Travel Information
- Getting to Banff National Park
- Passport, Visa, and Insurance Requirements
- Air Transportation to Calgary
- Bus Transportation to Banff
- Car Rental
- Taxi or Limo
- Rail Transportation to Calgary
- Location Information
Getting to Banff National Park
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Banff National Park is located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on the Trans-Canada Highway. The major gateway to Banff is the Calgary International Airport (YYC). There are numerous connections and direct flights available from Europe, North America and other international points. From the airport, there are several transportation choices. Buses and vans operate from the airport directly to Banff and to the Banff Centre. As well, all major rental car companies are available. Advance reservations for rental cars are strongly recommended. |
Passport, Visa, and Insurance Requirements
All people visiting Canada require at a minimum a valid passport to enter the country: one that does not expire within six months of your travel dates. You may also require a travel visa of some kind. Visa support letters can be requested by those who have finished the registration process and paid their fees; the email contact will be provided during the registration process.
Note that Canada does not pay for hospital or medical services for visitors. Please ensure you have the appropriate health/travel insurance in case of an emergency.
Air Transportation to Calgary
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In addition to charter airlines, both Air Canada and British Airways have direct flights to Calgary from London-Heathrow, and Air Canada and Lufthansa from Frankfurt. Several US airlines fly to Calgary including: Alaska/Horizon, American Airlines/Harmony, Continental, Delta, Frontier, North West Airlines/Sky Service, United Airlines, US Airways/America West, and WestJet. Domestic air carriers include Air Canada, Air Canada/Jazz, Air North, Allegro, and WestJet. There are also numerous international airlines that fly into both Toronto and Vancouver with direct connections to Calgary (Toronto-Calgary: approx. 3 hrs 50 min, Vancouver-Calgary: approx. 1 hr). |
Bus Transportation to Banff
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Bus service is available from Calgary International Airport, with Brewster Transportation or the Banff Airporter. There are several daily departures to and from Banff. Some buses provide door-to-door service to your hotel, while others operate to/from the bus depot in Banff. A short walk or local taxi will then get you to your destination hotel. |
Car Rental
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The total driving distance from Calgary to Banff is approximately 130 km/80 miles. From the airport, you should plan for a driving time of at least 90 minutes (perhaps up to 2 hours if you are driving through Calgary during rush hour). The Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy #1) is the main route, taking you directly into the Rockies. It is a scenic four-lane divided highway. If possible, try to plan your driving time for daylight hours so that you can appreciate the full splendor of the Rockies. And watch out for wildlife! If you do not already have a National Park Pass, you will have to stop at the Park Entrance Gates (located on the highway just after the town of Canmore) to buy one. |
View a map with directions from Calgary Airport to The Banff Centre (via Google Maps)
Taxi or Limo
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Another option for getting to Banff is via taxi or limo. However, these are expensive. These options make more sense if you are sharing transportation with several other conference delegates. |
Rail Transportation to Calgary
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For a spectacular experience through the Rocky Mountains between Vancouver and Calgary, try a Rocky Mountaineer train trip. |
Location Information
Additional background information about Banff is available here.
