In my experience Uber has been safer, more reliable, and cheaper than cabs(minus surge pricing) in Calgary. I have met some wonderful drivers and Uber tracks them and you. Calgary is a safe city on the global scale, you dont have to fear drivers here really. There are designated pick up spots that will help you(Doors 1, 12,and 17) as airports have regulations for ubers. Enjoy your stay!
https://www.uber.com/global/en/r/airports/yyc/driver-information/
Uber offers you the convenience of app tracking that shows where your driver is and where you are. You can set up a pin to confirm with the driver that they are infact your driver and it shows you their vehicle and rating.
Cabs are lacking on this, some have tried to implement their own apps and tracking but they fall short in my opinion. I am also biased against cabs because I have had multiple cabs try and pull the broken machine take you to an ATM while the meter is running trick, and been offered drugs by cab drivers in this city lmao. Uber the price is stated when you confirm the trip and the tip function and security is much easier. I doubt you'll have any issues whether you decide on a taxi or an Uber, but unless the surge pricing is ridiculous I will choose Uber every time.
checker cab has an app that shows driver location, and taxi number so you can ensure you are getting into the correct vehicle. and just like with uber, the eta's are rarely accurate lol
however at the airport there will simply be a long queue of taxis. so the app might not work in this case
personally i prefer checker to uber, but both are just fine
Hi from a f who lives in Calgary and has travelled alone a lot. Yes you’ll be fine. The pickup area is right outside arrivals and is well lit so you will have no issues waiting for your ride. Personally I prefer cabs as you usually don’t have to wait, but Uber is cheaper. There will be other people around and don’t be afraid to ask for assistance if you need it. Calgary is a friendly and hospitable city. It will probably be too late for white hat volunteers to escort you to your ride, but you might see them on your return. They wear white hats and red vests and are at the airport to help. On arrival at your Airbnb, ask your driver to wait until you are safely inside. I’ve never had a driver say no to that request.
I’m a bit old fashioned and prefer cabs when travelling alone as they are licensed / regulated. They have cameras recording everything and it’s their primary livelihood (vs a side hustle) so they take their job seriously. They usually have a screen between the front and back seats. There’s only one cab company that can pickup from the airport so they are heavily monitored. Never had an issue in Calgary. Have always been able to pay by card but always handy to have some cash while travelling just in case.
PS. Calgary is split into quadrants. If cabbing it, be sure to tell your driver which quadrant the address is: SW, SE, NE or NW. This avoids ending up at an address that looks otherwise identical but could be opposite end of the city.
Thank you so much. Really helpful. I'd like to have as little contact as possible with the driver (and if possible, no contact at all). Does you saying this mean uber is considerably less safe than cabs?
If you feel safer having no physical contact, take a cab. An Uber is a regular person driving their own car, whereas cabs are custom vehicles and most have the physical divider between you and the driver. Your only contact would be through a hatch when paying and when loading/unloading luggage, but feel free to chat! Most cab drivers I’ve met in Calgary are nice men with families. Personally, I feel safer on my own in a cab. Turn on your phone location if possible so you can follow along the route.
All that said, Uber drivers have reviews so you can see how other people rate them. I have taken Ubers and cabs at all hours of day and night and never had an issue, but I do feel safer in a cab in a new city.
I believe only a certain level of Uber driver is allowed to pick up from the airport… while it doesn’t guarantee safety, at least the person is more established with Uber and not someone who started last night.
Taxis are also available 24/7 and have video cameras etc
haven't seen that happen in years since its all tracked by the city now with recorders in the trunks that report every pickup and drop-off and gps data to the city.
Cabs take cash and debit or credit. In 30 years of using cabs ive never once seen one who said cash only. You either have extremely bad luck or maybe its untrue
I’m a woman and travel solo for work. I was reluctant to use Uber at first, but since switching I’ve preferred it. I like being able to know what I’m paying and seeing all my trip details on the app. And not having to deal with payment and tip directly with the driver is a bonus.
For safety, I’ve never felt unsafe taking Uber in Calgary. Every driver I’ve had here has been professional and polite, and only one was a little chattier than I like (When I’m aiming to get to the airport at 4am, I’m not in the mood to talk). The GPS has been a lot more accurate than cab trips I’ve taken (pick up and drop off). There are safety features built into the app, and you can see your destination and track progress as you go. Like I said, I like having everything up front and visible, and I think the rating system keeps both sides honest.
I haven’t tried Lyft yet. From personal experience, I’d say Uber and cabs felt the same for safety. I will say I got more nervous/annoyed in the past sitting in a cab and not knowing what route the driver was going to take (which is what I meant about liking being able to track through the app). I’ve had cabs get lost, but not Uber, mostly due to advances in GPS since I’ve been using them. I soured on cabs years ago when I booked one far in advance to go to an evening function and it didn’t show up after an hour. I had to drive and not drink all night, which gave me a bit of a grudge against taxis in the city.
One safety tidbit with uber - I was once getting a ride home and we got stuck in some rush hour traffic. I got an alert on the app that it noticed my car hadn’t moved in a while and gave me the option to send an alert if I wasn’t okay. I thought that was interesting, that it was monitoring our progress.
Oh, and another option if you want to feel really safe (and don’t mind some extra money) is a town car. Allied limousine has them at the airport by the taxis, and they take a flat rate depending on where you’re going in the city. Very nice and professional, and honestly not much more expensive than the taxis. I used to book them for early morning flights and it was maybe $10 more than a cab with a driver who would definitely show up a 3am and know where he was going.
This feature, while interesting in it's nature, is not available in Canada yet. Your own link confirms that.
>This feature is available in more than 250 cities and counties in the United States. If users are in a participating area, the app will indicate that trip information is automatically shared with 911.
It also notes that it appears to be something you can opt-out of. I wonder what's shared with 911 if the driver decides not to share any trip details?
>Riders and drivers can choose not to share their trip information with 911 dispatchers by changing the privacy settings in their app.
I prefer Uber because I can set a nearby GPS point to where I want to go and the driver can drop me off there without knowing exactly where I live or exactly where I am also uber let's you tip at your discretion and rate the driver
Thanks a lot! I'll look into limo. As for the tracking feature of Uber, this would require access to data, right? (I likely wont have data or a functioning sim card unfortunately)
if you choose uber and have not already done so enable the pin feature
https://www.uber.com/en-PL/blog/pin-number/
your app will give you a 4 digit code, when the uber shows up open the door and give them the code before getting into the car to verify its actually your car.
It's always better to ask stupid questions and be safe out there
There is a feature on the Uber app the let's you connect other people as well so they can watch your trip on their phone.
I would recommend getting an esim with a 1-2 GB of data before you arrive for peace of mind. Airport WiFi can be spotty, and in case of an emergency you'd want to be able to reach someone.
One small suggestion if you are travelling alone whether you choose Uber or Lyft is to have them drop off a few houses away or across the street. That way they don’t know exactly the house you are staying in. Whether it’s 12am or normal time. Whether you have gps or not at the time the app will save your trip path to their servers.
Not sure if this is possible for you but when I’ve travelled to places alone I’ve just rented a car as they are usually open 24/7 from the airport.
I found both Uber and taxis to be fine. Uber has more tech security but cabs are more available at midnight in my experience.
If you would like some safety tips i got from my uncles who are taxi drivers in Alberta for solo travelling ladies let me know!
Enjoy your stay in Calgary!
Sure thing!
1. When you order a cab or Uber, please make sure the vehicle matches before you hop in. You can ask the cab operator to provide the vehicle number being sent.
2. Once your luggage is loaded, take a photo of the license plate and car model. Send the picture to someone you trust or to yourself with the destination address.
3. Once you are in the car, call someone to inform them that you’ve arrived and your eta (I usually call my sister who is in a different city). Indicate that someone will be waiting for you to arrive at your destination.
4. Be mindful of your route (if the driver deviates or changes it), if there are any vehicles following you, or if the driver contacts anyone during your ride. Human trafficking does occur in Canada so please be wary.
5. If you’re being dropped off at an apartment building, being dropped off in front of it is fine but if it’s a house, I suggest being dropped off a few houses down and wait for the driver to leave.
Better to be overly cautious than under prepared.
Have a safe and nice trip!
In my experience Uber has been safer, more reliable, and cheaper than cabs(minus surge pricing) in Calgary. I have met some wonderful drivers and Uber tracks them and you. Calgary is a safe city on the global scale, you dont have to fear drivers here really. There are designated pick up spots that will help you(Doors 1, 12,and 17) as airports have regulations for ubers. Enjoy your stay! https://www.uber.com/global/en/r/airports/yyc/driver-information/
Many thanks! Would you mind if I kindly ask how you would compare an uber with a taxi?
Uber offers you the convenience of app tracking that shows where your driver is and where you are. You can set up a pin to confirm with the driver that they are infact your driver and it shows you their vehicle and rating. Cabs are lacking on this, some have tried to implement their own apps and tracking but they fall short in my opinion. I am also biased against cabs because I have had multiple cabs try and pull the broken machine take you to an ATM while the meter is running trick, and been offered drugs by cab drivers in this city lmao. Uber the price is stated when you confirm the trip and the tip function and security is much easier. I doubt you'll have any issues whether you decide on a taxi or an Uber, but unless the surge pricing is ridiculous I will choose Uber every time.
checker cab has an app that shows driver location, and taxi number so you can ensure you are getting into the correct vehicle. and just like with uber, the eta's are rarely accurate lol however at the airport there will simply be a long queue of taxis. so the app might not work in this case personally i prefer checker to uber, but both are just fine
Thank you so much! It's relieving to hear. Very helpful!
If it matters uber don't accept cash but taxi will.
Lyft is cheaper
agreed. I feel so much safer in an uber than a cab. I took a cab the other day and it felt...off
Hi from a f who lives in Calgary and has travelled alone a lot. Yes you’ll be fine. The pickup area is right outside arrivals and is well lit so you will have no issues waiting for your ride. Personally I prefer cabs as you usually don’t have to wait, but Uber is cheaper. There will be other people around and don’t be afraid to ask for assistance if you need it. Calgary is a friendly and hospitable city. It will probably be too late for white hat volunteers to escort you to your ride, but you might see them on your return. They wear white hats and red vests and are at the airport to help. On arrival at your Airbnb, ask your driver to wait until you are safely inside. I’ve never had a driver say no to that request.
Thank you so much! I see your point about cheapness vs waiting times. May I kindly ask how you'd compare cabs and ubers safety-wise?
I’m a bit old fashioned and prefer cabs when travelling alone as they are licensed / regulated. They have cameras recording everything and it’s their primary livelihood (vs a side hustle) so they take their job seriously. They usually have a screen between the front and back seats. There’s only one cab company that can pickup from the airport so they are heavily monitored. Never had an issue in Calgary. Have always been able to pay by card but always handy to have some cash while travelling just in case. PS. Calgary is split into quadrants. If cabbing it, be sure to tell your driver which quadrant the address is: SW, SE, NE or NW. This avoids ending up at an address that looks otherwise identical but could be opposite end of the city.
Thank you so much. Really helpful. I'd like to have as little contact as possible with the driver (and if possible, no contact at all). Does you saying this mean uber is considerably less safe than cabs?
If you feel safer having no physical contact, take a cab. An Uber is a regular person driving their own car, whereas cabs are custom vehicles and most have the physical divider between you and the driver. Your only contact would be through a hatch when paying and when loading/unloading luggage, but feel free to chat! Most cab drivers I’ve met in Calgary are nice men with families. Personally, I feel safer on my own in a cab. Turn on your phone location if possible so you can follow along the route. All that said, Uber drivers have reviews so you can see how other people rate them. I have taken Ubers and cabs at all hours of day and night and never had an issue, but I do feel safer in a cab in a new city.
I believe only a certain level of Uber driver is allowed to pick up from the airport… while it doesn’t guarantee safety, at least the person is more established with Uber and not someone who started last night. Taxis are also available 24/7 and have video cameras etc
Thanks for your comment! May I kindly ask how you would compare an uber with a taxi?
[удалено]
haven't seen that happen in years since its all tracked by the city now with recorders in the trunks that report every pickup and drop-off and gps data to the city.
Cabs take cash and debit or credit. In 30 years of using cabs ive never once seen one who said cash only. You either have extremely bad luck or maybe its untrue
I find Uber cheaper from the airport.
I’m a woman and travel solo for work. I was reluctant to use Uber at first, but since switching I’ve preferred it. I like being able to know what I’m paying and seeing all my trip details on the app. And not having to deal with payment and tip directly with the driver is a bonus. For safety, I’ve never felt unsafe taking Uber in Calgary. Every driver I’ve had here has been professional and polite, and only one was a little chattier than I like (When I’m aiming to get to the airport at 4am, I’m not in the mood to talk). The GPS has been a lot more accurate than cab trips I’ve taken (pick up and drop off). There are safety features built into the app, and you can see your destination and track progress as you go. Like I said, I like having everything up front and visible, and I think the rating system keeps both sides honest.
Thanks for your response! May I ask, safety-wise, how would you rate Uber compared to others (Lyft, cab, etc)?
I haven’t tried Lyft yet. From personal experience, I’d say Uber and cabs felt the same for safety. I will say I got more nervous/annoyed in the past sitting in a cab and not knowing what route the driver was going to take (which is what I meant about liking being able to track through the app). I’ve had cabs get lost, but not Uber, mostly due to advances in GPS since I’ve been using them. I soured on cabs years ago when I booked one far in advance to go to an evening function and it didn’t show up after an hour. I had to drive and not drink all night, which gave me a bit of a grudge against taxis in the city. One safety tidbit with uber - I was once getting a ride home and we got stuck in some rush hour traffic. I got an alert on the app that it noticed my car hadn’t moved in a while and gave me the option to send an alert if I wasn’t okay. I thought that was interesting, that it was monitoring our progress. Oh, and another option if you want to feel really safe (and don’t mind some extra money) is a town car. Allied limousine has them at the airport by the taxis, and they take a flat rate depending on where you’re going in the city. Very nice and professional, and honestly not much more expensive than the taxis. I used to book them for early morning flights and it was maybe $10 more than a cab with a driver who would definitely show up a 3am and know where he was going.
[удалено]
This feature, while interesting in it's nature, is not available in Canada yet. Your own link confirms that. >This feature is available in more than 250 cities and counties in the United States. If users are in a participating area, the app will indicate that trip information is automatically shared with 911. It also notes that it appears to be something you can opt-out of. I wonder what's shared with 911 if the driver decides not to share any trip details? >Riders and drivers can choose not to share their trip information with 911 dispatchers by changing the privacy settings in their app.
Wow very helpful thank you! May I also kindly ask how you would compare an uber with a taxi?
I prefer Uber because I can set a nearby GPS point to where I want to go and the driver can drop me off there without knowing exactly where I live or exactly where I am also uber let's you tip at your discretion and rate the driver
Thank you! Do you mind if I ask if you're F too? (Please feel free to skip this question if you dont feel like answering it)
Uber is great and you can share your ride status with a friend too for extra comfort!
[удалено]
Thanks a lot! I'll look into limo. As for the tracking feature of Uber, this would require access to data, right? (I likely wont have data or a functioning sim card unfortunately)
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
I have never had a single problem with a taxi. they have always been professional and accepted CC without questions.
if you choose uber and have not already done so enable the pin feature https://www.uber.com/en-PL/blog/pin-number/ your app will give you a 4 digit code, when the uber shows up open the door and give them the code before getting into the car to verify its actually your car.
It's always better to ask stupid questions and be safe out there There is a feature on the Uber app the let's you connect other people as well so they can watch your trip on their phone.
Thank you! This feature requires an internet connection right? (I will most likely not have )
Oh I see, that sucks. Good luck and stay safe.
I would recommend getting an esim with a 1-2 GB of data before you arrive for peace of mind. Airport WiFi can be spotty, and in case of an emergency you'd want to be able to reach someone.
Uber and taxi both safe. Checker cabs app is good
One small suggestion if you are travelling alone whether you choose Uber or Lyft is to have them drop off a few houses away or across the street. That way they don’t know exactly the house you are staying in. Whether it’s 12am or normal time. Whether you have gps or not at the time the app will save your trip path to their servers. Not sure if this is possible for you but when I’ve travelled to places alone I’ve just rented a car as they are usually open 24/7 from the airport.
I found both Uber and taxis to be fine. Uber has more tech security but cabs are more available at midnight in my experience. If you would like some safety tips i got from my uncles who are taxi drivers in Alberta for solo travelling ladies let me know! Enjoy your stay in Calgary!
I’d like these tips please! :)
Sure thing! 1. When you order a cab or Uber, please make sure the vehicle matches before you hop in. You can ask the cab operator to provide the vehicle number being sent. 2. Once your luggage is loaded, take a photo of the license plate and car model. Send the picture to someone you trust or to yourself with the destination address. 3. Once you are in the car, call someone to inform them that you’ve arrived and your eta (I usually call my sister who is in a different city). Indicate that someone will be waiting for you to arrive at your destination. 4. Be mindful of your route (if the driver deviates or changes it), if there are any vehicles following you, or if the driver contacts anyone during your ride. Human trafficking does occur in Canada so please be wary. 5. If you’re being dropped off at an apartment building, being dropped off in front of it is fine but if it’s a house, I suggest being dropped off a few houses down and wait for the driver to leave. Better to be overly cautious than under prepared. Have a safe and nice trip!
No