The Town of Banff is introducing Visitor-Pay Parking in the downtown core on July 5 to increase turnover of stalls, resulting in more availability of short-term parking spaces in the core. The Town encourages visitors to plan their route before they arrive to access the free parking at the large Train Station Public Parking Lot and two other free parking zones downtown.
“With ample free parking and pay parking in the downtown core, visitors will have more choices for parking in Banff, and a better overall experience,” said Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen. “Our town is only four-square kilometres in size. That makes parking in high demand in the downtown, but it also means you can easily walk or cycle everywhere.”
“Free parking at the Train Station is the best place to park for a full day visit, but pay parking in the downtown core means there will be more parking spaces available for short-term stays. We want to help people park faster so they can start enjoying Banff sooner, and the best experience is out of a vehicle.”
Paid zones will be in effect seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. year-round. Parking is $3 per hour in summer and drops to $2 in winter. The downtown core is one zone with the same rate for on-street and in parking lots (see map at banff.ca/PayParking).
Free parking is available at:
For visitors with a longer itinerary such as shopping and lunch/dinner, or taking Roam Transit to Lake Louise or the Banff Gondola, parking in the free zones is recommended. The Train Station Public Parking lot is an 8-minute walk to downtown’s main street, a 10-minute free shuttle downtown (Friday-Sunday service), a 5-minute walk to the Bow River trails and canoe docks, or a base for cycling 1 minute to Banff Legacy Trail West the Bow Valley Parkway.
Payment for parking in the paid downtown zone can be made at pay machines on the street (coin, credit or debit), or through a mobile device using the website PaytoParkBanff.ca (activated on June 28) or on a downloadable mobile app (Google Play - Blinkay Smart Parking app / Apple Store - Blinkay iParkMe app).
To pay, people simply enter their licence plate, select time and submit payment. Receipts are not required to be displayed in the vehicle. Enforcement uses licence-plate recognition technology. Time limit reminders and top-up payments can be made when using the app.
All visitors to the Town and the national park are still required to obtain a Parks Canada Park Pass for day visits or purchase an annual pass, regardless of paying for parking. Fees for Park Passes go to Banff National Park for visitor services and facilities in the park. No revenue from Parks Canada is provided to the Town of Banff municipality.
Revenue from pay parking covers the costs of infrastructure and operating the system, and any extra revenue must be spent on roadway and parking improvements, transit enhancements, snow clearing, or cycling or active transportation initiatives.
For more information, please visit banff.ca/Parking.