Practical
Arriving
Edmonton International is a long way out — about thirty kilometres south, thirty-five minutes to downtown by car outside rush hour, longer in snow. The 747 bus runs to the Century Park LRT station and connects into the network. Taxis and ride-hailing operate from the terminal.
Transit
One main LRT line running roughly north–south, with a newer line extending southeast, plus a dense bus network. Fares are per journey with a transfer window. The LRT is genuinely useful along its own corridor and irrelevant if you're going crosstown; check your route before deciding against a car.
Money and manners
| Tipping | 15–20% in restaurants, rounding up for taxis |
| Tax | Added at the till, not on the shelf price. Alberta has no provincial sales tax |
| Alcohol | Private liquor stores, not supermarkets. Closing times vary |
| Cannabis | Legal, sold in licensed shops, not consumed in most public places |
Things that catch people out
- Addresses use street and avenue numbers, not names — 10123 104 Street is a normal address and means something precise once you learn the pattern.
- The valley cuts the city in two and the crossings are limited. A destination five kilometres away can be a twenty-five minute drive.
- Almost nothing is open late. Kitchens close earlier than visitors from bigger cities expect.
- Mosquitoes in July near the water are aggressive and the city's control programme has been reduced in recent years.
Day trips
Elk Island, forty-five minutes east, for bison and the darkest sky near the city. Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village next door to it. Jasper is four hours west and deserves an overnight rather than a dash — the drive itself is most of the reward.