Calgary International (YYC) charter bus transfers

Thirty-eight bays across from the terminal

Authorized commercial vehicles pick up in one of 38 bus bays on the Arrivals level, across from the terminal, allocated first come, first served by flight arrival time. Before that the bus waits in the gated Bus Staging area. Regular operators open the gate with an airport transponder; occasional operators buy a permit with a 6-digit PIN from the Bus Dispatch Office when they arrive.

Once the operator confirms the bay, tell the group which door to leave by. Hotel courtesy shuttles use Bus Bays 16 and 17 at Door 4 and Bus Bay 37 at Door 16, and a tired group following a hotel sign can end up at the wrong vehicle.

Nothing stays at the curb

All commercial vehicles register with the airport as licensed operators or pay as they go with a pre-purchased permit. Unattended vehicles at the Arrivals or Departures curbs are impounded, so the driver stays with the bus. There is no CTrain to the airport; Calgary Transit bus routes serve it.

Where the driver meets you

• Authorized commercial vehicles pick up in one of 38 bus bays on the Arrivals level, across from the terminal, allocated first come, first served by flight arrival time.

Where coaches and buses wait

• A gated Bus Staging/pick-up area, entered with an airport transponder (regular operators) or a 6-digit PIN permit bought from the Bus Dispatch Office on arrival (occasional operators).

Drive to downtown

• about 19 km by road to City Hall, about 20 min in light traffic; longer at peak times

Downtown and Stampede Park

City Hall is about 19 km by road, about 20 minutes with little traffic. The BMO Centre at Stampede Park and the Calgary TELUS Convention Centre are four blocks apart, so delegates at either can share one pick-up plan. If your dates fall in Stampede week in July, book the bus when you book the flights.

Straight to the mountains

Some YYC groups never go downtown. Banff is about 145 km from the airport, about 1.5 h on the Trans-Canada Highway. Every passenger needs a Parks Canada pass for any stop in Banff National Park. A commercially registered vehicle carrying 11 or more people, driver included, also needs a park business licence and a commercial park-entry pass.

At Lake Louise, commercial vehicles may set down and pick up for up to 10 minutes. Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles; commercial operators need a Licence of Occupation applied for early in the year, and the road is open to them from about 1 June to mid-October, conditions permitting. Ask which of these the operator holds before you print the itinerary.

Questions

Where does our charter bus collect us at YYC?

At one of the 38 bus bays on the Arrivals level, across from the terminal. The operator confirms the bay and the exit door.

Can the bus park outside a Banff hotel while we check in?

Only in a designated bus zone. In the Town of Banff these are 15-minute loading zones next to most hotels, and coaches may not park on other streets.

Is Canmore on the way to Banff?

Yes, on the same highway. Canmore is about 105 km from Calgary and Banff about 130 km, so a stop there costs little extra time.

Cities

• Calgary

Vehicles

• Full-size coach — 49-81 seats
• Midi coach — 29-35 seats
• Minibus — 16-19 seats
• Executive Sprinter van — 17-19 seats
• Executive car (sedan or SUV) — 1-3 seats
• Wheelchair-accessible minibus — Varies by layout; wheelchair positions replace seats

Flying a group into Calgary?

Tell us the flights, headcount, bags and the first stop, whether a downtown hotel or a mountain lodge. Licensed partner operators quote.

Request a quote or call +1 438 809 0370