With 6,641 square kilometers of breathtaking mountain scenery, Banff National Park is huge. Given the sheer size of Banff National Park, you may be wondering how you can get around Banff without a car.
The good news is that you definitely can get around Banff National Park without a car, and there are many benefits to doing so. Most travellers can get around Banff by walking, using Roam Transit, taking seasonal shuttles, and booking tours for popular destinations like Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. A car helps for flexibility, but it is not essential for a trip focused on Banff’s top attractions.
This post will discuss the many benefits of a car-free trip to Banff, how to get to Banff’s top attractions without a car and the various ways to get around Banff without a car.
This post contains compensated links.
Benefits of Visiting Banff Without a Car
We’re glad you are considering an eco-friendly trip to Banff National Park. There are many great reasons to visit Banff without a car:
The biggest reason to visit Banff without a car is that driving can often be a frustrating experience. When visiting Banff in summer, traffic gets very congested around the Town of Banff, Lake Louise and all of the top attractions.
Parking can be very difficult (or even impossible) to find around the top attractions in Banff National Park, especially at Lake Louise. In fact, it got so bad that Moraine Lake parking is no longer possible because the Moraine Lake Road has been closed to private vehicles.
Renting a car to come to Banff National Park can get very expensive, especially in the peak seasons. In addition to the steep daily car rental rates, visitors also have to pay for parking in the Town of Banff, Lake Louise, the Banff Gondola, the Upper Hot Springs and more.
Less cars on the road is good for everyone. Less traffic jams, fewer overloaded parking lots, and best of all, cleaner air!
How to Get to Banff Without a Car
This post is all about how to get around Banff National Park without a car. Before we get too far, I want to make sure you know how to get to Banff National Park without a car.
For starters, we have a full post on the various ways to get to Banff National Park without a car. If you are considering a car-free trip to Banff, you need to know a few things:
Banff does not have its own airport. The closest airport to Banff National Park is the Calgary International Airport (YYC), which is a 90 minute drive. Car-free travellers should start by reading our post on the Calgary Airport shuttles to Banff.
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Visit Banff’s Top Attractions Without A Car
If you plan on spending most of your time around the most popular sites in and around Banff National Park, such as the Town of Banff, Lake Louise, Lake Minnewanka, Johnston Canyon, and nearby Canmore, then you can visit Banff without a car. As you will see below, you have several ways of getting to the most popular attractions within Banff without a car.
How to Get to Lake Louise Without a Car
Lake Louise is a magical place within Banff National Park, but there are many challenges to visiting, even if you have a car. For starters, it’s 59 km from the Town of Banff. On top of that, the large parking lot at Lake Louise fills up very early and often stays full for much of the day.
Parking at Lake Louise is such a challenge that Parks Canada runs shuttle buses from the Lake Louise Ski Resort Park and Ride to the Lake Louise Lakeshore. You need your own vehicle or another way to reach the park and ride, because Roam does not serve it for Parks Canada shuttle users.
You can read about the Parks Canada Lake Louise shuttles in our post on how to get from Banff to Lake Louise.
Public Transit to Lake Louise – Roam Route 8X
If you are on the ball, one of the easiest and most affordable ways to visit Lake Louise without a car is to take Roam Route 8X from Banff. This year-round daily service runs between Banff and Lake Louise, with stops at Lake Louise Village and the Lake Louise Lakeshore.
Roam Route 8X is the only Roam service that accepts reservations, although about 40% of seats on each departure are kept for walk-up riders on a first-come, first-served basis.
Reservations for Roam Route 8X to Lake Louise are highly recommended, especially in summer. If you want a reserved seat, book your Roam 8X ticket as early as possible.
Roam Route 8X maps and schedule
Hop-On Hop-Off Bus to Lake Louise
If you’d like to see many of Banff National Park’s top attractions in a single day, take a look at the HopOn Banff bus. In addition to a stop at Lake Louise, you can also take the Banff Hop-On Hop-Off bus to Johnston Canyon, the Lake Louise sightseeing gondola and Moraine Lake.
Reservations for the HopOn Banff Bus
Tours to Lake Louise
Private shuttles and tour companies also offer service to Lake Louise.
Banff Jasper Collection, operator of the Banff Gondola, Lake Minnewanka Cruise, etc., is the also the leading tour operator in Banff National Park. Some of their most popular Banff sightseeing tours include a visit to Lake Louise.
Radventures is Banff’s top-rated small-group adventure company, who focus on providing experiences that other tour operators don’t. Radventures offers many day-tours to Lake Louise.
Celine recently joined the Lake Louise sunset tour with Radventures and loved it. We’ve teamed up with them to offer you a 5% discount on all Radventures tours.
GetYourGuide is one of the top places to find tours in the world. Not surprising, you can find a large selection of tours to Lake Louise on GetYourGuide. We also have a 5% GetYourGuide discount code for our readers.
Get your 5% discounts on Radventures tours, GetYourGuide and many more Banff attractions and services. Details are found on our Banff discounts page.
How to Get to Moraine Lake Without a Car
Moraine Lake is one of the most beautiful and sought-after destinations in Banff National Park. As with Lake Louise, you can take a Parks Canada shuttle from the Lake Louise Ski Resort to Moraine Lake but it requires you have a car to get there. There are better options for anyone wanting to visit Moraine Lake without a car.
You can read about the Parks Canada Moraine Lake shuttles in our post on how to get from Banff to Moraine Lake.
Roam Route 8X Super Pass – Moraine Lake Access
You may also be interested to know that in summer, you can use the Lake Louise Roam Route 8X to get to Moraine Lake. This is possible if you book the Roam Super Pass, which includes the regular 8X service from Banff to Lake Louise and access to Moraine Lake by the Parks Canada connector shuttle.
If you want to visit Moraine Lake by public transit, it is vitally important you know that Moraine Lake access is only available to those with a Super Pass and a reserved seat. Non-reserved, walk-up access on Route 8X does not include Moraine Lake access. We strongly advise that you make Super Pass reservations on Roam 8X as early as possible.
Roam Route 10 – Moraine Lake (NOT OPERATING IN 2026)
Roam Transit used to offer bus service from Banff to Moraine Lake on Route 10, but it is not operating in 2026.
Hop-On Hop-Off Bus to Moraine Lake
As mentioned above in the Lake Louise section, the HopOn Banff bus is a fun & convenient way to get to Moraine Lake without a car.
Reservations for the HopOn Banff Bus
Tours to Moraine Lake
As with Lake Louise, there are a wide variety of tours to Moraine Lake, all of which are more convenient than taking a Parks Canada shuttle bus. We recommend all of the same tour operators for Moraine Lake as we did with Lake Louise.
Banff Jasper Collection also visits Moraine Lake on many of their signature sightseeing tours.
Radventures offers many small-group day-tours to Moraine Lake.
GetYourGuide also has a large selection of tours to Moraine Lake.
Get your 5% discounts on Radventures tours, GetYourGuide and many more Banff attractions and services. Details are found on our Banff discounts page.
How to Get to Johnston Canyon Without a Car
Johnston Canyon is one of Banff’s most fun & popular hiking trails. The Johnston Canyon hike takes you into the heart of a deep canyon, walking over elevated walkways to some beautiful waterfalls.
For all the details, see our local’s guide to Johnston Canyon.
Public Transit to Johnston Canyon – Roam Route 9
Thankfully, it’s easy to get from Banff to Johnston Canyon by bus with Roam Route 9.
The Roam Route 9 bus to Johnston Canyon runs daily in peak season (typically from mid-June to mid-September) and on weekends and statutory holidays in the fall and winter. As the schedule varies, be sure to check the schedule for your date and time.
Roam Route 9 maps and schedule
Hop-On Hop-Off Bus to Johnston Canyon
As mentioned above in the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake sections, the HopOn Banff bus is a fun & convenient way to get to Johnston Canyon without a car.
Reservations for the HopOn Banff Bus
Tours to Johnston Canyon
One of the most fun & unique tours in Banff National Park is the Johnston Canyon Icewalk by Discover Banff Tours. Strap on your ice cleats and follow your guide through a frozen canyon.
Not surprisingly, you’ll also find a great selection of tours which visit Johnston Canyon with Radventures and GetYourGuide.
How to Get to the Banff Gondola Without A Car
The Banff Gondola is one of the top attractions in the Town of Banff. Traffic congestion is so bad that Parks Canada has begun charging for parking in the Sulphur Mountain parking lots between mid-May and mid-October. Thankfully, you can avoid this madness by taking public transit to the Banff Gondola.
If you are interested in visiting, you may wish to read our full guide to the Banff Gondola. We also have a useful comparison of the four gondolas in Banff.
Public Transit to Banff Gondola – Roam Route 1
The Sulphur Mountain Roam bus route runs the full length of Banff Avenue, across the Bow River and up the side of Sulphur Mountain to the Banff Gondola.
Roam Route 1 maps and schedules
How to Get to the Banff Upper Hot Springs Without a Car
Public Transit to the Banff Upper Hot Springs – Roam Route 1
As the Banff Upper Hot Springs shares the same parking lots as the Banff Gondola, you can also take Roam Transit Route 1 to visit the Upper Hot Springs without a car.
Additional Banff attractions along Roam Transit Route 1 include the Banff Visitor Centre, Banff Park Museum, Central Park and the Sulphur Mountain Hike.
Roam Route 1 maps and schedules
How to Get to Lake Minnewanka Without a Car
The largest lake in Banff National Park, Lake Minnewanka is one of Banff’s most visited destinations. In addition to the Lake Minnewanka Boat Cruise, there are many things to see and do around Lake Minnewanka. Some of our favorite easy hikes in Banff are found here, and it’s also one of Banff’s best picnic spots.
The boat cruise is one of Banff’s top attractions. Get tickets here, or check out our full post on the Lake Minnewanka Boat Cruise.
Public Transit to Lake Minnewanka – Roam Route 6
The public bus from the Banff Townsite to Lake Minnewanka is seasonal and runs mid-May to mid-September. Check the Roam Bus Routes page for current service details. If Route 6 doesn’t appear on this page, it usually means that Roam hasn’t set the operating dates for the upcoming season yet.
If you show your Lake Minnewanka Cruise ticket to the Roam Route 6 bus driver, you can get a free round-trip Roam Transit ticket.
How to Get to Two Jack Lake Without a Car
A smaller lake than Minnewanka, Two Jack Lake is another of Banff’s most popular lakes. It’s a great place for a walk along the shore, a picnic and it’s one of the best places to paddleboard in Banff.
Public Transit to Two Jack Lake – Roam Route 6
Two Jack Lake is located on the Minnewanka Loop and is also served by the seasonal Roam Route 6 bus.
How to Get to Johnson Lake Without a Car
Johnson Lake is the third lake you can visit along the Lake Minnewanka scenic drive. If you are looking to spend a fun day near the water, Johnson lake is a popular spot. If you are visiting Banff with kids, Johnson Lake even has a small beach for kids to enjoy. The hike around Johnson Lake is also very kid-friendly; you can even visit an old hermit cabin along the way!
We have a full guide to the many fun things to do at Johnson Lake.
Public Transit to Johnson Lake – Roam Route 6
You guessed it. You guessed it. Johnson Lake is also located on the Minnewanka Loop and is served by the seasonal Roam Route 6 bus.
How to Get to the Banff Springs Hotel Without a Car
One of the most iconic hotels in the world is found right in the Town of Banff. The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is also known as the Castle in the Rockies. Staying here will surely be a highlight of your trip to Banff. If you’d like to know more, we have a review of the Banff Springs Hotel.
Public Transit to the Banff Springs Hotel – Roam Route 2
If you’d like to visit the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, you can easily reach it with Roam Route 2.
Roam Route 2 maps and schedules
How to Get to Canmore Without a Car
Public Transit to Canmore – Roam Route 3
Canmore is a mountain resort town located just minutes outside the gates of Banff National Park. Roam Route 3 is the bus from Canmore to Banff (and vice-versa of course). This is a functional regional bus which doesn’t offer much sightseeing aside from the Banff train station and downtown Canmore.
For those visiting Banff on a budget, you’ll find hotels in Canmore are more affordable than in Banff National Park. It’s a perfectly viable option to stay in Canmore and take public transportation to Banff.
Roam Route 3 maps and schedules
Cycling to Canmore – Legacy Trail
Alternatively, cycle the Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail between Banff and Canmore, a paved pathway connecting the two mountain communities.
Banff National Park Hiking Trails
If you are coming to Banff National Park to get away from the crowds and explore its remote wilderness areas, you may find it slower and more difficult to get to remote areas without a car. That said, if you are coming to Banff to enjoy hiking, you can still reach a surprising number of hikes in the Town of Banff and the best Banff hikes without a car.
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5 Ways to Get Around Banff National Park without a Car
Now that we’ve discussed how to get to the top Banff attractions without a car, let’s finish up by discussing the various ways to get around Banff without a car.
1. Walking Around the Banff Townsite
Built in a charming rustic, mountain village style, getting around the Town of Banff by walking is a pleasure. As one of the best free things to do in Banff, you’ll love enjoying the views of the surrounding majestic Canadian Rockies while strolling along historic Banff Avenue.
If you can take your eyes off the mountains long enough, you’ll be treated to fun & enticing window displays from the local merchants and restaurants. The mountain candy and chocolatier shops are especially hard to pass by without going in, especially if you are visiting Banff with kids!
You’ll appreciate how compact the Town of Banff is. The main commercial area of Banff Avenue, which runs from the Bow River (near Buffalo Street) to Moose Street, is a mere 0.9 km (0.6 miles) long. It’ll only take you approximately 10 – 20 minutes to walk from end-to-end, but chances are you’ll find many reasons to stop along the way!
Many of the things to do in Banff are found in the town centre and are easily reachable by foot including the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, the Banff Park Museum National Historic Site, Central Park and the Banff Visitor Centre.
2. Getting Around Banff by Bus
As you’ve seen above in the Visit Banff’s Top Attractions Without a Car section, the Roam Public Transit system is a very effective way of getting around Banff National Park without a car.
There are many convenient ways to pay for the Roam bus. You can pay with exact cash to the driver, or you can go cashless with ticket vending machines at popular stops, or using the approved transit apps. For details on fares and payment apps, see the Roam fares page.
3. Banff Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
If you’d like to see many of Banff National Park’s top attractions in a single day, take a look at the HopOn Banff bus. With a single day ticket for the Banff Ho-Ho bus, you can visit Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise gondola, Lake Louise village, Chateau Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.
4. Banff Taxi Service
Although there is no Uber in Banff, there are taxi services available for short local trips, sightseeing tours and even transfers to the Calgary airport.
5. Shuttle Buses from Banff to Jasper National Park & Lake Louise
It’s also possible to get from Banff to Jasper and from Banff to Lake Louise by shuttle bus. The Sundog Connector offers service between Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper National Park. Check their webpage for current operating dates.
Where to Stay in Banff without a Car
If you’ve decided to come to Banff without a car, the next step in your trip planning is to find a place to stay. We’ve done the research for you and can recommend The Best Banff Hotels for Visiting Without a Car.
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Dan Brewer, a life-long Alberta resident, calls Canmore home along with his wife and two kids. He is the co-owner of Travel Banff Canada, where he gets to share his passion for the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Dan, along with his family, love being outdoors doing one of the many activities they enjoy in the mountains: hiking, mountain biking, paddleboarding, skiing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
When he's not in Canmore enjoying one of his favourite local hikes, you can find him hopping on a plane to explore a new country with his family or working on one of their other two travel sites: Family Can Travel and Baby Can Travel.