Do I need to rent a car in Calgary
Jul 14th, 2008, 02:57 PM
#1
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Do I need to rent a car in Calgary
Hello! I'll be in Calgary for 2 days (3 nights).
We currently have NOT rented a car while we're in Calgary. Would you recommend that we do? How easy is it to navigate Calgary using public transit, walking, cabs etc.
We currently have NOT rented a car while we're in Calgary. Would you recommend that we do? How easy is it to navigate Calgary using public transit, walking, cabs etc.
Jul 14th, 2008, 05:01 PM
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Hi,
Calgary public transit is both awesome and terrible at the same time. I think that if you're keeping in the downtown area, you won't need a rental car at all. Everything is close to each other. The LRT, as we call it, is free when you get off and on at downtown LRT stations.
However, if you're planning to see anything out of downtown, it can take forever and a day to get there, as buses don't seem to come around very often.
I find that cabs are fairly pricey in the city. I would recommend public transit to save yourself money.
Calgary public transit is both awesome and terrible at the same time. I think that if you're keeping in the downtown area, you won't need a rental car at all. Everything is close to each other. The LRT, as we call it, is free when you get off and on at downtown LRT stations.
However, if you're planning to see anything out of downtown, it can take forever and a day to get there, as buses don't seem to come around very often.
I find that cabs are fairly pricey in the city. I would recommend public transit to save yourself money.
Jul 14th, 2008, 09:05 PM
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As jenmakin said, it depends on where you're staying and where you need to go while you're here. IMO cabs are terribly expensive and I avoid them if at all possible. To see if transit is good enough for your needs, you can check out their website:
http://calgarytransit.com/
and on the "Trip Planning" link on the top left.
You can also click on "Transit Route Maps" to look at individual routes or the big "System Map". This shows all routes and is a large PDF, so be prepared to wait as it downloads.
http://calgarytransit.com/
and on the "Trip Planning" link on the top left.
You can also click on "Transit Route Maps" to look at individual routes or the big "System Map". This shows all routes and is a large PDF, so be prepared to wait as it downloads.
Jul 15th, 2008, 05:23 AM
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I used to be in Calgary a lot; perhaps 6-8 times a year, and almost always got a car. Partly this was to get to the office I was visiting, although probably a cab would have cost less. But it was the car that got me to the restaurant I wanted -- aSmuigglers on the south side of town, where the beef was great, and it was the car that got me to Banff for dinner frequently, and, when I was feeling touristy, to Heritage Park.
BAK
BAK
Jul 15th, 2008, 09:57 AM
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I agree with the others on having a car in Calgary. It all depends on where you want to go and how you want to do it.
Downtown, we simply parked and walked.
Many of the buildings are connected via a network of pedestrian bridges above street level. One can window shop a large area above street level, or descend to street level if you wish.
The Devonian Gardens are actually in a building well above street level, a pleasant area of indoor greenery above street level in the midst of shopping opportunities.
If you want to go here and there, then a car is virtually a must.
On our last visit we went to many different sites around Calgary, even out of town to Drumheller. Without a car we would not have had this degree of mobility.
So it all depends on where you want to go, when you want to do it, and how quickly you want to get there.
I am locked into having a car except in places like London, New York, Paris, Prague, etc.
Downtown, we simply parked and walked.
Many of the buildings are connected via a network of pedestrian bridges above street level. One can window shop a large area above street level, or descend to street level if you wish.
The Devonian Gardens are actually in a building well above street level, a pleasant area of indoor greenery above street level in the midst of shopping opportunities.
If you want to go here and there, then a car is virtually a must.
On our last visit we went to many different sites around Calgary, even out of town to Drumheller. Without a car we would not have had this degree of mobility.
So it all depends on where you want to go, when you want to do it, and how quickly you want to get there.
I am locked into having a car except in places like London, New York, Paris, Prague, etc.
