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 3 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, Fairmont Banff Springs – Special Events (405 Spray Avenue) and Bluebird Woodfired Steakhouse & Fondue (214 Lynx St) are great picks.

When to visit Banff

Banff in April
Estimated hotel price
$345
1 night at 3-star hotel
Banff in April
Estimated hotel price
$345
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 108 km from Banff. The shortest flight to Banff from New Zealand departs from Christchurch and takes around 23h 22m.

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 Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Avis, among others, in Calgary.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Banff, including Bus, Ebus and Cold Shot. From Edmonton, the bus ride to Banff takes 274 km and will cost you around $198. From Regina, the ticket costs about $506 for a journey of 1296 km. The most popular bus station is Banff Banff, Ab, located 0.8 km from the city centre of Banff. Banff Red-Carpet Inn is also a commonly used station, and is 0.7 km from the city centre.

Plane

Although Banff doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Calgary Airport (YYC), which is located 108 km from Banff. The shortest flight to Banff from New Zealand departs from Christchurch and takes around 23h 22m.

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 Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Avis, among others, in Calgary.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Banff, including Bus, Ebus and Cold Shot. From Edmonton, the bus ride to Banff takes 274 km and will cost you around $198. From Regina, the ticket costs about $506 for a journey of 1296 km. The most popular bus station is Banff Banff, Ab, located 0.8 km from the city centre of Banff. Banff Red-Carpet Inn is also a commonly used station, and is 0.7 km from the city centre.

Airports near Banff

Airlines serving Banff

Lufthansa
Good (7,017 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,333 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,580 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,774 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (8,351 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,881 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,640 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,846 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,464 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (782 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,303 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,677 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (8,700 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (342 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,281 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,691 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,086 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,852 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,311 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (824 reviews)
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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

Fairmont Banff Springs
4 stars
Excellent (9.2, Excellent reviews)
$765+
Moose Hotel and Suites
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
$367+
Banff Park Lodge
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
$205+
Fox Hotel and Suites
4 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
$244+

Hiring a car in Banff

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Avis and Hertz 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.

Expect to pay $2.20 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 $26.34 and $35.11. 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, 49% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Avis and Hertz 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.

Expect to pay $2.20 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 $26.34 and $35.11. 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, 49% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

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.