Railways in

Alberta

Alberta Prairie steam train at Big Valley

Northwest Territories

A branch of the CN runs from Edmonton, Alberta to Hay River, on the shores of the Great Slave Lake in Northwest Territories. About 80 miles (130km) of this line lie within Northwest Territories. Hay River is the most northerly point connected by rail to the main North American rail network.

National Operators

• VIA Rail Canada passenger services:
  • The Canadian Toronto to Vancouver via Edmonton and Jasper
  • The Skeena Jasper to Prince Rupert
• CPKC freight services
• CN freight services

International Service

• CPKC from Lethbridge meets BNSF from Shelby, Montana at the US border between Coutts and Sweetgrass.

Proposed Passenger Railway

• Proposed passenger railway linking Banff, Calgary and Calgary Airport. The 150km dedicated passenger line will parallel the route of the existing CPKC freight line (No website located at present)

Local and Regional Freight Operators

• Alberta Prairie Railway switching services in Stettler interchanging with CPKC (No website located at present for freight operation, but see below for tourist passenger operation)
• Battle River Railway Kiron (interchange with CN) to Alliance, about 52 miles (83 km)
• Cando Ltd
  • switching services at the Gibsons Energy and Imperial Oil sites in East Edmonton, interchanging with CN and CPKC
  • switching services at the Cando Sturgeon Terminal, north of Edmonton, interchanging with CN
• Cargill provides switching services at its own grain elevator in Viking, interchanging with CN
• Forty Mile Rail Judson Flats, near Stirling (interchange with CPKC) to Foremost, about 47 miles (75 km)
• Great Sandhills Railway located mainly in Saskatchewan, enters Alberta for a short distance to reach McNeill. No direct connection with any other railway in Alberta
• Watco Rail Services switching services at two sites of Dow Canada:
  • in Fort Saskatchewan, interchanging with CN and CPKC
  • in Prentiss, interchanging with CN and CPKC

Tourist Services

• Royal Canadian Pacific luxury cruise train
• Rocky Mountaineer luxury cruise train
• Alberta Central Railway Museum in Wetaskiwin. Offers rides in a diesel hauled train on a 1 mile (1.6km) loop of track
• Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions steam and diesel hauled trains from Stettler to Big Valley, about 20 miles (32km). Dining services and other specials operate on various days
• Aspen Crossing Railway Aspen Crossing, near Mossleigh, to Blackie, about 14 miles (32km). Diesel hauled. Operates most weekends and some other days May to October. Dining services and other specials operate on various days
• Edmonton Radial Railway Society operates historic trams (streetcars) in Edmonton Park and in southern Edmonton
• Fort Edmonton Park includes an operating steam railway and historic trams (streetcars)
• Galt Historic Railway Park on certain days offers rides on a short narrow gauge track using a converted motorised works trolley
• Heritage Park Historical Village in Calgary includes a steam hauled standard gauge railway circling the park, and a historic electric tram (streetcar) connecting the parking areas with the main gate. Open daily late May to August and weekends in September

Miniature Railway

• Iron Horse Park Airdrie. 1.6km, 7½ in (190mm) gauge, steam or diesel hauled. Open to the public Sundays from late May to early October and for special events.

Trams (LRT)

• Calgary
• Edmonton