EDMONTON PLACES A HUGE EMPHASIS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT . RICHARD JOHN CHECKS OUT THE TIMETABLE
or meeting planners , transport connectivity is everything . Edmonton is a major air transportation gateway to northern Alberta and northern Canada . The Edmonton International Airport ( EIA ) is the main airport serving the city , providing passenger service to destinations in the United States , Europe , Mexico , and the Caribbean . The airport is also a full-service cargo airport and the base of the Alberta Aerospace and Technology Centre . A direct bus service connects the airport with the light rail network .
For a greener journey , the city also serves as a major transportation hub for Canadian National Railway and is tied into the Canadian Pacific Railway network , which provides service from Calgary to the south and extends northeast of Edmonton to serve Alberta ’ s Industrial Heartland .
Intercity passenger rail service is provided by ViaRail ’ s transcontinental service , The Canadian , which travels between Vancouver , British Columbia , and Toronto . The train connects Edmonton to multiple stops in British Columbia , Alberta , Saskatchewan , Manitoba , and Ontario . The Prestige service offers cabins with larger windows , private bathroom facilities , and three course meals in the separate dining car as well as a separate Prestige bar .
About town
Within the city is the popular Edmonton Light Rail Transit ( LRT ) with 18 stations on two lines and 24.3 km ( 15.1 mi ) of track with over 113,000 daily weekday riders . A
further 12 stations are planned along the new Valley Line scheduled to open in 2022 , and City Council has approved the development of three further lines . Edmonton Transit Service also offers a fleet of buses – hybrid and electric , of course – that crisscross the city and environs .
To make it easier for delegates to get about , the Show Your Badge Program is a sustainable solution Edmonton has developed to offer conference delegates free access to public transport throughout the city .
Meanwhile , the e-bike and scooter revolution continues across the city , offering active delegates cheap and easy transport around the central area , while those wanting to avoid traffic altogether can explore the 40 km of indoor pedestrian walkways that combine to create an intricate and very walkable downtown network .
CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 5