Travel
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CALGARY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CALGARY, AB)
The drive from Calgary International Airport to Banff is about 1.5 hours, you’ll start seeing the mountains as you drive in around the 45 minute mark. There are a few different routes you can take to get to Banff.
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The Fastest Route from Calgary to Banff is on the Trans-Canada Highway. From YYC to Downtown Banff is approximately 144.0 km (89.47 miles) via AB-1 W. This route isn’t very scenic but does start to get pretty once you pass the Stoney Nakoda Casino on your left-hand side. You’ll then see famous mountain peaks like Yamnuska before reaching Canmore. Right after Canmore you’ll see the Parks Canada entrance gates to Banff.
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The Scenic Route doesn’t take much more time than the fast route, so if you have an extra 30 minutes in your schedule I would recommend taking it. When driving from Calgary to Banff you’ll take the exit towards Cochrane and take Highway 1A from Cochrane to Canmore. It’s a slight detour with different views. If you want to make it a little quicker you can get on the 1A in Cochrane and get off near Morley before continuing to Banff on the TransCanada.
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During the weekends in July and August the TransCanada can become very congested with a large portion of the city entering the mountains. This means on a Friday night it may take longer to get to Banff and on Sunday evening it will take longer to get back to Calgary. Keep this in mind if you have flights during these times.
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
HOW TO GET FROM CALGARY TO BANFF
There is a multitude of ways to get from Calgary to Banff. These options vary from rental cars, private transfers, shuttle buses, and public transport. (Although, we do suggest you would best be off renting a car.)
GET A RENTAL CAR AND DRIVE TO BANFF
Renting a car or driving your own vehicle is one of the best ways to explore Banff and provides a lot of advantages over public transport. A car allows you to avoid crowds, make up your own schedule, and explore all of the various parts of Banff. If you have plans to do a lot of hiking you’re going to need your own rental car. Rentalcars.com, Discover Car Hire and Costco.com (if you are member) both our great sites to find a good deal in the Canadian Rockies. These are only a couple suggestions for car rentals. There are numerous other options as well.
CALGARY TO BANFF BY SHUTTLE BUS
There are a number of companies that offer private shuttle bus transfers from the Calgary International Airport. They operate on a schedule and run multiple transfers a day. The two most popular are Banff Airporter and Brewster Express. Both of them are great options and they have different offerings so your travel plans may be better suited for one over the other.
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The Banff Airporter is a year-round service that operates between Calgary, Canmore, and Banff. They have a ton of scheduled times so you very rarely have to wait more than an hour after your flight has landed. Only one location is available for pickup/drop-off in Calgary at the airport and one in Canmore at the Coast Hotel. While they offer a pickup/drop-off hotel service in Banff. The staff is always friendly and they have modern buses with power points, comfortable seats, and water available.
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Brewster Express is the largest operator for group tours and bus service in and around the Canadian Rockies. Their parent company Pursuit also operates a lot of the major attractions like Banff Gondola and the Lake Minnewaska Cruise. Brewster the transportation company operates group tour buses that deliver guests to all of the major sights in the park. Even if you opt for another transport option one of their tours may be a great option to explore the park. They also offer a shuttle service with hotel pickups in the Calgary city center. This is a great option if you have time to explore Calgary, which you should in the summer months. There are some great things to do in Calgary.
CALGARY TO BANFF BY PRIVATE TRANSFER
If you’re not looking to drive, but prefer more flexibility consider a private transfer from Calgary. You have the option to leave at any time or from any address in Calgary. There is a wide range of options for vehicles that range from taxis to charter buses to luxury sedans and there’s always Uber, however I wouldn’t rely on this service as many drivers will require a return fare to justify the drive and cost of taking you to Banff.
Like BlaBlahCar in Europe, Popshare is a rideshare company where you can find drivers already making the drive between Calgary and Banff. Prices vary, but typically it’s not much more than the cost of fuel.
A taxi charges a flat rate of $250 as mandated by the government of Alberta. The local Calgary taxi companies include:
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Many companies offer a private shuttle service and you’ll likely get the best rate booking direct rather than your hotel/resort. Banff Sedan offers several luxury vehicles that you can book. If you’re a large group these services can actually work out cheaper in the long run or similarly priced to the shuttle bus service with the added bonus of your own schedule. For example, a 10 person sprinter van costs $587.77 for a private transfer and $689.90 on the Banff Airporter.
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Other Private Transfer Companies
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Banff Transportation Group: Popular transportation group that will take you from Calgary to Banff or vice versa.
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Banff Private Charters: If you have a large group, this is a good option as they cater to up to 24 people.
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Limo To Go: If you want to arrive to Banff in style, be it a luxury dean, luxury SUV, or even a limo Limo to Go has you covered.
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Once you arrive in Banff it’s possible to do just about anything you’d like in Downtown Banff car-free. It is not a requirement to rent a car to get around Banff, however it does give you significant freedom. There are even hikes right from the center of town.
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