The Calgary commute 101

Maybe urban living isn't your thing, you want to be closer to nature, away from the hustle and bustle, enjoy some space, a quieter pace and all the things that the suburbs and even more rural communities offer. But you can't just quit your day job. You'll want to pick a community that offers a good Calgary commute – somewhere to live that makes it easy to get to and from work without a daily meltdown.

Here are eight communities that offer a decent Calgary commute:

Airdrie

• Distance: 34 km
• Commute: 35 minutes
• Population: 60,000

The Good: From Airdrie head south on Highway #2, which will eventually turn into Deerfoot Trail. From here you have multiple access points to the city and people who work in the Northeast will find this to be very convenient. Many commuter buses like the 900 with LRT connections are advisable.

The Bad: Drivers should plan to leave early (or late) to avoid sitting in heavy rush-hour traffic.

Banff/Canmore

• Distance: 125km/103km
• Commute: 1.5 hour/1 hour
• Population: 9,500/13,000

The Good: Living in the mountains is a dream come true for many people and the drive in on Highway #1 offers stunning views, not to mention double lanes.

The Bad: Accidents are very commonplace due to high traffic in summer and winter driving conditions can make for a slow/stressful commute. Expect delays in peak seasons.

Bragg Creek

• Distance: 45 km
• Commute: 40 minutes
• Population: 500

The Good:From beautiful Bragg Creek you have the option of the #1 and the #8 into town. If you don’t need to go downtown, your commute will be cut in half.

The Bad: Getting out of downtown during rush-hour can make for a long wait, but otherwise many people make this commute with little issue.

Chestermere

• Distance: 24 km
• Commute: 25 minutes
• Population: 17,000

The Good: Just a short drive down the 1A and you have the quiet lakeside community to call home with regular buses and shuttles to Calgary.

The Bad: In the winter especially, it can be slow going into the city. Major talks are underway about new solutions for transportation in the future.

Cochrane

• Distance: 36 km
• Commute: 35 minutes
• Population: 23,000

The Good: People working in the northwest and downtown of Calgary will find this commute on the 1A to be one of the better drives.

The Bad:If you work in the south or the northeast, expect to tack on an additional 10 to 15 minutes each way.

Okotoks

• Distance: 47 km
• Commute: 40 minutes
• Population: 28,000

The Good: For residents who want to save money on downtown parking, the Somerset/Bridlewood LRT station is 20 minutes away.

The Bad: Drivers often complain that commutes can take a full hour each way with various delays.

Priddis

• Distance: 38km
• Commute: 40 minutes
• Population: Not available

The Good: A drive down the 22x highway takes you through some of the most spectacular ranchland of Southern Alberta.

The Bad: There are no current shuttles or buses and driving by car is the only way into the city.