Calgary City Council Announces New Public Transit Programs for Q1 2026

“There were dozens of ideas put forward at our internal strategy round table.  Of those we have selected the 10 best proposals we felt could be implemented without years of construction or consultations. The selected additions or changes to Calgary transit can be in-use by mid-February if fully adopted before December 31, 2025. “ – Marciolle Gharbegkhan, Calgary Transit client liaison

• Restrooms: The front two benches of each conventional train will have compost toilets installed instead of seating, and a curtain will be installed to provide privacy from the rest of the traingoers. The cost is $5 per flush, and a user will swipe their credit or debit card to access a flush. Users who do not pay for a flush will have their picture posted to Instagram.
• External Seating:  External seating acquired from shuttered ski resorts will be added to the outside of several train cars. These seats will be free for users willing to ride outside the cars and brave the weather at the time. External seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Beverage Car:  Trashed Up Inc. will operate a central refreshment car and sell an assortment of beverages and edibles. Charges for these items will be in line with average Stampede and Saddledome pricing. No coupons and no Groupons allowed.
• Heated and Vibrating Seating:  Twenty per cent of C-Train seating will be retrofitted with Katzkin leather heated and vibrating seat covers. Much like a shopping mall spa-chair, these will be coin activated and cost $2 per minute. A series of cameras and sensors will sense when a passenger has fallen asleep and after 15 minutes of slumber, the seats will administer a slight taser-like shock to awaken them to make room for other passengers.
• Package Shipping:  The Calgary Transit Authority has noted there are many individuals who ride transit constantly from place to place. Over 200 of these individuals have accepted job offers to manage package shipping from station to station. Packages will be charged to customers by external dimensions and will be transported within roof racks and closed carriers attached to all train cars that will be accessible with ladders that do not interfere with current electric cabling or drive systems on the trains.
• Sleeping Berths: Two additional cars per train will be delivered from rail yards in the USA. These cars have sleeping berths for four individuals, with the berths divided using surplus office cubicle materials. The cars are easily retrofitted to existing C-Train infrastructure by Ramgun Fabrication out of Rimbey, Alberta. Once a user has boarded the C-Train, a sleeping berth for up to two people can be opened by tapping a credit card, and usage of the bed lasts until the room is exited. The cost is $25 per use.

• Onboard Cameras:  A series of commercially available streaming cameras will be installed in each car, and the feeds will be live-streamed to the entire world. The goal is to monetize the incidents and interactions that occur routinely within the C-Train network and bring down the cost to users. One city councillor said that this feed, which costs a monthly subscription fee, will make for some of the best reality TV to hit the airwaves.
• Bluetooth Speakers:  The first rider who manages to connect their mobile device (including a tablet or a laptop) to the onboard speaker system will have the ability to play whatever they want for their journey to their destination. Once they have disembarked, another user can connect and choose the playlist. Upon disconnecting from the Bluetooth system, the passenger will automatically be charged $4.99 per minute of music, podcast, or any other audio played.
• Ticket Purchase Lottery Machines:  Once a ticket is requested at specific “Ticket Lottery” machines, the rider verifies their credit card information and a game system much like a slot machine randomly decides his or her fare for that ride. The selected outcomes are “free”, $2, 4%, or $20. No refunds allowed.
• Reserved Standing Locations:  If a rider wants to prepay for a specific location within a specific train car at a certain time, they can place a reservation online for an additional fee. For example, if you want to catch a 3:15pm Red Line train from 7th Ave to Brentwood, you can select your standing placement at location 12-3b Right. Locations of each reservable spot will be marked on train floors.

Early rider feedback has been, unsurprisingly, a mixed bag. “Honestly, if I’m paying $25 for a nap, that bed better come with room service and a mint,” grumbled longtime commuter Stan H., who admits he’ll probably use it anyway. SAIT engineering technology student Kaylee J. was more enthusiastic: “External seating sounds awesome. If I’m already freezing waiting for the train, I might as well freeze on the train, it’s far more efficient.” Meanwhile, tech bro Devin P. celebrated the Bluetooth feature: “Finally, a captive audience for my 47-minute dubstep remix.” And retiree Margaret L. summed up the washroom plan best: “Five dollars to flush? For that price, I’m holding it until Tuscany.”

In the end, council insists these bold enhancements will “modernize the transit experience,” though critics argue they may instead “monetize the misery.” But whether you’re booking your premium standing square, climbing a ladder to retrieve Aunt Marge’s Christmas parcel, or sprinting to be first to hijack the Bluetooth system with your questionable playlist, one thing is certain: Calgary’s C-Train system is about to become the most unintentionally entertaining ride in North America. And if nothing else, the world will be watching – literally – thanks to those 24/7 livestream cameras. Buckle up, Calgary. Transit is about to get… innovative.