Public Transportation (local trains and busses)
Ottawa has excellent public transit called OC Transpo. It integrates light rail with bus service. By the time of the conference two new light rail lines (2 and 4) will be active, allowing light rail journeys from the airport to your hotel and the Shaw Centre.
From the airport to the conference: Click here for public transit directions to get to the Shaw Centre from the airport (most hotels are nearby). Until train lines 2 and 4 re-open it will suggest taking bus 97, but by conference time you will be able to exit the airport onto the line 4 train platform on the airport arrivals level, at the far west end. You will need to transfer to line 2 destination “Bayview” (max 6-minute wait) at South Keys, and then to line 1 destination “Blair” at Bayview; you would exit at Rideau station, which has indoor connections to the Shaw Centre and Westin Hotel.
Route planning app: The officially-supported mobile app for route planning is called ’Transit. It is available at the Apple App Store and Google Play). This uses real-time tracking by GPS on busses and trains, as well as crowd-sourced data from users to give you accurate timings. You can also use the OC Transpo web app to plan travel. On either app, you can type ‘Shaw Centre’ to set that as the destination, although ‘Rideau’ is the station that is directly connected.
Fares: To pay fares, you can use tap your Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay (on your phone) and Google Pay (on your phone) on busses and light rail stations. When transferring, use the same payment method, and you won’t be charged for the second ride. More information is here.
Public transit on the Gatineau side of the Ottawa river: Directly across the Ottawa river is Gatineau, Quebec. If your hotel is on that side of the river or you want to explore Gatineau, then you would use the STO busses (Société de Transport de l’Outaouais). Some OC Transpo red busses and STO blue busses cross the Ottawa River. Here is some information on fares and transfers if you want to use STO busses
Ottawa Bikes and E-Scooters
Ottawa has a vast network of pathways for cycling, scootering, running, and walking. Most transit stations connect directly to a pathway. Other stations are located within a short walk of a path or trail. Signs and maps at each station direct you to nearby paths.
Cycling:Use the National Capital Commission cycling map and tools to plan the cycling part of your route. Click here for the closest place to the Shaw Centre to rent a bicycle
E-Scooters: You will find E-Scooters for rent in various locations. Ottawa bylaws state that you cannot use them on sidewalks.
Ottawa Taxis and Ridesharing
Uber and Lyft provide ride-sharing services in Ottawa, and ordinary taxis are available. Taxis and ridesharing will be much more expensive than public transport, and at peak periods may be slower.