Banff City Guide
Banff in 2 Days: Town Day, Lakes Day
Two days is enough for the town, one big mountain view and both headline lakes if you split the trip the right way. This banff in 2 days plan gives day one to the townsite and Sulphur Mountain, day two to Moraine Lake and Lake Louise, with the costs and the shuttle rules spelled out before you book anything on the plan your trip hub. The whole valley, start to finish: the Banff homepage.
Quick answer The short version of the two day plan
Day one covers the town of Banff and Sulphur Mountain. Day two covers Moraine Lake and Lake Louise using the Parks Canada shuttle, which is the only way for most visitors to reach the Moraine Lake shore because the road is closed to personal vehicles year-round. A Parks Canada day pass costs $8.69 (C$12.25) per adult and the Moraine Lake shuttle costs $9.05 (C$12.75) per adult on top of that. Book the shuttle reservation as soon as your dates are fixed, then fill in the town day around it.
Key takeaways
- Reserve the Moraine Lake shuttle before anything else. The road to Moraine Lake is closed to personal vehicles year-round and a reservation is required for all Parks Canada shuttles.
- Budget the park entry with the Parks Canada pass guide: $8.69 (C$12.25) per adult per day, senior $7.63 (C$10.75), youth 17 and under free, family or group $17.39 (C$24.50).
- If you would rather hand the driving and the scheduling to someone else, a guided day such as the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Day Trip from Banff covers both lakes in one go.
- Work out the whole budget on the Banff trip cost page, then decide if two days is enough with is Banff worth visiting.
The Shape Of Two Days
The logic of this itinerary is simple. Everything walkable or on the local bus sits on day one. Everything that needs a reservation or a long drive sits on day two. That way one booking failure cannot wreck the whole trip.
Why Split It This Way
The town of Banff is compact. It sits at 1,383 metres, which the town calls the highest town in Canada, and the townsite covers just 3.93 square kilometres. Cave and Basin, Bow Falls, the Banff Springs hotel grounds, the gondola base and the hot springs all sit within a short bus ride of Banff Avenue.
You can do the town day with no car at all, riding Roam Transit route 1 to Sulphur Mountain and walking the river trail to the falls. The lakes are the opposite. The Moraine Lake road is closed to personal vehicles year-round, so every visitor except lodge guests and accessible-placard holders arrives by shuttle or licensed operator.
Lake Louise has paid lakeshore parking in shuttle season and Parks Canada says lots fill before sunrise and stay full until sunset, with roughly 75% of vehicles seeking upper Lake Louise parking turned away last summer. Put both lakes on one dedicated day with a reserved seat and the problem disappears.
When To Do This Trip
The Moraine Lake shuttle season runs June 1 to October 12, weather permitting. The Lake Louise lakeshore shuttle runs May 15 to October 12. That makes late June through early October the natural window for this exact plan.
July is the warmest month, with a mean daily high of 21.5 C and a low of 9.4 C, and it also brings about 80 mm of precipitation. June is the wettest month at about 111 mm. September cools to a mean high of 15.4 C with the elk rut running from late August into mid October, which is worth knowing before you walk the river trails.
For the season pattern in detail see the best time to visit Banff page. In winter this itinerary changes shape. The lakes day becomes a Lake Louise only day: the lakeshore stays open year-round, but Moraine Lake is inaccessible in winter because the lake sits under avalanche hazard and the road is track-set for skiing.
Swap in Johnston Canyon's icy catwalks instead, and see the winter in Banff page for the cold-season version.
How You Get Around
Without a car: Roam Transit covers the town day. Local routes cost $1.42 (C$2) per adult single ride and $3.55 (C$5) for a day pass, with youth and seniors at $0.71 (C$1) and $1.77 (C$2.50) and children 12 and under free. Route 1 serves the gondola and the hot springs, and gondola ticket holders ride route 1 free with a same-day pre-purchased ticket.
The 8X Banff to Lake Louise Express costs $8.87 (C$12.50) per adult and runs daily year-round. With a car: downtown Banff pay parking runs $8.52 (C$12) per hour from May 1 to October 31 and $4.97 (C$7) per hour from November 1 to April 30, enforced 8 am to 8 pm daily. The free options are about 500 stalls at the Train Station lot with 9-hour limits, 94 spaces on Bow Avenue and the 96 free upper-level stalls in the Bear Street Parkade.
Parks Canada pass or not, the town still charges for parking, as the town's own page states plainly. For the lakes day the car is irrelevant. The Park and Ride at the Lake Louise Ski Resort at 1 Whitehorn Road has free parking, and the Parks Canada shuttle from there covers Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, the Lake Connector and the return on one ticket.
What To Book And When
Book the Moraine Lake shuttle first. Reservations for the 2026 season opened on April 15 at 8 am MDT, with 40% of seats released on launch day and the remaining 60% at 8 am MDT two days before departure. Reserve online at reservation.pc.gc.ca or by phone at 1-877-737-3783.
Seats sell in one hour blocks, up to 10 per reservation. Then book the gondola if you want a fixed time. The operator does not require advance booking but says it strongly recommends advance bookings to avoid disappointment, and tickets often sell out at peak times.
Everything else on this itinerary, from the hot springs to Cave and Basin, takes walk-up entry.
Figures from Parks Canada Banff fees, the Parks Canada shuttle page, the Town of Banff and Roam Transit.
What The Two Days Cost
Here is the money picture for two people doing this itinerary exactly as written, using the official prices and our own additions. The conversions use the site rate of $0.71 (C$1) = $0.71. Our sums exclude food, lodging and anything you would buy anyway.
Fixed Costs Per Adult
Three charges are unavoidable on this plan. The park day pass, the Moraine Lake shuttle and its booking fee. Everything else is a choice you can make at the gate.
The table below lists each line item, who charges it and what our two-adult sum comes to.
| Item | Official price | In dollars | Needed for this plan? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parks Canada day pass, adult | $8.69 (C$12.25) per day | $8.69 | Yes, park entry is separate from every shuttle and tour |
| Parks Canada day pass, senior 65+ | $7.63 (C$10.75) per day | $7.63 | Yes, if aged 65 or over |
| Youth 17 and under | Free | Free | Yes, entry only |
| Family or group up to seven in one vehicle | $17.39 (C$24.50) per day | $17.39 | Often cheaper than per-adult passes |
| Moraine Lake shuttle, adult | $9.05 (C$12.75) | $9.05 | Yes, day two |
| Shuttle online reservation fee | $2.48 (C$3.50) non-refundable | $2.48 | Yes, per booking |
| Roam local day pass | $3.55 (C$5) adult | $3.55 | Day one option |
| Roam 8X to Lake Louise, adult | $8.87 (C$12.50) | $8.87 | Car-free alternative for day two |
| Banff Upper Hot Springs, adult | $14.02 (C$19.75) | $14.02 | Optional, day one |
| Cave and Basin, adult | $7.10 (C$10.00) | $7.10 | Optional, day one |
| Banff Park Museum, adult | $3.55 (C$5.00) | $3.55 | Optional, day one |
| Gondola base parking | $12.42 (C$17.50) | $12.42 | Only if driving to the gondola |
Our Two-Adult Sum
Our sum for two adults doing the full plan, driving their own car to the Park and Ride, with the gondola and the hot springs on day one: $8.69 (C$12.25) park pass plus $12.42 (C$17.50) gondola parking plus $14.02 (C$19.75) hot springs plus $7.10 (C$10) Cave and Basin on day one, then $8.69 (C$12.25) park pass plus $9.05 (C$12.75) shuttle plus $2.48 (C$3.50) booking fee on day two. That totals $92.60 (C$130.50) for the pair by our sum: two park passes C$24.50, the parking C$17.50, two soaks C$39.50, two Cave and Basin entries C$20, two shuttle seats C$25.50 and one booking fee C$3.50. The car-free version is cheaper.
Two Roam day passes at $3.55 (C$5) each replace the gondola parking, and gondola ticket holders ride route 1 free, so the same two adults come to $87.30 (C$123.00) all in by our sum: the same entries C$109.50, two Roam day passes C$10 and the booking fee C$3.50. Both figures exclude food, lodging and the town parking you would pay in the evening either way. One warning from the operator pages.
The Banff Gondola, the Lake Minnewanka cruise and the Columbia Icefield attractions print no static prices on their websites. Prices vary by time, day and season and load inside the booking widget, so any dollar figure you see for those is live at purchase, not a printed rate. Tour prices quoted on this page are the tour listings' own prices in dollars, not gate prices.
Prices from Parks Canada fees, the shuttle reservation page, Banff Upper Hot Springs fees, Roam Transit and the gondola operator's parking page.
Day One: Town And The Big Views
A car is optional today. Every stop is reachable on foot or on Roam Transit, and the only timed thing is the gondola if you book a slot.
-
Banff Avenue and the Visitor Centre
FreeStart at the Banff Visitor Centre at 224 Banff Avenue, open 9 am to 5 pm daily, or just walk the street early before the crowds. The town's visitor-adjusted population runs around 43,000 on a typical summer day against about 8,000 residents, so early is calm. Buy Roam tickets at the desk here or use exact cash on the driver.
walk 5 min to next
-
Cave and Basin National Historic Site
$7.10 (C$10.00) ($7.10) adultThe cave where the hot springs were found in 1885, the event that led to Canada's first national park. Summer hours run daily 9:30 am to 5 pm from May 15 to October 15 at 311 Cave Avenue. Parks Canada suggests planning at least two to three hours, though our estimate is that most visitors need less.
Youth 17 and under enter free. Roam route 4 serves the site.
walk 10 min to next
-
Bow Falls
FreeWalk or ride back toward the river. Bow Falls sits below the Banff Springs hotel grounds and the viewpoint needs no ticket and no reservation. This stretch of the Bow is the easy walking core of the town day, and the free things to do in Banff list has more stops like it.
walk 5 min to next
-
Surprise Corner and the Banff Springs hotel
Free to view from Surprise CornerSurprise Corner across the river is the classic frame of the castle hotel, which has welcomed guests since 1888 at 405 Spray Avenue. You can walk the grounds from the town side. If you came by car, note the hotel's own parking rates: self-parking is $27.70 (C$39) per night and valet $41.90 (C$59).
walk 15 min to next
-
Lunch back in town
not statedHead back to Banff Avenue to eat. The destination marketing organization lists around 140 restaurants across Banff and Lake Louise, so shortlist before you arrive using the where to eat hub. This is also the moment to check your shuttle reservation for tomorrow.
walk 20 min to next
-
Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain
Live booking price, plus $12.42 (C$17.50) ($12.42) base parking if drivingThe ride takes about 8 minutes over a 1.6 km track, lifting you from 1,583 m to 2,281 m. At the top, the boardwalk runs about 2 km out to Sanson's Peak with 368 shallow stairs each way. No static price is published anywhere.
Prices vary by time, day and season and load only in the booking flow, and the operator strongly recommends advance booking because peak slots sell out. Book through the Banff Gondola tickets page or take the Sulphur Mountain trail on foot instead, described on the Sulphur Mountain hike page. If you want the full story first, our gondola or Sulphur hike comparison lays out both sides.
walk 10 min to next
-
Banff Upper Hot Springs
$14.02 (C$19.75) ($14.02) adult, $12.24 (C$17.25) ($12.24) senior or youthFour kilometres south of town at the top of Mountain Avenue, at the end of the same Roam route 1 run, and gondola ticket holders ride that route free. Open daily 10 am to 10 pm with last entry at 9:30 pm, first come first served, no online bookings at all. The water sits between 37 and 40 C. A locker token is included with adult entry.
Family entry for four is $45.60 (C$64.25) ($45.60).
walk 20 min to next
-
Vermilion Lakes at dusk
FreeEnd the day at the lakes west of town, where the water goes still and the light drops behind the ranges. It is a short drive or a longer walk from town, our estimate is about 20 minutes on foot from the Banff Avenue bridge, and it costs nothing. Keep 30 metres from any elk you meet on the way.
After dark, the Banff at night page lists stargazing options if you still have legs.
Day Two: The Lakes
One reservation unlocks this whole day. The Parks Canada shuttle ticket covers Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, the Lake Connector between them and the return to the Park and Ride.
-
Drive or ride to the Lake Louise Park and Ride
Free parkingThe Park and Ride sits at the Lake Louise Ski Resort, 1 Whitehorn Road, with free parking and vehicle access from 6 am. From Banff it is a 57 km drive, about 40 minutes by our estimate, or take Roam route 9 or the 8X express partway. Check in at the kiosk.
Note the rule that ticket holders who park at the lakeshore lot will not be permitted on the shuttle, so do not try both.
walk 15 min to next
-
Shuttle to Moraine Lake
$9.05 (C$12.75) ($9.05) adult plus $2.48 (C$3.50) ($2.48) online reservation feeDepartures run every 30 minutes from 6:30 am to 5 pm in season, June 1 to October 12. Your single ticket also covers the Lake Connector and the return. Seniors ride for $4.26 (C$6.00) and youth for $2.84 (C$4.00).
The park entry pass is not included. If the official reservation calendar is thin on your date, a commercial seat such as the Banff to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Shuttle or the Banff Moraine Lake and Lake Louise Shuttle runs the same job from town.
walk 10 min to next
-
Moraine Lake and the Rockpile
Included in shuttle ticketThe Rockpile viewpoint above the shore is the payoff, with the Ten Peaks lined up across the water. Know what you are walking into: Parks Canada describes Moraine Lake as backcountry, with no cell service, no Wi-Fi, no running water and pit toilets only. Stay for the shoreline path, then watch your connector time.
For a deeper dive see the Moraine Lake guide.
walk 5 min to next
-
Lake Connector to Lake Louise
Included in shuttle ticketThe Lake Connector runs 7 am to 6 pm in season, June 1 to October 12, with the last return from Moraine Lake at 6 pm. It shuttles you between the two shores on the same ticket. Time your Moraine exit against the connector board, not against hope.
walk 2 min to next
-
Lake Louise lakeshore
Included in shuttle ticketWalk the flat lakeshore toward the head of the lake with Victoria Glacier above. Canoeing at the boathouse is the splurge option: hotel guests pay $78.10 (C$110) plus GST for an hour and non-guests $127.80 (C$180) plus GST, daily 10 am to 5 pm, card only. If you would rather see both lakes with a guide and a canoe thrown in, the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Tour with Canoe bundles it, and the coach version the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Day Trip from Banff costs less.
walk 15 min to next
-
Johnston Canyon on the way back
Free trail, Roam route 9 single $3.55 (C$5) ($3.55) adultThe canyon sits 25 km northwest of Banff on the Bow Valley Parkway, and 33 km southeast of Lake Louise, so it slots into the return leg. Lower Falls are 1.1 km one way on a paved trail, Upper Falls 2.4 km one way with 215 m of gain. The trail is free, but parking fills quickly, and in shuttle season the Roam route 9 bus is the stress-free way in.
If you want the canyon as its own guided outing, the Banff National Park and Johnston Canyon Day Trip covers it.
walk 5 min to next
-
Back in Banff
not statedReturn down the Bow Valley Parkway at dusk, which is wildlife country, so drive slow and stay in the vehicle if you spot something. Parks Canada asks drivers to slow down, take the photo from the car and move on. Feed yourselves on Banff Avenue and start thinking about whether a third day earns its keep with the Banff in 3 days plan.
The Plan-B Variant: Guided Lakes Day Vs Do It Yourself
Do you want the cheapest seat or the one you are guaranteed to get? The DIY plan above depends on winning a shuttle reservation. If your dates are tight or the calendar is empty, a guided lakes day does the same two stops without the booking lottery. The table compares the two routes on cost, control and what can go wrong, with tour prices taken from the tour listings and the DIY figures from Parks Canada and Roam.
| Option | Price basis | Booking risk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY Parks Canada shuttle | $9.05 (C$12.75) ($9.05) per adult plus $2.48 (C$3.50) ($2.48) booking fee, park pass separate | Reservation required, seats released 40% at launch and 60% two days out, can sell out | Flexible travellers who book early and want the cheapest ticket |
| Banff to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Shuttle | $28.39 per seat, tour listing price | Platform booking, fixed departure times, 5 hour duration | Travellers who missed the official reservation window |
| Banff Moraine Lake and Lake Louise Shuttle | $26.97 per seat, tour listing price | Two pickup locations in Banff, 6 hour duration | Door-to-door convenience without a car |
| Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Day Trip from Banff | $57.50, tour listing price | Guided coach, guaranteed Moraine access, no shuttle lottery | First-timers who want commentary and zero logistics |
| Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Small-Group Tour | $101.12, tour listing price | About 4 hours, small group, more shore time | Travellers trading price for pace |
| Roam 8X plus Park and Ride | $8.87 (C$12.50) ($8.87) adult single, Park and Ride free | Serves Lake Louise but not the Moraine shore, so still needs the official shuttle | Car-free travellers staying flexible on Lake Louise timing |
Tour prices are the tour listings' own, in dollars, and exclude park entry. DIY prices are Parks Canada and Roam official figures converted at $0.71 (C$1) = $0.71. Figures current for in Q3 2026.
Tours That Fit This Two Day Plan
Every card below slots into one of the two days. Prices are the tour listings' own.
from $26.20
Best of Banff: Signature Express Tour
A short guided loop of the town's headline stops — falls, hotel viewpoints and lake shores — for a first afternoon.
Check Availability
from Listed at checkout
Banff Village Walking Tour
The town's own story on foot: the 1885 hot-spring discovery, the railway, parkitecture and the elk that commute down Banff Avenue.
Check Availability
from $68.04
Banff Gondola Ride Admission
The ride up Sulphur Mountain to the ridge boardwalk, booked as a timed ticket; summit boardwalk and cosmic ray station included.
Check Availability
from $58.09
Lake Minnewanka Cruise
The only boat tour allowed on Banff's biggest lake, an hour out among the glacier-carved shores of Lake Minnewanka.
Check Availability
from $28.39
Banff to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Shuttle
A reserved seat on the shuttle pair that solves the Moraine Lake road ban — fixed times, both lakes, one day.
Check Availability
from $26.97
Banff: Moraine Lake and Lake Louise Shuttle
Door-to-door shuttle access to both lakes from Banff townsite, bookable by the seat.
Check Availability
from $57.50
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Day Trip from Banff
The workhorse lake day: both headline lakes in one coach trip with guaranteed Moraine Lake access, no shuttle lottery.
Check Availability
from $101.12
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Small-Group Tour
A small-group version of the two-lake day with guaranteed access and more time at each shore than the coach trips.
Check Availability
from Listed at checkout
Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Tour with Canoe
The two-lake day with a canoe paddle built in — the closest a tour gets to the postcard without renting your own.
Check Availability
from $64.78
Banff National Park and Johnston Canyon Day Trip
Coach out to the canyon catwalks with park highlights on the way, guided, from Banff or Calgary.
Check AvailabilityPrices, ratings and details are the platform's own. dollar figures are the listed prices — the platform bills in your account's currency.
Two Day Map
Every stop from both days on one map, town day pins in green and lakes day pins in blue.
If You Have More Time
Three add-ons that stretch the same two day base into something longer.
Banff in 1 day
The compressed single day version if you are only passing through, built from the same town core and one viewpoint.
Same townsite Check AvailabilityColumbia Icefield
The Icefields Parkway day that needs its own slot, with the Ice Explorer and the glass Skywalk over the Sunwapta Valley. Operator ticket prices load only in the booking flow.
about 185 km / roughly 2.5 hours drive Check AvailabilityCanmore
The neighbouring town outside the park gates, a common budget base, with its own free Roam local routes.
25 km drive Check AvailabilityTwo Days In Banff: Questions
Can you see Moraine Lake and Lake Louise in one day?
Yes, and the Parks Canada shuttle is built for it. One adult ticket at $9.05 (C$12.75) covers Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, the Lake Connector between them and the return to the Park and Ride. The connector runs 7 am to 6 pm in season, so leave Moraine with enough time to use it.
How far ahead should I book the Moraine Lake shuttle?
As early as the system allows. For 2026, reservations launched April 15 at 8 am MDT with 40% of seats released that day and the remaining 60% two days before each departure at 8 am MDT. A reservation is required for all Parks Canada shuttles, with a non-refundable $2.48 (C$3.50) fee online or $3.90 (C$5.50) by phone.
Do I need a car for two days in Banff?
No. Day one runs on foot and on Roam Transit local routes at $1.42 (C$2) a ride or $3.55 (C$5) for a day pass, and the gondola ticket includes free route 1 rides. Day two runs on the Parks Canada shuttle from the free Park and Ride. A car mainly buys you flexibility on the Johnston Canyon return leg and early starts.
How much does two days in Banff cost in entry fees?
Our sum for two adults doing the full plan, excluding food and lodging, is $92.60 (C$130.50) for the pair. That covers two park days at $8.69 (C$12.25) each, gondola base parking, the hot springs, Cave and Basin, the Moraine shuttle and its booking fee. The car-free version comes to $87.30 (C$123.00).
Is two days enough for Banff?
It covers the town, one summit view and both headline lakes, which is the core of most first visits. What two days cannot fit is Johnston Canyon as a proper half day, the Columbia Icefield drive or any real hiking. If those matter, the three day plan exists for a reason.
What happens if the shuttle is sold out for my dates?
Book a licensed commercial operator instead. The Parks Canada pages point to CarFreeBanff.ca for the licensed list, and the shuttle and guided options in the comparison table above, such as the Lake Louise and Moraine Lake Day Trip from Banff, guarantee Moraine access without the official reservation. Prices are the listings' own and park entry is separate.
Can I drive to Moraine Lake myself?
No. Moraine Lake Road is closed to personal vehicles year-round. The exceptions are visitors with valid government-issued accessible parking placards and registered guests of Moraine Lake Lodge. Everyone else arrives by Parks Canada shuttle or a licensed commercial operator from June to mid-October.
We may earn a commission if you book through one of our links, at no extra cost to you. Full affiliate disclosure