Consider avoiding the drive to Lake Louise

Lake Louise is going to be the first location on you itinerary and one of the best tips we can give you is to ditch the car and book a Roam Transit pass. Trust us, your trip will be smoother, and way less stressful.

Driving to Lake Louise might sound convenient—until you arrive. Parking lots often fill up by 7 a.m. during peak season, and if you miss the window, you’ll be circling or turned away entirely. People usually come here for sunrise so unless you're willing to reach by 5 or 6am, we would say to stay away from it as spaces don't open up a lot - people tend to spend the whole day here. Parking fees are also $36.75 per vehicle.

Roam Transit offers direct, comfortable service from downtown Banff to Lake Louise, including both the lakeshore and the Lake Louise Village. With guaranteed seating, air-conditioning, and no need to wake up at 5 a.m. to beat the crowd, you can actually relax and enjoy the journey.

Tickets should be booked early as they sell out quite early.

Reservations open in stage. For Summer 2025 season will open in stages: 

• Reservations are now open for travel from May 16 – June 30  

• Monday, June 2nd at 9 a.m. MDT – Reservations open for July 1st – August 31st  

• Monday, July 28th at 9 a.m. MDT – Reservations open for September 1st – October 13th 

The bus going to Lake Louise from Banff town is the Lake Louise Express Route 8X. There are two options when booking a ROAM Transit pass:

1. Reservable Super Pass: unlimited travel on all Roam Transit services (for a day) and includes a round trip on Parks Canda's Lake Connector Shuttle which goes between Lake Louise Lakeshore to Moraine Lake (the only way to get to Moraine Lake besides biking or taking a tour company bus).
   These need to be booked in advance and costs $30 for adults, $15 for seniors & 13-18 year olds.
   When reserving, you will need to give your pickup time (from Banff to Lake Louise) and drop off time (from Lake Louise to Banff). The drop off time is an approximate time you think you will be done - we got finished earlier than we expected but they accommodated us on an earlier bus.

2. One Way Reservations: they are single rides between Banff and Lake Louise. This ticket DOES NOT include the lake connector to Moraine Lake and cannot be upgraded to Reservable Super Pass. There are typically for local commuters and visitors who have additional transportation planned.
   Tickets cost $12.5 for adults, $6.25 for seniors & 13-18 year olds.