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Everything you need to know about getting around on Calgary Transit during CTrain disruptions

Most journeys by CTrain are uneventful but construction, emergencies and unexpected incidents may occasionally cause delays or disruptions that can significantly affect commutes.

Postmedia staffer Ricky Leong, a longtime Calgary Transit user and an occasional transit commentator , shares some essential resources to help riders navigate the transit system when portions of the CTrain are out of service.

Current/planned CTrain disruptions

Unplanned ctrain disruptions.

Do you have suggestions for bus alternatives in case of CTrain disruptions? Leave a note in the comments section below to share your tip with us and with other riders.

Information listed in this post is accurate as of the fall schedule effective Sept. 2, 2024. Further updates will be made as the transit system evolves and as suggestions from readers come in.

The Red Line will be closed between Brentwood and Sunnyside from 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, until 12 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2. Service is expected to be restored in time for the Labour Day Classic.

In the event of an unplanned interruption to CTrain services, listen for messages on station platforms and look for written messages on information screens at stations, on Calgary Transit’s website, and on its social media account .

If the disruption is serious and/or prolonged, shuttle bus services may be provided. Shuttle stops are usually in station bus loops, where such facilities exist. They may also be located on streets near stations. In downtown Calgary, CTrain shuttles operate on 6th Avenue going west, and 9th Avenue going east.

Those who wish to avoid the CTrain or shuttle services during a service outage and ride a scheduled bus service instead can use Calgary Transit’s official trip planner on its website , or through the Transit app for mobile devices. Just remember to deselect the CTrain from the list of travel options.

For those without a smartphone/mobile internet or who prefer memorizing route options, bookmark this page and look below to find a number of alternatives to get around the city without using the train.

City Centre/Downtown Calgary

• Options for U of C, SAIT, AUA
• Red Line south
• Blue Line northeast
• Blue Line west
• Crosstown bus routes bypassing City Centre

Bus alternatives will often take longer than using the train — so much so that in some cases, it might be faster to wait for service to resume or for a shuttle service to start. It will be up to individual riders to weigh all the options and make a decision right for their situation.

If Calgary Transit shuttle buses are provided, they will operate on 6th Avenue going west and 9th Avenue going east. If you wish you use the regular bus network instead, there are a number of east-west options close to the CTrain line on 7th Avenue.

Buses running eastbound on significant portions of 5th Avenue:

• Routes 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 13, 17, 90, 301, Max Yellow

Buses running westbound on significant portions of 6th Avenue:

• Routes 1, 2, 4, 6, 17, 22, 66, 301, 302, Max Yellow, Max Purple

Buses running eastbound on significant portions of 9th Avenue:

• Routes 1, 22, 66, 300, 302, Max Yellow, Max Purple

Red Line in northwest Calgary

Most stations on the northwest segment of the Red Line connect to each other directly through the local bus network.

One exception is Sunnyside. Routes 1, 4, 5 and 104 stop at the station and/or in the Kensington BIA. Riders going to/from areas normally served by train may need to make transfers. If your destination is on the west side of the BIA, Route 65 is another option.

Those using Tuscany station should note the bus ride to/from Crowfoot on Route 138 is a circuitous neighbourhood line that will add significant time to the trip.

Options for University of Calgary, SAIT and Alberta University of the Arts

Major destinations at or near CTrain stations in the northwest include large post-secondary institutions.

• Route 90 connects with the Beltline, downtown Calgary and Bridgeland.
• Route 9 (Dalhousie/Chinook) and Route 20 (North-Central Calgary/Heritage), whose routes go through northwest and southwest Calgary, also have a bus stop adjacent to the University LRT station.
• Route 104 runs to Sunnyside station via Foothills Medical Centre.
• Other routes — notably Max Orange, Route 38 and Route 108 — have bus stops serving the north side of the university campus.
• A number of bus routes run along the edges of the SAIT/Alberta University of the Arts campus, including Routes 4 and 5 on 10th Street N.W., Routes 19 and Max Orange on 16th Avenue, and Route 65 on 14th Street N.W.

Red Line in south Calgary

Many stations on the south part of the Red Line are directly connected to each other via the local bus network.

However, there are no direct bus alternatives between Fish Creek-Lacombe and Canyon Meadows stations, where the Red Line crosses Fish Creek Provincial Park. Waiting for a shuttle or using a non-transit option may be a better choice than other bus alternatives.

That being said, if travelling within the southernmost segment of the Red Line, there are multiple bus options connecting Somerset-Bridlewood, Shawnessy and Fish Creek-Lacombe stations. It should be noted some of these trips go into local neighbourhoods between stations.

Route 81 operates Monday to Saturday on and near Macleod Trail south of Chinook station to Southcentre Mall, but its service hours are limited compared to those of the train.

Route 10 runs on Macleod Trail north of Chinook station to downtown. It also connects with Anderson station via Fairmount Drive and Southcentre Mall.

Route 3 runs on 4th Street S.W. and Elbow Drive about a 10- to 20-minute walk west of the Red Line between the city centre and Heritage station. Similarly, Route 37 operates similarly on Elbow Drive west of the Red Line. These could be an interesting alternative for some commuters.

Riders needing to travel between Canyon Meadows and Anderson stations, which also don’t have a direct bus connection between them, can try Route 37 on the west side of the Red Line. A longer, walk-heavy alternative also exists on the east side of the Red Line at that location: a combination of Route 44, a long stroll across Glenmore Trail and through Southcentre Mall, then local buses from there to Anderson. As noted earlier, riders will need to weigh these options against time spent waiting for a shuttle or waiting for service to resume.

Blue Line northeast Calgary

Most stations on the northeast segment of the Blue Line connect to each other directly through the local bus network.

One notable exception is the station at the Calgary Zoo. The closest buses are Route 90 in Bridgeland and Routes 1, 101 and Max Purple in Inglewood. It’s about a 10- to 15-minute walk from the zoo to the nearest bus stops.

Max Bell/Barlow station has limited bus access to/from other CTrain stations but there are mainline buses running to neighbourhoods near the station.

Blue Line in west Calgary

Most stations along the west leg of the Blue Line are directly connected to each other with local bus routes.

One notable exception is between Sirocco and 45th Street stations, where there’s an 800-metre gap (about a 10- to 15-minute walk) between Sirocco station and the last stop for Route 2 on 17th Avenue S.W., which runs to/near many Blue Line stations in the west.

Another is between Sunalta and Shaganappi Point station, where some backtracking is likely required to get from one to the other.

Crosstown bus routes bypassing downtown Calgary

Many mainline bus routes intersecting with CTrain services downtown also connect with crosstown routes ringing the central parts of the city.

• Routes 19, 38 and Max Orange connect the Red Line in the northwest with the Blue Line in the northeast.
• Route 9 connects the Red Line in the northwest, the Blue Line in the west and the Red Line in the south.
• Max Teal connects the Blue Line in the west with the Red Line in the south.
• Route 43 connects the Blue Line in the northeast with the Red Line in the south.
• Starting Sept. 2, 2024: New Route 26 connects the Red Line in the Northwest with the Blue Line in the west.

Consider using those or other crosstown bus alternatives not shown here to avoid CTrain service disruptions in the city centre when they occur.

Information in this post is adapted from publicly available Calgary Transit data.

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