a city skyline with a bridge in the foreground

Edmonton

Edmonton is Alberta's capital, known for its river valley parks, year-round festivals and Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest living history museum.

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Edmonton is the capital of Alberta, on the North Saskatchewan River about 290 km north of Calgary. Residents, called Edmontonians, know the city as the Gateway to the North, and as Canada's Festival City for its many festivals held through the year. It is the northernmost city in North America with more than one million people.

The river valley is the main draw. It forms the longest stretch of connected urban parkland in North America, with trails, ravines and golf courses. Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest living history museum, sits in the valley southwest of the city centre. Downtown, the Royal Alberta Museum is the largest museum in western Canada, and the Muttart Conservatory's four pyramids hold plants from three biomes. Summer, from June to early September, brings the festivals and up to 17 hours of daylight at the solstice. Winter, from November to March, often drops below -20 °C, so plan museums and concerts for those months. A few days covers the valley, the main museums and a festival.

Edmonton in five

Ride Route 747 from the airportEdmonton Transit lists Route 747 as a direct bus from Edmonton International to Century Park Transit Centre, daily from 4:10 am to 12:30 am. The flat fare is $6, double the usual city rate.
Tap a card for city ridesETS charges adults $3 for a 90-minute ride with an Arc card or a tapped credit or debit card, capped at $10.50 a day. Cash costs $3.75, so skip it.
Give Elk Island National Park a half dayParks Canada puts Elk Island 48 km east of the city center. Daily admission is $10.00 per adult and $19.50 per family or group in a vehicle; youth 17 and under are free.Parks Canada fees
Start a Rockies loop here for JasperParks Canada describes Jasper townsite as the gateway to the Icefields Parkway, with the road leading east toward Hinton and Edmonton. A north-to-south run ends in Banff.Banff and Jasper planner
Check road reports before winter drivesWinter is long and cold. Before driving west to Jasper, check 511 Alberta and leave in daylight; the Banff and Jasper planner has the Icefields Parkway winter rules.Jasper National Park

Things to do in Edmonton

See all attractions in Edmonton

Sight · EdmontonAlberta Legislature Ice Rink

Museum · EdmontonTELUS World of Science - Edmonton

Garden · EdmontonMuttart Conservatory

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to EdmontonPut the places you like in Edmonton on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Edmonton International (YEG); Route 747 bus to the city
Getting there: Flights from across Canada; Jasper lies west by road via Hinton
Getting around: ETS buses and LRT; $3 Arc fare for 90 minutes, $10.50 daily cap Read more
Best base: Downtown or Old Strathcona
Time needed: 2 nights as a stop; add a half day for Elk Island

Weather by month

Rainy days
Snowy days
Days with storms

Best
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryPartly cloudy7 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh-7°Low-14°Cold, snow
FebruaryPartly cloudy6 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh-7°Low-16°Cold, snow
MarchPartly cloudy6 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh0°Low-9°Thaw, snow
AprilPartly cloudy6 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh9°Low-1°Spring, mud
MayPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh17°Low6°Mild, green
JuneRain13 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh20°Low10°Long days
JulyRain15 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh23°Low13°Warm, festivals
AugustPartly cloudy11 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh23°Low12°Warm, festivals
SeptemberPartly cloudy7 rainy daysHigh18°Low7°Fall colors
OctoberPartly cloudy6 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh9°Low0°Cool, quiet
NovemberPartly cloudy6 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh0°Low-7°Cold
DecemberPartly cloudy7 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh-7°Low-14°Cold, snow

Average daily high and low in Edmonton, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Edmonton

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: -2°
Humidity: 77%
Wind: 5 km/h
Chance of rain: 0%

Edmonton

02:36 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT-6

Today7°-7°0%Monday: Fog. High 7°, Low -7°. Chance of rain 0%.
Tue7°-3°4%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 7°, Low -3°. Chance of rain 4%.
Wed8°-3°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 8°, Low -3°. Chance of rain 0%.
Thu5°-1°2%Thursday: Cloudy. High 5°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 2%.
Fri7°-1°22%Friday: Drizzle. High 7°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 22%.
Sat6°-1°8%Saturday: Cloudy. High 6°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 8%.

Updated 12:08 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 1.397 CAD

Amount

Converted to

CAD · Canadian Dollar

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Edmonton

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Coming up

Day trips by train

Elk Island National Parkabout 48 km east of the centerBison, lakes and more than 80 km of trails inside a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Jasper National Parka long drive west; better as an overnightThe northern end of the Icefields Parkway and the park most trips start from here.Read the guide
Calgarya long road day or a short flightThe southern gateway to Banff, handy for an open-jaw Rockies route.Read the guide

Before you go to Edmonton

Car hire at Edmonton airportJasper and the Icefields ParkwayCompare car hire

Day tours from EdmontonGuided days to Elk Island and JasperCompare day trips

eSIM for EdmontonData for the drive westRead the guide

Insurance for Alberta tripsCover for winter roads and delaysRead the guide

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Rules for Edmonton, checked

ETS Route 747 serves Edmonton International daily from 4:10 am to 12:30 am; the fare is a flat $6 per trip.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
ETS adult fares: $3 for 90 minutes with an Arc card, credit or debit; the Arc daily cap is $10.50; cash is $3.75.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Elk Island National Park daily admission: adult $10.00, family or group $19.50, youth 17 and under free.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source

Plan around Edmonton

Jasper National Park

A long drive west, then the parkway

Read the guide Banff and Jasper planner

Icefields Parkway, fuel and park passes

Read the guide Calgary

The other Alberta gateway, for a Banff start

Read the guide All of Canada

eTA, regions, cities and money basics

Read the guide Getting around Canada

Car hire, trains and long distances

Read the guide Canada eTA explained

Who needs it and where to apply

Read the guide Yellowknife

Aurora trips start with a flight north

Read the guide Saskatchewan

Prairie cities and parks to the east

Read the guide

Edmonton FAQ

Is Edmonton worth visiting?

Yes for one or two nights, mainly for the river valley, big museums and festivals in summer. It is not a reason to cross Alberta on its own, so treat it as part of a Jasper trip.

How do you get from Edmonton airport to downtown?

Take ETS Route 747 to Century Park Transit Centre and change there, at a flat $6, or use a taxi or ride app. The bus runs daily from 4:10 am to 12:30 am, at 30 to 60 minute intervals.

Can you drive from Edmonton to Jasper in a day?

Yes, west on the highway through Hinton, but allow time for daylight and weather. Parks Canada says a park pass is required on the Icefields Parkway.

Is Elk Island worth a day trip from Edmonton?

Yes if you want bison and quiet trails. Parks Canada lists adult admission at $10.00 and says to be bison wise: keep your distance and follow its tips before any encounter.

Is public transport in Edmonton easy for visitors?

It works for the core. Tap a credit or debit card for $3 per 90 minutes, with a $10.50 daily cap, and use Route 747 for the airport.