Calgary Transit Pilot: Two-Car CTrain Service on Weekends
As part of ongoing efforts to continually improve and optimize public transit service for Calgarians, Calgary Transit will be launching a two-car train pilot on weekends, beginning March 22.
Since 2022 annual ridership numbers have been growing and returning to 2019 pre-pandemic levels – in 2024, more than 101 million customers were served by Calgary Transit. Outside of special events, weekend ridership has also been increasing, with 84 passengers on average riding the train per trip (up to 300 during busy periods), but under the 400-person capacity of two train cars.
By reducing the number of train cars on weekends to match demand, Calgary Transit aims to reduce costs related to energy, maintenance, and operations while ensuring an optimized service for weekend riders.
The two-car train service will operate on both Saturdays and Sundays in addition to public holidays and will be closely monitored to inform future plans. Additional “floater” trains will be deployed during times of high weekend demand such as concerts and Calgary Flames games, while significant city-wide events like the Calgary Stampede and the Rotary International Convention this summer will temporarily increase train lengths to three or four cars.
In addition to an optimized weekend service, other benefits include:
Lower energy consumption: Fewer CTrain cars reduces energy usage over the weekend by 33 per cent.
Reduced maintenance: Less wear and tear on vehicles and infrastructure reduces maintenance needs while extending the lifespan of the overall system.
Security & Safety: Fewer CTrain cars streamlines patrols for Transit Peace Officers.
Leading up to the pilot, signage and a public awareness campaign will begin supporting customers with the change. Shorter trains will still stop at the end of platforms, meaning riders may be asked to move further down than usual.
If the pilot proves successful, Calgary Transit may consider expanding two-car operations to non-peak hours on weekdays with a full evaluation scheduled for the fall. Customers are encouraged to share feedback during the pilot program through Calgary Transit’s customer service channels.
For more information, visit Calgarytransit.com/TwoCarTrains