Vancouver to Banff Driving
Jul 28th, 2006 | 08:25 AM
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The shortest, quickest way is to take the TransCanada Highway (Hwy #1) from Vancouver to Hope.
At Hope turn north onto the Coquihalla Highway (Hwy #5). It is a toll highway that costs C$10 per vehicle. The "Coke" will take you past the town of Merritt and on to Kamloops.
At Kamloops turn east onto Hwy #1 again. From there Hwy #1 will take you through Salmon Arm, Revelstoke and Golden and past the villages of Field, BC and Lake Louise, Alberta before bringing you to Banff townsite.
You will lose an hour when you cross from the Pacific to the Mountain Time Zone between Revelstoke and Golden.
Map Quest gives the driving time, not counting stops, as 10 hours 12 minutes. We did the drive just last week, and that's about how long it took us. I mean the actual driving time was that long. But the total journey time was longer, because we stopped for brunch at Kamloops and for gas at Golden. We also drove the extra distance from Banff to Calgary.
If you don't have an annual national parks pass, you should pull over to the kiosk at the side of the road when you enter Yoho National Park and buy a pass. You can buy a pass that is valid for the number of days that you'll be in the national park, or you can buy one that is valid for 365 days from the time of purchase. The break even point is 7 days. That is, once you buy a pass that is valid for seven single days, it costs no more to buy one that is valid for 365 days.
If you don't buy a national parks pass when you enter Yoho National Park, you can buy one from the Visitors' Centre on Banff townsite's main street, Banff Avenue.
This page of my website explains national parks entry fees:
http://groups.msn.com/CalgaryandCana...entryfees.msnw
Be aware that there are no gas stations on the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Kamloops. However, you can leave the highway about half way and make a detour into the town of Merritt to buy gas.
>>>>>>On return trip have more time, any route suggestions?<<<<<<
How much time do you have for the return trip? Will you have seen Moraine Lake and Lake Louise during your stay in Banff?
At Hope turn north onto the Coquihalla Highway (Hwy #5). It is a toll highway that costs C$10 per vehicle. The "Coke" will take you past the town of Merritt and on to Kamloops.
At Kamloops turn east onto Hwy #1 again. From there Hwy #1 will take you through Salmon Arm, Revelstoke and Golden and past the villages of Field, BC and Lake Louise, Alberta before bringing you to Banff townsite.
You will lose an hour when you cross from the Pacific to the Mountain Time Zone between Revelstoke and Golden.
Map Quest gives the driving time, not counting stops, as 10 hours 12 minutes. We did the drive just last week, and that's about how long it took us. I mean the actual driving time was that long. But the total journey time was longer, because we stopped for brunch at Kamloops and for gas at Golden. We also drove the extra distance from Banff to Calgary.
If you don't have an annual national parks pass, you should pull over to the kiosk at the side of the road when you enter Yoho National Park and buy a pass. You can buy a pass that is valid for the number of days that you'll be in the national park, or you can buy one that is valid for 365 days from the time of purchase. The break even point is 7 days. That is, once you buy a pass that is valid for seven single days, it costs no more to buy one that is valid for 365 days.
If you don't buy a national parks pass when you enter Yoho National Park, you can buy one from the Visitors' Centre on Banff townsite's main street, Banff Avenue.
This page of my website explains national parks entry fees:
http://groups.msn.com/CalgaryandCana...entryfees.msnw
Be aware that there are no gas stations on the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Kamloops. However, you can leave the highway about half way and make a detour into the town of Merritt to buy gas.
>>>>>>On return trip have more time, any route suggestions?<<<<<<
How much time do you have for the return trip? Will you have seen Moraine Lake and Lake Louise during your stay in Banff?
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Jahnsart
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