tachiebluebird

We are taking a trip this summer - flying into Calgary, going through Montana, flying from MT to Denver and then flying home from Denver. I figure we'll rent a car in Calgary, but then I'll have to turn it back in before we head down to Montana. Anyone know how to get from Calgary down to Kalispell? Anyone know if we can turn the car in maybe in Lethbridge?

Thanks!

bob_brown

If you rent from Hertz or Avis you can turn the car in at a location in Lethbridge. Yes you can. But, why??
How do you intend to travel from Lethbridge to Kalispell, which is not exactly 2 hours away.

I must admit that your strategy escapes me completely. What will you possibly gain by returning the car in Lethbridge?

Any flight from Lethbridge to Kalispell connects through Calgary, and then you take a roundabout route to get there, like flying from Calgary to Vancouver to Seattle first.

The cheapest flights are on the order of $525 per person.

tachiebluebird

Yes, I know it makes no sense! But the fact is I need to rent a car in Canada and then return it in Canada before I head into the US. I assume I should drop it back at Calgary and try to get a shuttle from there to Kalispell, so I do not incur a drop charge. BUT, if I could drop the car in Lethbridge, and pick up a shuttle from there, which seems to be the closest big Canadian city to Kalispell, then I would try to do that.

I am really at a loss about how to get from Calgary/Banff down to Glacier without a car, that is my real problem.

Thanks Bob.

Judy_in_Calgary

In the past I have investigated the availability of buses from Calgary, Lethbridge and other towns in Southern Alberta to Montana. If such bus services exist, I have not yet found them.

Not even Greyhound goes directly from Alberta to Montana. If you want to catch a Greyhound bus from Calgary or Lethbridge to Kalispell, you have to go to Vancouver, down into Washington State and then back east to Montana!

I've just tried to make a fake reservation with Hertz. I asked to pick the car up in Calgary and drop it off in Kalispell. Hertz's website let me do it, but said it would charge me a 500 CAD drop off fee. So at least the possibility of renting a car in Canada and dropping it off in the USA does seem to exist, but it's expensive.

Have you considered flying from home to Kalispell, driving into Canada and then back to Kalispell again, dropping off the car, and flying on to Denver?

Alternatively, you could do a similar circuit with Calgary as the starting and ending point for that first leg of your journey. However, I have a feeling that a flight to Kalispell will be cheaper for you.

I'm sorry I don't know of a better way of doing this. The question comes up here from time to time.

bob_brown

A shuttle to Kalispell from Calgary is out of the question. It is a about a 6 hour drive and 270 miles.

I am not even sure how one would travel from Cardston to Kalispell other than by private vehicle.

I have faced the problem, too.
I ended up flying to Denver and renting a car and driving the whole way up and back. Not recommended.


Rental cars out of Kalispell are expensive and I don't see where Delta still flies the route from Salt Lake City to Kalispell, even in the summer time.

I think you will need to alter your trip plan.

Why do you want to go to Kalispell?
I know of no socially redeeming qualities other than it is close to Glacier National Park, Glacier US that is.

Flying from Calgary to Great Falls, Montana, is also indirect. You can connect through Salt Lake City, Denver or Seattle!

I don't know a thing about bus connections because I never have thought about using one.

tachiebluebird

We've basically done the Kalispell-Waterton-Banff-Kalispell route before, so we're trying to just go in one direction rather than backtracking (even though we know it's gorgeous!) but obviously it's problematic. Thanks for checking the Canada-MT dropoff, I appreciate that, and for letting me know about the lack o'shuttles. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has attempted this and has searched in vain shuttles/trains/planes between Canada and MT. I read that SkyAir(?) was going to start flying from Calgary to Montana, but it hasn't happened yet. I will have to keep thinking on this one! I think I'll drive my car all the way from Maryland...

bob_brown

You might consider Missoula, MT as a flight destination.
Northwest, United, and Delta have flights from BWI to Missoula.

Some of the flights connect through Denver.

Bozeman is another possibility.

The drive to Calgary is not all that bad even though it would take most of a day.

If you told us a little more about what you want to see and where you want to visit, I think either Judy or I could suggest some ideas. Judy normally has a lot of beneficial details to share.

JimTCalgary

If you can not find a one way car rental, a direct plane, bus, or train connection between Montana USA and Alberta Canada check out Airport Shuttle Express of Calgary. They offer a one way charter vans service between most location in Montana and Alberta. See: http://airportshuttleexpress.com/waterton.htm

finding_dolly

I believe Budget Cars do one way rentals, check the website, they are very good: www.budget.ca

familytravel86

Hi Can you get a shuttle from Fernie BC?? If you drop the car there, you have a 45 minutes trip to US border and additional hour drive to Kalispell. That is shortest route to drive - may be worth the drop charge. IT is a 5 hour drive form Calgary to Kailspell ( pending border wait time at Roosville Crossing)