HotOS XX

The town of Banff is located in Banff National Park, which is about 100 km (60 miles) west of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

The major gateway to Banff is Calgary International Airport (YYC). There are direct flights available from Europe, North America, and other international points, and connecting flights from Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver.

From YYC airport, there are several transportation choices to get to Banff. Several buses operate from the airport directly to Banff and to the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. As well, all major rental car companies are available at the airport.

Many US airlines fly to Calgary including Alaska/Horizon, American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Northwest, and United.

Air Canada and/or WestJet have direct flights to Calgary from Amsterdam, Beijing, Frankfurt, London, Tokyo, and other international cities. There are also several international airlines that fly into Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver, with subsequent connections to Calgary (Toronto-Calgary: approx. 4 hrs; Montreal-Calgary: approx. 4 hrs; Vancouver-Calgary: approx. 1 hr).

Bus service to Banff is available from Calgary International Airport via the Banff Airporter or Pursuit (formerly Brewster Transportation). The bus is an economical option if you are planning to stay within the Banff townsite throughout your visit. Fares are approximately $80 CDN each way, or $160 CDN round trip. Travel time one-way is about 1.5-2 hours.

There are several daily departures to and from Banff. Most buses provide door-to-door service to your hotel, while some operate to/from the bus depot in downtown Banff, which is about a 20-minute walk from the conference hotel. Please check the bus transportation sites above to make your booking, while coordinating the bus schedules with your incoming/outgoing flights.

If you are planning to explore the Banff and Lake Louise area either before or after HotOS 2025, then you will definitely want a rental car. Rental cars are typically $40-80 CDN per day, or $300 CDN per week, depending on vehicle type, rental car company, and your membership status with them. The best place to get a rental car is at Calgary's YYC airport, but there is also a small supply of cars available from the Hertz rental desk in the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Advance reservations for rental cars are strongly recommended. Also, don't forget about the hotel's daily parking fee (about $35 CDN) when making your rental decision.

The total driving distance from Calgary to Banff is approximately 130 km (80 miles). From the airport, you should plan for a driving time of about 90 minutes. The Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1) is the main route, taking you directly west into the Rockies. It is a scenic multi-lane divided highway. If possible, try to plan your driving time for daylight hours so that you can appreciate the full splendour of the Rockies. And always watch out for wildlife on or near the highway!

If you do not already have a National Park Pass, you will have to stop at the Park Entrance Gates (located on the highway just after Harvie Heights) to purchase one. Prices range from about $11 CDN per day to $150 CDN per year. Payment can be made using cash, debit, or credit cards. Park permits can also be purchased online or at the park headquarters in the Banff townsite if you later decide to extend your visit.

If you are driving from Calgary's YYC airport to Banff, here are the basic instructions:

• When exiting Calgary International Airport, take Barlow Trail North for a short distance.
• Immediately after crossing the overpass above Airport Road, use one of the two rightmost lanes to turn right on the cloverleaf to take Airport Road westbound.
• Follow Airport Road for about 1 km, and then use the right lane to take Deerfoot Trail northbound.
• After about 1.5 km on Deerfoot Trail, use the right lane to take the Stoney Trail ring road westbound. Follow Stoney Trail for about 18-20 minutes to get to the western edge of the city of Calgary.
• At the west edge of Calgary, turn right onto 16th Avenue westbound, which then becomes Highway 1 West.
• Follow Highway 1 West for about 1 hour until you have passed the town of Canmore and the village of Harvie Heights.
• If you do not already have a valid park pass, you must stop at the Banff National Park entrance gates to get one. It is illegal to stay overnight in the national park without a valid permit. If you have a pass already, use the rightmost lanes to bypass the queue of vehicles at the park gates.
• After the park gates, keep following Highway 1 west.
• There are two Banff exits on the Trans-Canada Highway. The first exit, called Banff/Lake Minnewanka, is the one to use when traveling west to Banff from Calgary. The exit is on the right hand side of the highway. After taking the exit ramp, turn left to head toward the town of Banff. Follow this forested road for several minutes as it leads you onto Banff Avenue in the heart of the town of Banff. (The second exit, called Banff/Mount Norquay, is the one to use if returning to Banff from the Lake Louise area, or if you missed the first exit. Head into Banff, find Banff Avenue, and turn right toward the river.)
• Continue along Banff Avenue until you are on a bridge crossing the Bow River. At the end of the bridge, turn left at the traffic lights, staying in the left lane to follow the curving road of Spray Avenue for about 1 km. The castle-like hotel will appear ahead on your left.
• Valet parking ($50 CDN per day) is available at the main hotel entrance. Self-parking ($35 CDN per day) is available in the parkade just past the hotel, after the statue and roundabout (traffic circle). Feel free to drop off your luggage at the main hotel entrance prior to parking.