Hello
We will be in Vancouver for four days and then would like to travell to Jasper.We can fly from Vancouver either to Calgary or to Edmonton..Which would be the best choice considering a possible connection by bus or train to Jasper ?Would that be better than renting the car at the airport?We would prefer not to drive so much.
Thanks for the advice
Marcia

Hi carioca,

Edmonton is the only option for connection by train to Jasper, and is probably the best choice by bus too given its proximity to Jasper.

Have fun! DAN

I know you've said you prefer not to drive, but one of the most spectacular drives in Canada is along the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper.
Although I prefer Jasper over Banff, I really would fly into Calgary and drive to Jasper just for that experience.

Even driving back along the same route gives you different vantage points. Edmonton is a 4 hr drive from Jasper while it's about 5 hrs (not including stops) from Calgary.

From Edmonton airport to Jasper is about a 6 hr bus ride. Check http://greyhound.ca/en/
It's around 5 hrs by train. http://viarail.ca/

The drive from Edmonton is not very scenic until you are almost in Jasper, so again, if you have time I would go from Calgary/Banff.

I convinced friends to do this last year (instead of the Okanagan for golf and wineries) and all they could say was around every turn was another Wow! moment. They loved it.

Without a car you cheat yourself out of the best scenery.

Driving in Canada is not at all bad.
If you are thinking I95 type of traffic, that is not the case.

I would not consider any other way.

Hi
Thank you .
We are planning to visit Jasper and driving from there back to Calgary where we start our long trip home.Iwas just wondering if the 5 hours drive to Jasper from Calgary , if we would be doing the trip back anyway , wouldnīt be too much.But if it is such a nice drive may be we could stop before reaching Jasper at some nice spots although our plane from Vancouver will be reaching Calgary at about lunchtime.
We made reservations for the Becker chalets in Jasper for two nights and from there we will be driving back stopping one night before reaching Calgary.

Hi Marcia,

If you are doing the Jasper/Banff/Calgary drive at least one way, that's different. By all means fly into Edmonton.

Rent the car at the Edmonton airport and return it to the Calgary airport to save time on the bus/train schedules and transfers. Much easier with your luggage as well.

Then when you arrive in Jasper you can start to see the sights right away!

Have a great trip!

A different viewpoint.

Unless you plan to spend some time in Edmonton enjoying the city -- which is not a bad place at all -- skip going to Edmonton.

Boring describes Edmonton to Jasper.

It's not much longer to drive from Calgary to Jasper, and the return trip gives you a differwent perspective, so there's no downside to driving up and down the same road.

The Edmonto airport is half way to Red Deer, so it is a long way from the airport to the railway station, to catch a train to Jasper.

And then what? Wait for another train back to Edmonton?

Or fly to Calgary, rent a car, drive through the foothills to Rocky Mountain House and then into the mountains and up to Jasper, then back down to Banff and return the car in Calgary.

BAK

<<Or fly to Calgary, rent a car, drive through the foothills to Rocky Mountain House and then into the mountains and up to Jasper, then back down to Banff and return the car in Calgary.>>>

Considering the time it would take, that drive doesn't offer much more than the one from Edmonton to Jasper. It can be interesting in spots, but is not drop dead amazing by any stretch.

I do think the best route is Calgary/Banff/Jasper but it depends entirely on your time and given your flight would arrive in Calgary at noon, plus the time getting your rental vehicle, you will be rushed imo.

Hope all the information helps you determine an itinerary.

Let me be sure I interpret what you are writing accurately.

Are you considering spending a night somewhere on the Icefields Parkway?

Just in case that is what you would like to do, you need to know that there are not many places along the parkway with overnight accommodations other than campgrounds!

Other than the youth hostels at Beauty Creek, Athabasca Falls, I can only think of 3 motel/hotel accommodations:
The Num Ti Jah Lodge, The Crossing, and the Icefields Chalet at the Icefields Center.

The Crossing is a complex of businesses including a gas station, store, restaurant(s) and motel rooms.

Hello
Actually we arrive in Calgary at 11 am. Our first idea was to look for a train or bus to take us to Jasper. But we found out there was none. So we decided to rent a car at the Calgary airport and drive to Jasper, spend there two nights and one night in our way back to Calgary airport, to drop the car and take our plane back to Toronto at noon as a conexion to our way home .Then doing my Fodorīs research I found out about Edmonton and the possibility to take a bus or train from there to Jasper and avoid driving 5 hours.Or even renting a car at the Edmonton airport, so it would be a shorter way.But you have also to consider distances from the airport to the bus station and the railroad station, so may be our first choice(a car from Calgary Airport) would be better.In this case do you think we should stop in our way to do some sightseeing or it is better to reach Jasper earlier.We will be in Jasper at the end of august.
Thanks again for your help

Either way , Calgary or Edmonton, you'll be driving a lot.

The Edmonton to Jasper option will be faster because you'll be driving at a faster speed on the Yellowhead highway. From the centre of the city of Edmonton (where we live) to Jasper townsite is 3 hours and 20 minutes (yes, I've timed it!! - especially for travel forums like Fodors). From the airport, which is only 9 km south of the city limits, add another 30 minutes. You can bypass the city entirely by turning off to Devon (going westward) just north of the airport at highway 19, and then travelling a bit north of Devon on highway 60 until you get to the Yelllowhead (#16).

Note that Jasper townsite is 45 minutes west of the Jasper National Park entrance gates, so you'll be travelling in the Rockies for 45 minutes of your almost 4 hour drive.

The highway from Edmonton to Jasper covers rolling agricultural countryside (aspen parkland) which quickly transforms to boreal forest. From Edson to Hinton the land is hilly and covered with deep green mostly coniferous forests.

The Calgary to Banff to Jasper will be much slower and much more scenic, you'll be in the Rockies from just east of Canmore all the way to Jasper, the speed limits are much slower (especially in the mountian parks), and you'll be tempted to stop along the way at the many scenic viewpoints (which will add to your travel time). I would estimate a travel time of 5.5 to 6 hours from the Calgary airport to Jasper.

The choice is yours, but either way, you'll see some interesting sights. Enjoy!!!