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Calgary Transit is getting new light rail vehicles (LRVs) for the first time in six years.
The new vehicles, known as C10s, will be operational this week. They look similar to the current C9 model on the outside, but the interior offers substantial upgrades.
“They come with heated floors, onboard digital display screens, air conditioning and improved accessibility,” said Sharon Fleming, director of Calgary Transit.
The last time Calgary Transit added new LRVs was in 2020.
Fleming said the new trains will also cost less for maintenance.
The interior of Calgary Transit’s new C10 light rail vehicle, which the city says come with modern amenities like heated floors, onboard digital displays, air conditioning and improved accessibility. (Jo Horwood/CBC)
“It’s a big improvement from the traditional older U2 trains we’re slowly decommissioning,” Fleming said.
There are 217 LRVs in Calgary Transit’s CTrain fleet, 32 of which are the old U2 cars.
The last of Calgary Transit’s U2 cars, in service for over 40 years, will be replaced by the new C10s.
Calgary Transit’s oldest U2 cars date to the 1980s. (CBC News)
Fleming said the city expects all of the older model vehicles to be out of service by 2028.
“And while they’re well past their useful life, they’ve served Calgary really well since 1981,” she said. “We know the U2s with their blue and pink stripes are a fan favourite for some of our riders, and we’ll make sure to give them a great send-off when the time comes.”
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas steps off one of Calgary Transit’s new C10 light rail vehicles on June 23, 2026. (Jo Horwood/CBC)
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas echoed that sentiment.
“As we continue replacing the U2 fleet, it will also serve as a reminder of the tremendous growth and transformation our city has undergone since Calgary first introduced light rail transit,” he said.
“As much as so many Calgarians associate our CTrain system with the classic U2 trains, these new C10 train vehicles are better, more efficient and more comfortable,” Farkas said.
The City of Calgary says the CTrain, which began operating in 1981, is one of the busiest light rail transit systems on the continent, with more than 150,000 passenger trips every weekday.