A future that runs on rails
Alberta is growing rapidly and has a population of more than 5 million people as of January 2026, making it the fastest-growing province or territory in Canada.
Passenger rail services will be a vital factor to connecting our growing population and shaping the future of how we live, work and play.
Passenger rail has the potential to:
- promote economic growth by supporting job creation, connecting Albertans to employment opportunities and expanding tourism
- support sustainable urban growth to meet current and future population demands
- provide increased land development and economic opportunities through transit-oriented development
- improve access to housing and better-connected regions
- create a safer and more resilient transportation system
Engaging with Albertans
The development of the Passenger Rail Master Plan involved extensive engagement with Albertans, municipalities, Indigenous communities, passenger rail stakeholders and rail experts from across the world to ensure a variety of perspectives were heard. Thousands of Albertans indicated broad support for passenger rail and a preference for higher-speed rail connections with shorter travel times across the province.
Vision
The Passenger Rail Master Plan looks decades ahead and identifies concrete actions to build the optimal passenger rail system for the province. The master plan explores a variety of delivery options including public, private or a combination of both.
Passenger Rail Master Plan
The Passenger Rail Master Plan is complete and is a vital tool to guide the next steps in advancing Alberta’s passenger rail. The plan includes:
- a comprehensive feasibility assessment that identifies what elements of a passenger rail system should proceed, in what sequence and based on what conditions
- financial and delivery model options that consider private, public or hybrid services
- options to ensure the effective governance and operations of the passenger rail system
- engagement with Albertans and interested stakeholders
- options and recommendations to Alberta's government
30-Year Network
The Passenger Rail Master Plan identifies a feasible 30-Year Network with connections that could generate the greatest benefits for Alberta over 30 years, including:
- high-speed (up to 320 km/h) regional service between Edmonton and Calgary via Red Deer with more than one train an hour
- higher-speed (more than 160 km/h) regional service between Calgary and Banff with up to one train an hour
- frequent airport-express and commuter rail service, including all-day service every 20 minutes for Calgary International Airport, Airdrie, Edmonton International Airport and St. Albert, and commuter-peak services for other connections
The proposed 30-Year Network aligns with Alberta’s objectives of attracting riders by providing high-speed, frequent, reliable and comfortable services to key destinations to connect to jobs and services, and support tourism.
The proposed network includes more than 500 km of passenger rail corridors and seeks to make the best use of infrastructure by accommodating regional and commuter rail services on the same infrastructure in Calgary and Edmonton.
What’s next
Alberta is moving ahead with the first steps to advance passenger rail in the province based on the findings of the Passenger Rail Master Plan with a $15-million investment over 3 years to support:
- planning for a passenger rail connection between Edmonton’s light-rail transit (LRT) system and the Edmonton International Airport
- initial planning for a central station in downtown Calgary
- engagement with industry to assess private‑sector market capacity, financing approaches, business models and investment strategies to advance passenger rail
For more information on industry and private-sector engagement, contact us.
Timeline
Types of passenger rail
Passenger rail is a train consisting of one or more passenger cars used to transport and serve passengers.
Commuter rail
Passenger rail that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns, and is often traditional heavy rail.
Regional (inter-city) rail
Municipal-led light-rail transit (LRT)
Urban passenger rail transit that typically operates small, frequent trains in an urban area. Calgary and Edmonton have LRT as part of their mass transit systems.
Multi-modal hubs
Provide links in major cities between commuter rail systems, regional rail routes and municipal-led mass transit systems.
News
- Full steam ahead on passenger rail
(June 5, 2026) - Alberta’s future runs on rails
(November 22, 2024) - Alberta's vision for passenger rail
(April 29, 2024) - Improving Calgary Transit
(July 10, 2023)
Resources
Contact
Email: [email protected]