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Through a collaboration with the city’s transit department, Flixbus will begin offering daily seamless round-trips to Calgary that will depart from the Transit Terminal downtown beginning on July 28.
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
Hatters will have more transportation options to get to the Stampede City as an additional bus line has been announced following a collaboration between the city and a large service provider.
On July 28, the bussing service Flixbus will begin offering daily seamless round-trips to Calgary that will depart from the Transit Terminal downtown in modern buses that include Wi-Fi and a free luggage allowance.
According to Karina Frayter, head of communications at Flix North America, the stop was developed in collaboration with the City’s transit department to fill a transportation gap that was created for residents who can’t rely on a personal vehicle to travel to large urban centres.
The collaboration between Flixbus and the local transit department will provide riders the opportunity to use local buses to access regional intermodal transportation at the Transit terminal building.
“Meidcine Hat plays an important role in connecting Southern Alberta, and adding a stop at the Transit Terminal provides residents with more flexible, reliable travel options,” said Frayter. “By linking intercity service with local transit, we’re helping make travel more accessible for those who can’t rely on a personal vehicle.”
Flixbus will offer up to two round trips to Calgary per day, depending on the day of the week. Riders will be able to purchase tickets online flixbus.ca or through the services app.
Looking at prices on the services website, a round-trip ticket directly to Calgary for one adult costs around $40.
Along the route the bus will also make stops at four other cities including in Bassano and Strathmore before arriving in Calgary.
The route also includes round trip options to stops in Canmore and Banff that cost approximately $80.
The new direct service to Calgary will be the second route FlixBus provides for transportation up the Trans-Canada Highway, riders can currently access service at its stop located at the Husky/ Esso station located along Highway No.1.
The service uses modern buses and offers guaranteed seating.
Across North America, FlixBus operates one of the largest intercity bus networks and serves more than 1,600 destinations.
In Western Canada the service is looking to strengthen its network across Alberta and Saskatchewan and has plans to expand its service to smaller communities offering travel options to centers including Regina, Saskatoon and Edmonton.
“This stop was developed in collaboration with Medicine Hat Transit as part of our effort to improve regional intermodal connectivity. When local and long-distance transit come together in one place, it creates a more seamless experience for passengers and expands access across the region,” said Frayter.
The first bus route service offered from the city’s downtown core was provided byĂ‚Â Greyhound, which had deep roots downtown that began in the 1930s when the first local Greyhound depot and garage were constructed on Third Street SE.
The depot was headquarters for eight drivers and included a 32-booth seat diner and a cigar and tobacco booth as well as an ice cream cooler.
At the time, the News reported the depot was the most-up-to-date of its kind for Greyhound Lines in Alberta.
More than 30 years later, in 1974, Greyhound closed the depot and opened a larger terminal on Second Street behind the original depot.
Greyhound closed all of its western Canadian routes on Oct. 31, 2018.
