Banff Approves New Winter Bus Route, Longer Fall Service As Ridership Climbs

Banff council has approved a new winter bus route linking the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre with the Banff Centre, a longer stretch of summer-level service on Route 1 into October, and $160,000 on bus stop upgrades as more people ride Roam year-round. 

The town says demand has grown in months that used to be quieter. Ridership between October and April increased 163% over the last decade. Council also heard that “visitation barely slows down” through October. 

New winter route will link Fenlands, Banff Centre, and the train station

The new local route is set to operate from October to May and connect key stops, including the Banff Centre, the Banff train station, and the Fenlands, with connections at the downtown transit hub.

The town says there are no bus routes that stop within one kilometre of the Fenlands, which hosts rinks, curling and other recreation programming.

In the winter, the town’s Family and Community Support Services staff have also heard that a lack of transit can stop residents, especially youth, from using the Fenlands in the evening. Town documents say later-night service could help, since private bookings and hockey games can run until 10 p.m. 

Budget documents set the 2026 start date for the new route at March 1. The same documents say the Banff Centre has contributed $38,000 in 2026 to support the development of the route. 

Route 1 will keep summer-level service until Thanksgiving

Council also approved an extension of Route 1’s summer-level schedule to Thanksgiving Monday in October. 

Town documents say Route 1, which runs between Banff Avenue and the Banff Gondola, typically drops from four buses to two buses after the last Sunday in September. That shift increases wait times and can leave riders dealing with crowding at the busiest stops. 

Coun. Marc Ledwidge said peak season now stretches later into the fall. “We have approved the Route 1 Roam level of service to continue until Thanksgiving,” he said. “That was a sound decision given that visitation barely slows down these days in September.”

Town documents say the change adds about eight extra days of higher service each year. For 2026, the dates are listed Oct. 4 to Oct. 12. 

$160,000 for pads, benches and lights at bus stops

Banff has also approved $160,000 in 2026 for bus stop improvements, aimed at handling higher ridership and making stops safer and more comfortable.

The upgrade list includes:

• Five new benches at the Banff Community High School transit hub 

• A new concrete pad, bench and streetlight at Owl & Eagle 

• A concrete pad, bench, waste bins and a streetlight at the Hawk Avenue and Operations

Paid parking revenue will fund the transit expansions

Director of Corporate Services Lauren Aebig told council “transit will be fully funded from the Visitor Paid Parking operating reserve … and no longer funded in part through taxation.”

More information can be found at the Roam Transit Route 1 page.