Transportation and Access

The City of Castlegar is centrally located in the heart of the Columbia and Kootenay River valleys 32 km south of Nelson and 40 km north of Trail.

Citykilometresmiles
Trail, B.C.3018
Nelson, B.C.4427
Grand Forks, B.C.9760
Cranbrook, B.C.230142
Penticton, B.C.285177
Kelowna, B.C.306190
Vancouver, B.C.617383
Calgary, B.C.
Spokane, B.C.244151
Coeur d'alene, ID258160

Castlegar’s economy benefits from transportation accessibility and central location within the Columbia/Kootenay river valleys:

  • Castlegar is a transportation hub for the Columbia Valley and the West Kootenay. Castlegar sits at the junction of Highways 3, 3A/B, and 22. Highway 3 is an 1167 km southern trade route that extends from Hope, B.C. (Vancouver) to Medicine Hat.
  • Castlegar has close proximity to Highway 6, a north-south corridor to the U.S. (Spokane, Washington with connectivity to I 90/94 from Seattle to Chicago).
  • Castlegar’s commercial trade area (bounded by the Nelson area to the north and the Trail/Rossland area to the south) is approximately 60,000 people. The Interior Health Service area for Castlegar extends further in all directions, and encompasses a population of approximately 82,000 people.
  • Castlegar is a junction point on the southern main line of the CPR (rail)
  • The West Kootenay Regional Airport (www.wkrairport.ca) is the main regional airport with daily flights to both Vancouver and Calgary (Air Canada Jazz).
  • B.C. Transit operates City bus services with connectivity to Nelson and Trail ( http://www.transitbc.com/regions/cas/?p=ft.dd.lst ). Castlegar has scheduled Greyhound bus service to destinations east and west