BANFF NATIONAL PARK - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 111

Greyhound
Greyhound (403/762-1092 or 800/661-8747, www.greyhound.ca ) offers scheduled service
from the Calgary bus depot at 877 Greyhound Way SW, five times daily to the Banff Rail-
way Station and Samson Mall, Lake Louise. Greyhound buses leave Vancouver from the
depot at 1150 Station Street, three times daily for the scenic 14-hour ride to the park.
GETTING AROUND
Most of the sights and many trailheads are within walking distance of town. Banff Transit
(403/760-8294) operates bus service along two routes through the town of Banff: one
from the Banff Gondola north along Banff Avenue, the other from the Fairmont Banff
Springs to the Tunnel Mountain campgrounds. Mid-May-September, buses run twice an
hour between 7am and midnight. October-December, the two routes are merged as one,
with buses running hourly midday-midnight. Travel costs $2 per sector.
Cabs around Banff are reasonably priced: flag drop is $4, then it's $2.50 per kilometer.
From the Banff bus depot to Tunnel Mountain accommodations will run around $10, same
to the Fairmont Banff Springs, more after midnight. Call Banff Taxi (403/762-4444).
The days when a row of horse-drawn buggies eagerly awaited the arrival of wealthy
visitors at the CPR Station have long since passed, but the Trail Rider Store (132 Banff
Ave., 403/762-4551) offers visitors rides around town in a beautifully restored carriage
($24 per person for 15 minutes). Expect to pay $58 per carriage for a short loop along the
Bow River.
Car Rental
Plan on renting a vehicle before you reach the park. In addition to high pricing for walk-in
customers, the main catch is that local companies don't generally offer unlimited mileage.
The most you'll get is a free 150 kilometers (93 miles), and then expect to pay 25 cents
per kilometer thereafter. Agencies and their local contact numbers are Avis (Cascade
Plaza, 317 Banff Ave., 403/762-3222), Budget (Brewster's Mountain Lodge, 208 Caribou
St., 403/762-4565), Enterprise (corner of Lynx and Caribou Streets, 403/762-2688), and
Hertz (Fairmont Banff Springs, Spray Ave., 403/762-2027). Reservations for vehicles in
Banff should be made well in advance, especially in July and August.