What to Do in Calgary in 6 Hours: A Guide for Short Layovers

May 6, 2025
One Comment

Calgary is known as the gateway to the Rocky Mountains and is also home to one of Canada’s main international airports, Calgary Airport (YYC). While the city may not be as well known as Vancouver and Toronto, it has plenty to offer and is well worth getting to know on a layover.

Calgary is home to roughly 1.6 million people from over 240 different ethnic origins. It is also Canada’s fourth largest city.

That being said, it is more than possible to see some of Calgary’s highlights on a short layover. Six hours is the absolute minimum layover I suggest in order to leave the airport, but we will go into more detail on that. Ideally, you want 4+ hours in the city minus travel and airport time.

In this guide, we will discuss everything you need to keep in mind regarding your layover, immigration, an ideal itinerary and any additional tips to make your time in Calgary the best possible.

Here is everything you can see on a 6-hour layover in Calgary:

Table of Contents

Can I leave the airport in Calgary during my layover?

There are a few things to consider regarding whether you can and should leave the airport during your layover in Calgary, mostly time and entry requirements. I will lay out the details below, but you will need around 4-5 hours time to leave and re-enter the airport, including transport to and from the city. A layover of 6 hours is the absolute minimum time to consider leaving the airport, anything more is better. If you need to collect and re-check bags for the layover, you will need more than 6 hours.

Entry Requirements to leave Calgary Airport during a layover

Most countries will need a visa or eTA to enter Canada. The exception are those with a passport from Canada and the US.

While Canada does have a transit visa, it is only applicable for those who DO NOT leave the airport. If you plan to leave the airport, you will need to organise your visa or eTA in advance.

Most countries can apply for an eTA, which is essentially for visa-exempt foreign nationals that are visiting Canada (not working or studying!). It is valid for up to 5 years. You can apply for it here – it is usually approved in minutes (but can take several days in certain cases) and costs 7CAD. Make sure to have your passport and credit card on hand.

Your eTA is directly linked to the passport you used to apply, so you will need this to enter Canada. If you are not in one of the eTA countries, you will need a visa to enter Canada. Check with your local embassy on how to apply for one.

Time to pass through immigration in Canada and leave Calgary Airport

It usually takes 30-90 minutes to deplane, go through immigration and be ready to leave Calgary Airport. Immigration in Canada is very detailed and wait times can be long depending on time of day.

A little warning to begin with: I would only recommend trying to leave during your layover if you are entering on a visitor visa. If you are coming to work or study in Canada, the visa process will likely take MUCH LONGER and I would not risk leaving before your final destination. When I came to Canada for my IEC, immigration took over 2 hours.

If you are entering as a visitor, you will need to fill out an immigration and customs declaration. You can do this at the airport at a machine and you will get a sheet of paper with your answers – called your declaration. To save time, you can also download the ArriveCAN app and fill out the questions up to 72 hours prior to arriving in Canada. This will really speed things along in the immigration line. Learn more about this here.

Once I had my declaration, I went through passport control. I had to show the declaration several times, so make sure to keep the printed sheets on hand. Officers will ask you questions about the form and your time in Canada, so be prepared to answer calmly – I say calmly as I always find the border officers in Canada extremely serious and the whole process a little stressful. Customs and immigration for me didn’t take me more than 30 minutes from start to finish, but I arrived at a quieter time.

Normally, your bags should auto-transfer to your next flight, but if you booked with a different airline, you need to collect them. I find Calgary to not be super efficient with bags, so this could add some time. The airport does offer luggage storage though at the Information desk on the Arrivals level near Door 9.

Transport from Calgary Airport to Calgary city center

We will discuss transport and exact options further down, but you need to schedule at least 20-40 minutes each way for transport from Calgary airport to the city center.

Getting back to Calgary airport in time

You need to arrive back at the airport with around 2 hours to spare so that you can go through security and passport control. The airport recommends 3 hours for international flights, I would say this is only necessary during the holidays and busy periods. Your bags should have been transferred automatically, but if you booked with different airlines you may need to re-check it too. Allow enough time for this.

How to get from Calgary Airport to Calgary City Centre:

The two main ways to get from the airport that I would recommend are by taxi or by public bus.

By Taxi

Taking a taxi from Calgary airport is the most convenient and usually the fastest way to get to the city centre. Uber and Lyft are the two most commonly used Taxi Apps there and I would recommend to use one of them as normal taxis tend to charge more. On Uber, you can prebook your ride and give them your flight number to have a taxi waiting and even monitoring your arrival time – this is great if you are tight on time during your layover.

Travel Time: usually 18-30 minutes (up to 45 minutes during peak hours)
Cost: 25CAD – 45CAD ($18-$32)
Apps: Uber, Lyft, Poparide

By Public Transportation

The cheapest way to get to the city centre is by bus and it is pretty convenient too. Calgary Airport has a whole info site on its public transportation and where the bus stops are when you are at the terminal. I would highly recommend the My Fare app to pay for your ticket as otherwise you will need to give exact cash to the driver. You only pay once and can then change buses for 90 minutes as many times as you’d like without having to pay again, which is great if you are short on time and trying to see as much as possible.

Travel Time: 40 minutes to 1 hour
Cost: 3.80CAD ($2.75) for 90 minutes
Tickets: My Fare App

How to get around Calgary?

Calgary has a fairly well connected public transport system consisting of buses and two Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines. As mentioned before, I would highly recommend getting the My Fare app to pay for public transportation. Otherwise you will need to pay exact cash on buses or buy tickets at the LTR stations.

Downtown Calgary actually offers free transportation on the downtown portion of the C-Train which travels along 7 Avenue. This includes attractions near the Calgary tower, so is quite a useful transportation link.

I found Google Maps worked well for getting around Calgary, but you can also use the My Fare app to plan your trip and get live updates.

Things to do in Calgary Layover Itinerary

Calgary city center is walkable but, as discussed, the public transportation network is also comprehensive. Hence, even if you only have an hour or two in the city center, you will be able to tick off most of Calgary’s main attractions.

For this whole itinerary, including time to eat and actually go inside some the attractions, I would recommend around 4 hours+ just in the city center, so a total layover of over 8 hours. If you have less, pick and choose the things that interest you most. If you have more, I have included some extra bits at the end.

Let’s get into it:

Overview and Map

The total suggested itinerary would only be an hour and fifteen minutes of walking total with 8 stops. It leads seamlessly through the different attractions. You could also bridge the bigger distances using public transport or leave out some attractions if you are short on time.

Start your day in Kensington

Regardless of time of day you are starting this itinerary, Kensington is a fantastic place to explore. From delicious food to trendy vibes and local stores, this area is perfect to fuel up for the upcoming day.

Don’t miss

Check out the Good Trade Coffee Company for a delicious pick-me-up in a quieter setting, or the Kensington Pub for the Canadian staple “Poutine” (fries with cheese curds and gravy – don’t knock it till you’ve tried it).

They also have some amazing dinner spots such as Indian at Bombay Tiger and Italian/French cuisine at Vero Bistro Moderne.

Head to Prince’s Island Park via the Peace Bridge

A short walk away from Kensington you will find the Peace Bridge, famous for its striking red appearance and unique build. From here you will also get your first skyline views of Calgary, which makes for great photos.

Cross the bridge and use one of the next bridges to the left to get onto Prince’s Island Park, a peaceful oasis in the midst of Calgary’s hustle and bustle. It offers some beautiful walkways, picnic tables, many events and beautiful views over Calgary and is well worth a visit. Stop at the well-known River Café for snacks and caffeine.

Explore the vibrant area of Chinatown

While heading into central Calgary now, you should pass through Chinatown. Yet before you do, head up halfway Centre St Bridge for iconic shots of Calgary tower nestled between the skyscrapers.

Chinatown itself is Calgary’s hub for authentic Asian cuisine, culture and entertainment. It features some gorgeous, colourful buildings and is also the place to snag the perfect bubble tea (a personal favourite).

Marvel at the Wonderland Sculpture and the Bow skyscraper

The Bow building is one of the tallest in Calgary and known for its unique crescent shape. Right underneath you will find the Wonderland Sculpture, one of Calgary’s top photo spots. The sculpture itself is described like this: “A sculpture that represents the hopes and dreams of young people, this bold creation echoes the fresh youthful energy of the building’s tenants.” It is a 12m tall wire depiction of a young girl’s head created by Jaume Plensa. It is special as you can walk around but also inside the sculpture, providing many different perspectives.

Learn about Canada’s music history at Studio Bell

Right down the street, you will find Studio Bell. It’s a museum about Canada’s music history with lots of interactive exhibitions, but also houses a recording studio, a broadcasting studio and a live music venue. Entry is 24.50 CAD ($18) – get tickets here. If you are into music or wanting to find out more about Canada’s history in a different light, this is the place for you.

Get 360 degree views of Calgary at Calgary tower

Calgary Tower is often regarded as Calgary’s landmark, easily visible from all of downtown. At night, it is lit up and shines over Calgary’s skyline.

At the top awaits a 360° panoramic view of Calgary and its surroundings, even reaching as far as the Rockies in the distance on a clear day. There is also a glass floor that provides bird-eye views for those who dare step on it. Entry is 23 CAD ($16.5) and it is the most iconic thing to do in Calgary. Views are especially incredible during sunset and night time.

Finish the trip at Stephen Avenue Walk

We will end the itinerary just down the street from Calgary tower, at Calgary’s only pedestrian mall: Stephen Avenue Walk. Full of shops, restaurants and bars, this is the place to find all your souvenirs and grab some food before heading back to the airport.

It is also a National Historic Site (30+ buildings from 1880 to 1930) where you can spot some fascinating architecture.

If you have extra time:

If you find yourself with some time to spare and are up for more exploring, these two attractions are slightly outside the downtown zone but well worth a visit:

Canada Olympic Park

Also called WinSport Canada Olympic Park, this is a recreational fun park about one hour outside of downtown Calgary. It played a big role in the 1988 Winter Olympics but has since been transformed into a year-round fun park. From skiing and snowboarding in winter to mountain biking and mini golfing in summer.

If you are coming in winter, this is the perfect opportunity to give winter sports a go for an affordable price (which if you know Canada, is not usually the case).

Calgary Zoo

Located just 10 minutes outside of downtown by CTrain, Calgary Zoo is a highlight at any age. Entry is 43.95CAD ($32) for a huge, clean and well laid-out zoo with over 1000 animals. It also features a ton of indoor exhibits for those rainy days.

How to spend a layover in Calgary Airport?

If you decide that it is better not to leave the airport during your layover or just don’t quite have enough time, don’t worry! There is plenty to do in Calgary airport itself to keep you busy.

Firstly, there are tons of restaurants, cafes and bars in the airport as well as different kind of shops. You could also consider getting a pass to one of the lounges which offer food, drinks and sometimes even showers. Aspire Lounge (International) is the only one that offers passes outside of memberships.

You could also head to the Oraoxygen Wellness spa for an incredible massage or oxygen session. This is ideal if you have just come from a long-haul flight.

The other options I find myself doing during longer layovers is connecting to the free airport Wi-Fi and getting a bunch of work done in a quiet corner or a café, or trying to catch up on some sleep. Check out the YYC Quiet Zone for this, or find other options here.

Where to stay in Calgary?

If you do decide to extend your layover and stay a night in Calgary or are leaving the airport here, these are hotels/hostels at different price points I would recommend:

One comment

mary

6 May 2025 / 4:52 PM Reply

Ive been considering whether to head into Calgary during my layover so this has been so helpful! I have about 8 hours so I think ill have time for the full itinerary 😊