The Edmonton Metro does not operate 24 hours a day and the trains are not driverless. The trains are not air-conditioned and passengers cannot walk between platforms. There are no screen doors on the platforms.

It is operated by the Edmonton Transit System. The fare for a single trip is $3.25. The maximum speed of the trains is 70km/h.

Metro map of Edmonton

Map of Edmonton Metro showing different lines. Click on the map to enlarge it or download the Edmonton Metro map in PDF format.

About Edmonton City

Edmonton is a major Canadian city with a population of around 800,000. Despite its bustling downtown and urban development, the city retains its rural and cowboy history as it sits amidst vast cattle ranches.

The city is part of the Calgary-Edmonton Corridor, one of Canada’s four most populous regions, home to half the country’s population. As the capital of Alberta, Edmonton became a cultural, educational and economic centre after the oil boom of 1947.

This boom led to significant population growth, transforming Edmonton from a tranquil western Canadian town to a metropolis. The metamorphosis of the city led to an increased demand for public services, especially public transport.

Development of the LRT System

In 1962, city officials commissioned a national firm to study the feasibility of a large-scale transit system to meet the needs of the burgeoning population.

In 1974, after extensive research, the decision was made to proceed with the project, which involved the construction of a medium-capacity, rapid tram system at a cost of 64 million Canadian dollars.

The Light Rail Transit, as it became known, opened in 1978 with a modest 6.9 kilometres of track. Since its inception, the LRT system has steadily expanded and currently boasts 24 kilometres of track, 18 stations, two operating lines and another line under construction.

Lines

Edmonton’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) system consists of two commercial lines.

The Capital Line, the first of the two, runs from the northeast to the south of Edmonton, passing through the city centre. It is 21 kilometres long and has 15 stations.

The second line, called the Metro Line, runs parallel to the Capital Line on the same route. It runs to the north-west of the city centre. This line is 16 kilometres long and has 14 stations.

Although light rail trains usually run on the surface, Edmonton’s LRT system runs on both surface and underground tracks. This unique feature significantly increased construction costs.

Stations

Bay/Enterprise Square: Served by both the Capital and Metro lines, this station is located on Jasper Avenue between 103 Street and 104 Street.
Belvedere: Opened in 1978, this station is served by the Capital Line and is located between 129 Avenue and Fort Road.
Central: Located on Jasper Avenue between 100 Street and 101 Street, this station is served by both the Capital and Metro lines.
Century Park: Opened in 2010, this station is located on 111 Street, near 23 Avenue. It is served by both the Capital and Metro lines.
Churchill: Opened in 1978, this station is located between 99 Street and 102 Avenue and is served by both the Capital and Metro Lines.
Clareview: Opened in 1981, this station is served exclusively by the Capital Line. It is located near 42 Street and 139 Avenue.
Coliseum: Opened in 1978, this station is only served by the Capital Line. It is located at 78 Street and 118 Avenue, near the Northlands Coliseum sports complex.
Corona: Opened in 1983, this station is located on Jasper Avenue between 107 Street and 108 Street. It serves both the Capital and Metro lines.
Grandin: Service at this station began in 1989. It is located at 110 Street, between 99 Avenue and 98 Avenue. This station serves both the Capital and Metro lines.
Health Sciences/Jubilee: Opened in 2006, this station is located just off 114 Street, near 83 Avenue, and is adjacent to the University of Alberta campus.
Kingsway/Royal Alex: Opened in 2015, this station is located near the Royal Alexandra Hospital, north of Kingsway Avenue. It is a stop on the Metro Line.
MacEwan: Opened in 2015, this station is located in front of MacEwan University on 105 Avenue, between 103 Street and 104 Street. It is a stop on the Metro Line.
McKernan/Belgravia: Located on 114 Street at the intersection of 76 Avenue, this station serves both the Capital and Metro lines.
NAIT: Opened in 2015, this station is located on Princess Elizabeth Avenue, just south of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology sports complex. It is a stop on the Metro Line.
South Campus/Fort Edmonton Park: Located south of the University of Alberta campus at 113 Street, this station serves both the Capital and Metro lines.
Southgate: This station is located near the Southgate Centre mall at 51 Avenue and 111 Street. It serves both the Capital and Metro lines.
Stadium: In operation since 1978, this station is located between 111 Avenue and 84 Street and serves both the Capital and Metro lines.
University: Opened in 1992, this station is located between 112 Street and 89 Avenue and serves both the Capital and Metro lines.

Connections

Several of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations provide connections with various bus routes throughout Edmonton. Here’s a comprehensive list of the stations where transfers can be made:

Belvedere: Connects with buses from routes 180, 99, 10, 181, 186, 512, 125, 152, 153, and 154. School bus connections include routes 620, 844, and 849.
Century Park: Connects with buses from routes 47, 347, 24, 324, 48, 540, 331, 79, 9, 747, 78, 46, 39, 339, 74, 1, 23, 25, 30, 35, 36, 37, 77, 17, 40, and 46. School bus connections include routes 613, 790, 791, 795, 885, 887, 888, 889, 892, 923, 972, 976, and 979.
Clareview: Connects with buses from routes 181, 512, 192, 193, 2, 149, 188, 190, 184, 580, 381, 2, 195, 137, 183, 185, 11, 10, 186, 187, and 302. School bus connections include routes 603, 844, 845, 849, and 903.
Coliseum: Connects with buses from routes 8, 141, 142, 10, 99, 125, 512, 39, 5, 8, 143, and 589. School bus connections include routes 620, 750, and 940.
Grandin: Connects with buses from routes 16, 52, 71, 160, 161, 162, 128, 130, 413, 403, 204, and 208.
Kingsway/Royal Alex: Connects with buses from routes 8, 125, 143, 9, 12, 309, 202, and 203. School bus connections include routes 731, 822, 837, and 858.
South Campus/Fort Edmonton Park: Connects with buses from routes 562, 50, 53, 55, 32, 4, 30, 36, 43, 595, 139, 104, 105, 106, 54, and 138. School bus connections include routes 697, 728, 735, 738, 828, and 926.
Southgate: Connects with buses from routes 9, 17, 40, 41, 44, 45, 74, 301, 50, 53, 55, 319, 33, 38, 80, 52, 6, and 304. School bus connections include routes 786, 787, 790, 791, 795, 820, 886, 888, 889, 890, 895, and 923.
Stadium: Connects with buses from routes 2, 125, 512, and 120. School bus connections include routes 837 and 858.
University: Connects with buses from routes 4, 7, 54, 57, 94, 318, 106, 133, 51, 414, and 404. School bus connections include routes 735, 739, 763, and 926.

Schedule

Edmonton’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) service is extensive, but not round-the-clock.

LRT service begins at 5:00 a.m. and continues without interruption until 1:00 a.m. The schedule remains the same throughout the week, including Saturdays and Sundays. However, the frequency of trains varies according to the time of day.

During peak periods, between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., trains stop at stations every five or ten minutes on the Clareview to downtown Edmonton route.

The same trip takes 15 minutes during off-peak hours.

Trains from Century Park to downtown Edmonton arrive every five minutes during peak periods. The off-peak frequency is 10 minutes. After 22:00, trains arrive every 15 minutes.

Fares

Light Rail Transit operates on an integrated fare system managed by the Edmonton Transit Authority. This means that public transit tickets and reloadable cards are valid on both light rail and bus routes. Here are the different ways to pay:

Youth Passes:

These passes are for individuals between the ages of 13 and 17 and include some discounts.

Single: Single tickets can be purchased on board Edmonton’s public transit vehicles, including buses and light rail. These tickets must be paid for in cash and cost $3.25 Canadian.
10-Ride Pass: These passes are good for 10 rides on Edmonton public transit, including subway and bus lines. They have no expiration date and can be used until the tenth trip. The price is CAD 23.
Monthly Pass: Designed for frequent users of Edmonton’s public transit system, this pass offers unlimited rides on subway and bus lines for 30 days. The cost is CAD 75.

Adult Passes:

Adult passes are available for anyone aged between 18 and 64. This is the standard fare.

Single: These single tickets can be purchased when boarding any public transit vehicle in Edmonton, including buses and light rail. They must be paid for in cash and are priced at $3.25 CAD.
Pass (Book of 10): These passes provide 10 rides on Edmonton’s light rail trains and buses. They have no expiration date and can be used at any time until all ten rides have been taken. The cost of these passes is CAD 26.25.
Monthly Pass: Monthly passes are designed for frequent users of Edmonton’s public transit system. They allow unlimited travel on subways and buses for 30 days. The cost of this pass is CAD 95 for adults.

Senior Pass

Senior passes are for passengers aged 65 and over.

Single: These single tickets can be purchased when boarding any public transit vehicle in Edmonton, including buses and light rail. The fare remains CAD 3.25.
Pass (Book of 10): These passes are good for 10 rides on Edmonton’s light rail trains and buses. They have no expiration date and can be used at any time until all ten rides have been taken. The senior price for these passes is CAD 23.
Monthly Pass: Designed for frequent users of Edmonton’s public transit system, this pass allows unlimited travel on subways and buses for 30 days. The senior price is CAD 15.50.
Annual Pass: Exclusively for seniors, this pass provides unlimited travel on the city’s public transit system for one year with a single payment. The cost is CAD 136.50.

Note: Children under 12 travel free when accompanied by an adult. If travelling alone, they must pay for youth passes.

People with disabilities can apply for special annual passes. In such cases, they must contact ETS, the company responsible for the light rail service, directly.

Security

All LRT stations are monitored by CCTV cameras to deter crime.

The vehicles are equipped with alarm systems that allow operators to communicate with passengers and vice versa at all times.

Stations also have emergency telephones that connect directly to the ETS security centre for assistance in emergencies.

Police officers routinely patrol the facilities.

Fun Facts

The entire LRT network carries over 110,000 passengers daily.
Although classified as a light rail system, the Edmonton Metro shares some features with a heavy rail system, including underground stations and tunnels that cross north of the Saskatchewan River.
Despite extensive security measures implemented by the LRT authorities, there were 328 recorded crimes on trains and in stations in 2008 alone.
The future Valley Line has sparked controversy among the city’s Chinese community, as it will pass in front of a retirement home of
Asian descent. Despite the protests, Edmonton City Hall decided to go ahead with the project.
Light rail stations feature works by independent artists, helping to promote lesser-known talent and make waiting more enjoyable for passengers.

Connection to the Airport

Edmonton Light Rail Transit does not provide direct service to Edmonton International Airport. However, there is a direct bus service, the Airport Express line, from Century Park station to the airport.

The line, which can be identified by the number 747, begins service before the subway network, with the first bus leaving at 4:10 a.m. and the last at midnight. The fare for this service is C$5. There are no stops between the bus station and the airport.

The trip is relatively short, taking between 20 and 25 minutes. Passengers can enjoy the picturesque meadows on the outskirts of Edmonton during the journey and free Wi-Fi is available on board.

If you’re planning to take the 747 from the airport, the bus stop is just outside door number 8. There are also taxi ranks for a more comfortable ride and car rental agencies for greater mobility during your stay in the city.

Future Expansions

The Light Rail Transit Authority is currently working on the construction of the Valley Line, a 27-kilometre rail extension. Much of the work is already underway.

Based on the Metro plan, this line will run from the south-east of the city to the west, starting in the Mill Woods area and ending in the Lewis Farm area, passing through the city centre.

Construction will take place in two phases. The first phase consists of building a 13.1 kilometre line from Mill Woods to the city centre. Passengers on this line will be able to transfer to the Capital and Metro lines at Churchill Station. Work began on 22 April 2016 and the line is scheduled to open in 2020.

The project estimates that the Valley Line will carry 100,000 passengers per day when completed.

Beyond the Valley Line, extensions to existing lines are planned and construction is already underway.

The Capital Line will be extended to the north-east and south. The former will add 2.1 kilometres of track, including a station in the Gorman Towne Centre area. The southern extension will add four stations and 4.5 kilometres of track, extending the metro to Anthony Henday Drive.

Tourist Attractions

When visiting Edmonton, don’t miss the Francis Winspear Music Centre. Opened in 1997, this performing arts centre near Churchill Station is named after Dr. Francis G. Winspear, who donated $6 million to its construction, the largest private donation in Canadian history. Here you can enjoy plays, symphony orchestra performances, ballet and other stage performances. Performances change regularly, so there’s always something new to see.

Near Corona Station you’ll find the GTFO Escape Entertainment Game Center, an adult-oriented escape room complex where players solve clues to escape from various rooms. The centre has received excellent reviews for its engaging facilities and emphasis on teamwork. It’s a great place to get away from it all and explore a unique way of socialising. It’s definitely a unique experience and well worth a visit while in Edmonton.