Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Banff travel guide

Banff Tourism | Banff Guide

You're Going to Love Banff

With a population of 7,502, Banff is a must-see destination in Alberta, Canada. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything Banff has to offer.

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Where to Eat in Banff

If you’re looking for affordable options, Melissa's MisSteak (201 Banff Ave #2) and Sleeping Buffalo (700 Tunnel Mountain Road) are great picks. For delicious green meals, UNA pizza + wine - Banff (202 Caribou St) and Earls Kitchen + Bar - Banff (299 Banff Ave) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Banff.

When to visit Banff

Banff in January
Estimated hotel price
$183
1 night at 3-star hotel
Banff in January
Estimated hotel price
$183
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Banff in July, when the average temperature is 15 °C, and the highest can go up to 22 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is December, when it can get as cold as -13 °C, with an average temperature of -9 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 68 mm. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Banff, with an average rainfall of 17 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Banff

Plane

Although Banff doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Calgary Airport (YYC), which is located 67 miles from Banff. The shortest flight to Banff from Australia departs from Sydney and takes around 17h 39m.

Car

Another option to get to Banff is to pick up a car hire from Calgary, which is about 106 km from Banff. You’ll find branches of Turo and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Calgary.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Banff, including Rider Express, Cold Shot and Red Arrow. From Edmonton, the bus ride to Banff takes 170 miles and will cost you around $91. From Saskatoon, the ticket costs about $348 for a journey of 595 miles. The most popular bus station is Banff Banff, Ab, located 0.5 miles from the city centre of Banff. Banff Red-Carpet Inn is also a commonly used station, and is 0.4 miles from the city centre.

Plane

Although Banff doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Calgary Airport (YYC), which is located 67 miles from Banff. The shortest flight to Banff from Australia departs from Sydney and takes around 17h 39m.

Car

Another option to get to Banff is to pick up a car hire from Calgary, which is about 106 km from Banff. You’ll find branches of Turo and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Calgary.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Banff, including Rider Express, Cold Shot and Red Arrow. From Edmonton, the bus ride to Banff takes 170 miles and will cost you around $91. From Saskatoon, the ticket costs about $348 for a journey of 595 miles. The most popular bus station is Banff Banff, Ab, located 0.5 miles from the city centre of Banff. Banff Red-Carpet Inn is also a commonly used station, and is 0.4 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Banff

YYCCalgary
YQFRed Deer

Airlines serving Banff

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,836 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,935 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,244 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,069 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,967 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,292 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (852 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Banff

Where to stay in Banff

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hi Banff Alpine Centre - Hostel and Homestead Inn Banff.

Where to stay in popular areas of Banff

Most booked hotels in Banff

See all
Fairmont Banff Springs
4 stars
Excellent (9.3, Excellent reviews)
$746+
View
Moose Hotel and Suites
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
$451+
View
Castle Mountain Chalets
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
$319+
View
Banff Park Lodge
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$243+
View

Hiring a car in Banff

Hiring a car in Banff costs $110 per day, on average, or $440 if you want to hire it for 4 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Avis are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Banff is the Hertz branch at 405 Spray Ave, which is 1 km from the city centre.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 4% more expensive than at Calgary.

Expect to pay $1.94 per litre in Banff (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $23.24 and $30.98. The most frequently booked car type in Banff is Compact (Toyota RAV4 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Chevrolet Sonic Sedan or similar) is, on average, 77% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Banff costs $110 per day, on average, or $440 if you want to hire it for 4 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hertz and Avis are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Banff is the Hertz branch at 405 Spray Ave, which is 1 km from the city centre.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 4% more expensive than at Calgary.

Expect to pay $1.94 per litre in Banff (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $23.24 and $30.98. The most frequently booked car type in Banff is Compact (Toyota RAV4 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Chevrolet Sonic Sedan or similar) is, on average, 77% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Car hire agencies in Banff

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Budget

Budget
Find car hire in Banff

Banff Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Banff city guide for the best Banff travel tips. To help you organise your Banff trip ideas, this Banff visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.