Getting to Edmonton

Edmonton International Airport (www.flyeia.com [1]) is beside Highway 2, 29 kilometers (18 miles) south of the city center. On the arrivals level is a small information center (year-round Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–midnight, Sat.–Sun. 9 a.m.–midnight). Also at the airport are car-rental desks, hotel courtesy phones, a restaurant, and a currency exchange.

Sky Shuttle (780/465-8515 or 888/438-2342, www.edmontonskyshuttle.com [2]) departs the airport for downtown hotels every 20 minutes (every 30 minutes on weekends) on three different routes. One-way to downtown is $15, round-trip $30; check in at the counter beside the information center. The cab fare to downtown is set at $50 one-way.

The VIA Rail station is a small, modern building beyond the west end of the City Centre Airport northwest of downtown (12360 121st St., 800/561-8630, www.viarail.ca [3], 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m.). A Hertz rental outlet is open for arriving and departing trains, but reservations are necessary. Trains leave Vancouver [4] (1150 Station St.) and Prince Rupert [5] three times weekly for the 23.5-hour trip to Edmonton [6] (via Jasper [7]), continuing on the Canadian route to the eastern provinces.

The Greyhound bus depot (10324 103rd St., 780/420-2400 or 800/661-8747, www.greyhound.ca [8], Mon.–Sat. 5:30 a.m.–midnight, Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.) is within walking distance of downtown. Within the depot is a fast-food eatery, a convenience store, a cash machine, and large lockers ($2). Buses leave daily for all points in Canada, including Calgary [9] (3.5 hours), Jasper (4.5 hours), and Vancouver (15–17 hours). Red Arrow (780/424-3339, www.redarrow.ca [10]) buses leave Edmonton 5–7 times daily for Red Deer [11] and Calgary and once daily for Fort McMurray [12]. The downtown office and pick-up point is off to one side of the Holiday Inn Express (10014 104th Street).