Alberta's Red Arrow Motorcoach
Luxury Wheelchair Accessible Buses Serve Major Destinations
Red Arrow Motorcoach operates a wheelchair-accessible luxury bus to Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Red Deer, Banff and Lake Louise, Alberta. Attendants travel free
Red Arrow Motorcoach Service
Visitors to the province of Alberta, Canada, may be surprised to find out that the two major cities, Calgary and Edmonton, have no connecting rail service. The substantial amount of inter-city traffic is largely by road, and there are frequent flights between the two cities.
Since 1979, a luxury motorcoach service has been available from Red Arrow. This scheduled service operates similar to an airline, with reserved seating, light on-board refreshments (cookies and non-alcoholic beverages), movies, music, computer plug-ins, an on-board washroom, and airplane-style seats.
Alberta Destinations Served by Red Arrow
As at the date of this writing, Red Arrow has service to Fort McMurray, Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, Banff and Lake Louise. The Calgary-Edmonton service is the most frequent, with both non-stop buses and buses which make one stop in Red Deer en route.
The service to and from Banff and Lake Louise is apparently not available to Calgary, but can be booked for Edmonton or Red Deer. It would be advisable to contact Red Arrow directly for the exact details of travel to Banff and Lake Louise, particularly for travellers who use wheelchairs.
Accessibility
There is Braille signage inside the Red Arrow buses, and for navigation and safety inside the bus, all passengers are urged by the driver and in the safety video to use the overhead handrails when moving about.
The seats are pre-booked and assigned, so the driver knows where the passenger in each seat is going. Unaccompanied children are allowed on the bus, subject to the conditions set out by Red Arrow on its website.
Red Arrow's promotional video and website show that the buses are accessible to wheelchairs. Customers are asked to book at least 24 hours in advance. When booking, it is advisable to discuss exactly what facilities the particular bus will have, as this may change with the route and over time.
Questions to Ask When Booking Red Arrow Motorcoach Travel with a Wheelchair
- Will the bus have a power lift? The Red Arrow website and video both show a power lift in use but it would be wise to check for the specific trip you are planning.
- How many persons can travel in their wheelchairs on the bus at one time?
- Will I be sitting in my own wheelchair or will I have to transfer to a standard bus seat?
- Can my attendant travel for free? Red Arrow permits one attendant to travel for free. The attendant must be able to perform all the extraordinary services the passenger in the wheelchair may require, including any lifting and washroom assistance.
- Is there a wheelchair-accessible washroom on board? The washroom may be quite small and not wheelchair-accessible. In that case, ask how long the trip is between stops and what washroom facilities are available at the stops. This may help you to choose between the direct and the non-direct service.
Red Arrow has made a good name for itself and the service is very popular. The buses are typically clean, well-maintained and comfortable. Full details of the schedules, services offered, and a virtual tour of the buses can be found on the Red Arrow website.
The Red Arrow costs more than the Greyhound service. Red Arrow is less crowded and offers more amenities to its customers. Red Arrow at the time of this writing also appears to have a more generous attendant policy (free), which might actually make it the more economical choice for some trips.
