Buses to and from Winnipeg Airport (YWG)

Winnipeg International Airport is located just to the west of central Winnipeg, and is an airport of a reasonable size. It is currently rated as the eighth busiest in Canada, and handles around 3.39 million passengers per annum. This airport in the Manitoba province of the country is recognised by its IATA code of YWG, and its full name is the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport. Buses are an excellent way to travel to or from the airport, and provide a cost efficient form of transport to airport passengers. There are several types of buses available, including public buses, private shuttles and hotel shuttles.

The airport of Winnipeg has a single terminal building that was recently constructed. It contains all the facilities arriving and departing passengers require, including US border preclearance facilities, and is home to the majority of the airport’s airline companies. The main carriers include Air Canada Express and WestJet. The airport is also a hub for Perimeter Aviation and Kivallig Air, and there are two separate terminals on the airport grounds for these two airline companies because they operate smaller aircraft and don’t need jet bridges and the other facilities for larger airplanes. Passengers arriving at the airport can travel by taxi or bus, or they can rent a car from one of the airport car hire companies. By bus is often preferred, as it is convenient and cheaper than all other forms of transportation. Winnipeg Airport is served by two public bus routes, by long-distance coaches, by the Brandon Airport Shuttle and by several shuttles operated by the hotels of the area.

The bus terminal, that is also used as a hub by Greyhound and other inter-city bus lines, can be found just outside of the main terminal building. The bus terminal is therefore within easy reach of all passenger facilities.

Winnipeg Transit Public Bus Services

The public buses of the airport are found outside the south end of the terminal. They depart from a bus shelter that is clearly indicated. The bus routes available are the 15 Sargent/Mountain and the 20 Academy/Watt. When leaving the airport they are signed as the 15 Mountain or the 20 Watt, and when heading to the airport, they are signed as 15 Sargent and 20 Academy. The public buses are available at frequent times between the hours of 05:50am and 12:49am.

The bus ticket will cost between $2.15 and $2.45, or passengers can purchase sheets of five or ten tickets. Monthly passes are also available for persons who plan to use the buses of Winnipeg on a regular basis. For an hour (60 minutes) passengers may use the same ticket to transfer to a different bus service. Stopovers can be made, or passengers can even make a return trip. Transfers will need to be requested when paying the applicable fare. Reduced fares are available for children aged 6 to 16 and for senior travellers, and children aged five years or younger may ride for free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

The services available in Winnipeg by the Winnipeg Transit company include 84 fixed routes that are made up of main line routes, express routes and suburban feeders. Main line routes stop at all bus stops and run from neighbourhoods to downtown Winnipeg seven days a week, while express routes are available mainly during rush hours and have limited stops. The suburban feeders provide service in suburban areas where there is a lesser demand for buses. Additional buses include the Downtown Spirit, a free service to Winnipeg’s major downtown destinations, the Folk Festival Express, the Race Track Shuttle and the Red River Ex, which provides extensive service to and from Exhibition Park during the month of June. There are also thirteen routes that run on the Southwest Transitway, which are referred to as the Rapid Transit routes. The buses are able to operate at a faster rate as they use the Graham Transit Mall and diamond lanes on Main Street to access the transitway at Queen Elizabeth Way and Stradbrook.

Winnipeg Transit currently operates over 400 low floored buses which have several new features, including kneeling capacity, electric ramps and priority accessible seating. Disabled passengers or elderly persons will find these buses easier to use. There is also a special DART service that can be used by persons who are unable to ride the usual public buses.

Further details relating to public Winnipeg International Airport buses can be found at http://www.winnipegtransit.com, or the company can be contacted toll-free at 1-877-311-4974. 311 can be dialled for information regarding routes, schedules and bus fares.

The Brandon Airport Shuttle

Brandon Airport Shuttle has been providing transport services to the city of Brandon from Winnipeg Airport since 1997. They operate throughout the year, and have a large fleet of well-maintained vehicles. Their services include door-to-door pickup/drop off, assistance with luggage and child seats for the safety and comfort of younger travellers. Brandon Airport Shuttle can be contacted at (204) 729-3332 or 1-888-884-553. They also have a website at http://www.brandonairshuttle.com.

Alternative shuttles are operated by the many hotels in the vicinity of the airport. Their services will usually require an advanced reservation, and are available for their guests. Some of the hotels with transport services include the Best Western Charterhouse Hotel, the Canada Inn Fort Garry, the Clarion Hotel, Fairfield Inn & Suites, the Holiday Inn South, the Sandman Hotel and the Victoria Inn.

Passengers are welcome to stop by the information booths or talk to one of the airport volunteers should they require assistance with any of the Winnipeg buses. The airport can also be contacted at (204) 987-9402.