Invited to Edmonton? Think About How to Get Around the City and Beyond

Your friend or colleague writes, “Come to Edmonton,” and your first thought is: where exactly is that? Your second: Canada — it must be cold. Both are true. Edmonton is located in the province of Alberta, winters here can be seriously cold, and reaching some of the nearest famous destinations, such as the Rocky Mountains, takes several hours.

At the same time, the city is surprisingly lively. An international jazz festival takes place in June, while in August the Edmonton Fringe brings ten days of performances to indoor and outdoor venues. Edmonton is definitely worth visiting, but it is better to decide how you are going to get around before you arrive.

How to Get Around Edmonton and Canada

Distances in Canada are enormous: a trip to a nearby park or another city can take anywhere from one hour to several hours. It is better to decide how you are going to travel before your flight rather than in the arrivals hall.

An ordinary tourist essentially has four options.

Buses and Light Rail Transit (LRT) operate throughout the city. They are sufficient for getting around downtown, but can be inconvenient when travelling with luggage, children or a tight schedule.

Taxis and ride-hailing apps are useful for short journeys, although during freezing weather, rush hour or festival days, you may have to wait longer for a vehicle and the price can increase.

Renting and driving a car yourself gives you freedom, but requires familiarity with local traffic rules — and when you are behind the wheel, you do not have much opportunity to enjoy the scenery.

And finally, there is a car with a private driver.

For Edmonton International Airport (YEG) transfers and trips outside the city, the last option is often the most practical. There is no need to change vehicles, search for parking or worry about how you will get back. If your flight is delayed, your chauffeur will know: you provide your flight number when booking, allowing the pick-up time to be adjusted according to the actual arrival.

Why a Car with a Private Driver Is Convenient

While a professional is behind the wheel, you can look out of the window, answer emails or simply relax after your flight.

Winter does not have to disrupt your plans. A local transportation provider is accustomed to snow and ice and knows how to handle difficult winter conditions.

There is no need to search for parking. This is especially noticeable at West Edmonton Mall: approximately 570,000 square metres, around 800 stores, Galaxyland amusement park and World Waterpark. Your driver can drop you off at the entrance and pick you up whenever you are ready.

A dinner with wine, a jazz concert or a performance at the Fringe may finish late, and afterwards it is much more relaxing to sit in the back seat than to get behind the wheel yourself.

The price is provided when booking, without unexpected surprises caused by weather conditions or heavy traffic.

Your schedule stays on track.

Edmonton is an important economic centre of the province, regularly attracting company executives, entrepreneurs and investors. For them, a series of meetings in different parts of the city during a single day is not very different from a tourist itinerary: the important thing is to arrive on time without being distracted by navigation.

And finally, travelling this way is simply more relaxing, whether you are travelling alone, with your family or with business partners, knowing that a professional is behind the wheel.

What the Service Includes

The MyChauffeurDrive booking form offers four main service formats, and almost any transportation requirement in Edmonton can be covered by one of them.

Airport transfer to and from the airport. No taxi queues and no changes between different forms of transport after your flight.

Point-to-point transfer when you need a single journey from your hotel to a conference, from an event to a restaurant or to another city or destination. A return journey can also be booked at the same time.

Chauffeur-driven car for several hours or a full day: a series of meetings, shopping, restaurant visits, weddings, private events or guest transportation. You decide the stops and the order of destinations.

Daily chauffeur service for visitors staying for several days, for example to attend a conference or exhibition or for a business trip.

And if Edmonton is only the first stop on your journey, you can continue further. A private chauffeur can take you towards the Rocky Mountains and Jasper, to Calgary, or, if required, even to Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal or Niagara Falls.

How to Relax in Edmonton

Start your morning at the Art Gallery of Alberta. Its building on Sir Winston Churchill Square has a striking futuristic appearance. Inside, there are more than 6,000 works, including pieces by Goya and Degas. After exploring the galleries, you can relax on the terrace at the gallery café.

Spend midday at the Royal Alberta Museum. Its collections cover palaeontology, archaeology, biology and the history of the province. The museum received its “Royal” designation following a visit by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005, and it regularly hosts temporary exhibitions.

Try the local cuisine: pumpkin soup, filet brochette — pieces of fillet with bacon, onions and mushrooms served on a skewer — or smoked herring. For dessert, try waffles or pastries with maple syrup.

An unexpected stop is St. Josaphat Cathedral. This Ukrainian Greek Catholic church was built in the early 20th century and renovated in 1938. It tells an important part of Edmonton’s history.

If you have a full day available, head to Elk Island National Park. Located in the Beaver Hills among numerous lakes, the park is home to bison, elk, moose, mule deer and more than 200 species of birds. Your driver can take you there and wait while you explore.

Science enthusiasts can also visit the University of Alberta’s Zoology Museum, which houses more than 30,000 specimens.

MyChauffeurDrive: How It Works

If you want to fit all of this into a single day, it is better to arrange your transportation in advance.

The process is simple: instead of searching for a transportation company yourself in an unfamiliar country, you simply select the required service on MyChauffeurDrive, complete a short booking form, and your request is assigned to a local transportation provider.

In the form, you specify the pick-up and drop-off locations, date and time, your name, telephone number and email address, number of passengers and amount of luggage, vehicle type and class, as well as whether you require a one-way transfer or a return journey.

The entire process takes only a few minutes and eliminates many of the inconveniences associated with arranging transportation after arrival.

So, Shall We Go?

If someone writes to you, “Come to Edmonton,” say “yes.”

Book a chauffeur-driven car in Edmonton with MyChauffeurDrive and give yourself the freedom to relax.