Car Rental in Calgary

Why rent a car in Calgary?

Renting a car in Calgary is a good idea - not only you’ll be able to drive around this interesting city and visit its many neighborhoods and landmarks, you’ll also have the freedom to visit the great province of Alberta and its many nature areas including Banff National Park.

Top ways to enter Calgary

• Calgary Airport: Also known as YYC Calgary Airport, it handled 17.3 million travelers in 2018. The airport is a hub for Air Canada and WestJet, and has flights by around 15 other airlines. Located 20 km (12.4 miles) northeast of the city center, the airport can be reached in about 25 minutes by car.

City facts

• Calgary has a dry climate with warm summers and cold winters. The average high temperature is 23.2 °C (73.8 °F) in July, the warmest month, and -0.9 °C (30.4 °F) in December and January, the coldest. Calgary has low annual rainfall though the rain it does get falls mosly in the summer with little rain from  December to February when  Calgary experiences significant snowfall every winter.

• Calgary has often been mentioned as one of the cities with the highest quality of living in North America and the whole world. Factors like very high levels of income, high public safety, and availability of many services contribute to the high livability. Calgary is also the richest city in Canada by median household income.

• With a population of 1.23 million (plus an additional 150,000 living in the metropolitan area), Calgary is the largest city in Alberta and the fourth-largest in all of Canada. Calgary is also one of the fastest-growing large cities in North America, its population having increased by 13% from 2011 to 2016.

Top sights and activities

• Calgary Tower. Going to the top of one of the city’s most famous landmarks is a special experience. Not only will you see all of the city from above, on a clear day you can also spot the Rocky Mountains to the west. Besides the observation deck the tower also has a restaurant and a bar.
• Glenbow Museum. One of the largest museums in North America has more than 20 galleries and countless collections that focus both on the local history and such different topics as Canadian art, geology, First Nations history, and cultures from around the world.
• Inglewood Bird Sanctuary & Nature Center. A large nature reserve on the eastern outskirts of the city near the Bow River, Inglewood Wildlands is home to nearly 300 species of birds, including great gray owl, great blue heron, belted kingfisher, and osprey, as well as mammals, fishes, and butterflies.
• The Calgary Zoo. Located in the Bridgeland-Riverside neighborhood, the Calgary Zoo is one of the city’s most beloved attractions and also the most-visited zoo in Canada. Often named among the best zoos in the world, it is divided into several sections such as Destination Africa, Canadian Wilds, Creatures of the Night, and Penguin Plunge. On top of that, there’s also the Prehistoric Park with life-sized dinosaurs and a landscape that’s been created to look prehistoric.
• The Hangar Flight Museum. Also known as the Aero Space Museum, this place and its exhibits of airplanes and helicopters from various eras is an aviation enthusiast’s dream. Appropriately located near Calgary International Airport, the museum is about a 20-minute drive northeast of the city center.
• Calgary Zoo. Surpassed only by the one in Toronto in size, Canada’s second-largest zoo is also one of the best. Made up of various recreated ecosystems found around the globe, the Calgary Zoo is home to a stunning variety of mammals, birds, and reptiles. The zoo is located on St. George’s Island, just east of the city center.

Traffic and parking

• The speed limits vary between different roads. The general limits are 90 km/h to 110 km/h on motorways and outside cities and from 30 km/h to 50 km/h inside cities.
• The legal alcohol limit is 0.05%. Driving under influence exceeding the limit is a criminal offence and can lead to hefty fines, a driving ban, and even imprisonment.
• The insurance and car documentation needs to be in the car whenever you’re driving.
• If you’re the driver, you need to have your license with you at all times.
• Using a mobile phone while driving is prohibited. This rule is strictly imposed with high fines.
• The phone number for emergencies is 911.

Toll roads

There are a number of toll roads in eastern Canada. However, as of January 2023, there are no toll roads in Alberta. 

In the rest of Canada, payment methods and fees differ for different toll roads. It is best to look them up in advance, finding the information for each province in which you plan to travel. You can also use a toll calculator to calculate the approximate fees for your upcoming ride.

Ideas for day trips

• Banff National Park and Lake Louise. Arguably the main reason for many, many travelers to come to Alberta, Banff and Calgary are often visited on the same trip. The closest entrance of the stunning national park, which is also a world heritage site, is only about a 90 minute drive west of the city, so can be easily visited on a day trip. The Trans–Canada highway crosses the park north-to-south, so it can be explored with a vehicle – and if you wish to stay overnight, there are designated camping sites, as well as various accommodation options.
• Waterton Lakes National Park. Featuring such varied habitats as grassy prairies, alpine meadows, mountains, lakes, and wetlands, this national park is a true Canadian wilderness. It borders the Glacier National Park in the state of Montana, U.S., another great wild place to visit.

Most popular cars

The most popular rental car type in Canada is an economy, but travelers also like intermediate and fullsize. Getting a fullsize car is a good idea if you plan to travel outside the city and into nature areas. The most popular rental cars are the Kia Rio, the Jeep Wrangler, and the Nissan Rogue.

Further destinations

• Jasper National Park. The size of a small country, Jasper is more remote than Banff and, therefore, feels even wilder. Characterized by alpine lakes, swift rivers, canyons, and the beautiful Athabasca Falls, the area is home to a variety of fauna including grizzly bears, great horned owls, bighorn sheep, moose, and porcupines. Thanks to a lack of human settlement and artificial light in the area, Jasper has also been designated a dark sky preserve and is a great place to view the northern lights at certain times of the year. Located about 410 km (255 miles) northwest of Calgary, Jasper can be reached in about 4 hours and 40 minutes.
• Edmonton. The capital, but not the largest city, of Alberta (that would be Calgary), Edmonton doesn’t see quite the same amount of visitors, but can be a lovely place to visit if you give it a chance. Although arguably best known as the capital of the Canadian oil industry, the city also boasts various cultural institutions, parks alongside the North Saskatchewan River Valley, and even more impressive nature refuges outside its borders. A car trip north of Calgary takes only about three hours.
• British Columbia. Alberta’s neighbor to the west, BC is home to the city of Vancouver on the west coast, great wine in the Okanagan and beautiful national scenery including Yoho National Park.
• Washington and Montana. The two U.S. states bordering Alberta are just a few hours drive away from Calgary and offer just as much in terms of regional history, hospitality, and natural beauty as their Canadian counterpart.

Car rental prices in Calgary

• Small cars - from $42 per day
• Large cars - from $33 per day
• SUVs - from $47 per day
• Premium cars - from $80 per day
• Vans - from $109 per day
• Medium cars - from $33 per day
• Convertibles - from $91 per day

Money-saving and other tips

Here's a list of the things you can do to get a good rental car deal in Calgary:

• Compare rates of different rental car providers
• Book your rental car well in advance
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit in months when the rental prices are cheapest. According to our data, visiting Calgary is the cheapest in December when renting a car is about 21% cheaper than the yearly average and about 43% cheaper than renting a car in July. However, in December it can be harder to get around due to heavy snowfall in the province.