Where is Banff Canada?
The town of Banff is in the Banff National Park, Alberta, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. Banff is 129km (80 miles) west of Calgary (1.5 hour drive) and 851 km northeast of Vancouver.
Canmore is 25km down the road from Banff (about 20 minutes) towards Calgary.
Flights To Banff
The closest international airport is Calgary, which is 138km from Banff. To search for a great deal on a flight to Calgary, use one of our recommended
flight search engines. Calgary receives frequent flights from other Canadian airports as well as a multitude of international airports.
Getting to Banff
Driving
Having a car whilst in Banff provides the most flexibility to get to the ski resorts and to travel around and fully access the sightseeing. There are lots of
car rentals available at the airport.
From Calgary it’s a very easy drive out west on the Trans-Canada Highway 1, and the sign-posting is very clear.
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Shuttles
There are lots of options for airport transfers and shuttles that can be included with
Banff ski packages. There are also private or limousine transfers for those who want to travel in style.
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Getting Around Banff
The Banff town is reasonably small, so it’s generally possible to just walk about. If you don’t have a car, there is also an inexpensive public bus system that runs through town and connects major hotel areas. The ROAM bus service also connects some of the outer Banff town areas (e.g. the Banff hot springs) and Canmore with downtown Banff, although these buses aren’t as frequent. Some of the Banff hotels provide free passes for the ROAM buses.
For those staying in outer lying areas of Banff, having a car will definitely afford more flexibility. Alternatively taxis are readily available.
Travel from Banff to the Ski Resorts
Sunshine Ski Resort is 15km from Banff (20 minute drive) whilst the
Lake Louise Ski Resort is 59km northwest of Banff (40 minute drive).
Norquay is just 6km and only a 10 minute drive from Banff.
If you don’t have a car, there are shuttle buses operating between Banff and the three resorts with pick-up points at major hotels (see the
Banff hotels page for a list of these). The buses leave at various times to suit those wanting fresh tracks as well as those who want to sleep in. Holders of a tri-area lift ticket get free use of these shuttle buses.
Other Ski Resorts Nearby
Other ski resorts nearby include:
- Kicking Horse is 150km to the west of Banff. The Powder Express provides daily ski transfers to and from Banff/Lake Louise to Kicking Horse. The bus departs select hotels in the morning, and arrives in Kicking Horse for a day in epic powder on the steeps and chutes and heads back to Banff and Lake Louise after enjoying a full day at the resort.
- Nakiska is located towards Calgary and 79km from Banff
- Panorama ski resort – 169km (2 hours, 15 minutes)