Enterprise Car Hire
Calgary

After collecting your luggage, follow the overhead signs for the Rental Car Centre. The facility is conveniently located directly opposite the domestic and international arrivals halls. You won't need a shuttle; it's a short, well-lit walk through a covered multi-storey car park. The signage is clear and designed to guide arriving passengers, so following the pictograms for rental cars will lead you straight to the Enterprise desk without confusion, even late at night.

During a snowstorm, allow extra time in your schedule after landing at YYC. Although the walk to the rental counter is sheltered, check-in may take a little longer as staff provide additional guidance. Before leaving the rental facility, spend a few minutes in the car to familiarise yourself with the demister, wipers and headlight controls. This ensures you are comfortable with the vehicle's features before heading out into demanding winter driving conditions.

For a smooth experience, the primary driver on the reservation should go to the Enterprise desk after their flight lands. The rest of the group can meet them at a designated spot, such as a coffee shop in the arrivals area, once they've collected their bags. This avoids everyone waiting at the rental counter. Once the paperwork is complete, the driver can bring the car to the passenger pickup area to load luggage and collect the rest of the party.

To make the most of your first day, plan to pick up your rental with sufficient time to reach Banff before dusk, especially in winter when daylight is shorter. The drive itself is about 90 minutes without stops or traffic. Factoring time to deplane, collect luggage and complete the rental process, an early to mid-afternoon arrival at YYC is ideal. This allows for a relaxed drive, a potential stop for supplies, and arrival in the mountains with plenty of daylight to check in and settle.

A sensible approach is to pull into one of the large commercial centres a few minutes from the airport. Areas with expansive car parks, such as CrossIron Mills shopping district or a nearby supermarket, offer a low-stress environment. There you can take your time to programme your GPS, adjust mirrors and seats, and organise luggage without the pressure of airport traffic. This quick stop helps everyone get comfortable before merging onto main roads like Deerfoot Trail.

For the most straightforward drive to downtown Calgary, follow signs from the airport for Airport Trail NE (West). Take this to Deerfoot Trail (Highway 2) South. This is the city's main north–south artery and is generally well signed. Then take the exit for Memorial Drive West, which provides a direct and scenic route along the Bow River into the city centre. This path minimises complex interchanges and is easier to navigate than other secondary routes.

Calgary's rush hour typically runs from about 07:00 to 09:00 and 15:30 to 18:00 on weekdays. If you're heading from YYC to the Beltline, the main southbound route, Deerfoot Trail (Highway 2), will be heavily congested during the afternoon peak. To avoid the worst of it, consider picking up your car after 18:00 if possible. If you must travel during these times, allow at least double the normal travel time and use a real-time traffic app to navigate potential slowdowns.

To avoid peak mountain traffic, plan to pick up your car and leave Calgary for Canmore on a Friday morning or early afternoon, well before the 16:00 rush begins. For your return on Sunday, the heaviest traffic back to Calgary is typically between 14:00 and 19:00. A more relaxed journey is to leave Canmore before 11:00 or wait until after 19:00. This helps you spend more time enjoying your trip and less time in traffic on the Trans‑Canada Highway.

A rental car is very useful for exploring attractions outside the city centre or for getting to Calgary from the airport. However, for the Stampede itself, driving directly to the grounds can be difficult due to road closures and very limited, costly parking. A smart plan is to use your rental to drive to a C‑Train station with a park‑and‑ride lot, such as Somerset‑Bridlewood or Anderson. From there you can take the train directly to the Stampede grounds, avoiding the traffic and parking headaches.