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Banff Ski bus pickup to be centralized

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Typical, just booked my Banff trip and this comes out: http://www.banffcragandcanyon.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2796486

I'm thinking of cancelling and losing my deposit. Much as I love Banff, I'm not up to be treated like cattle.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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HarryOK, There was talk of this happening when we were in Banff in '07, something to do with the hotels not wanting to shellout for it IIRC.
Bouind to happen really in the long term, as they discussed not funding it at all. Sad

IIRC they are also charging $2 for the bus to take you from hotel to bus pickup point, I personnally would hire a vehicle when I got to Banff to avoid all of this Smile


Its also cropped up on another thread involving getskitickets.com the other day Smile
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I remember this coming up a few years back and the hotels then agreed to help pay for the service. Funnily enough I was just looking at an Igluski deal for 7 nights to Banff - certainly wouldn't go if there's no service from the hotel. I'm afraid they will lose British skiers, most of whom won't have their own transport and won't want to make a journey to the ski hills even longer than it currently is. Or I guess people will rent a car - not ideal and added expense on top of a very expensive lift pass but there would be very little alternative.

HarryOK, Sad could you rent a car?
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HarryOK, you should speak to the tour op and say the holiday is now not as advertised (unless you are staying at the Mount Royal/Springs) and you want a hire car/full refund/something else.
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This will really affect the UK market I think. Especially at a time when the exchange rate is so poor. Shame on them.
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Hmm, I suspect that the bus company are just playing hard-ball for a bigger chunk of pie, it'll sort itself out.
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I agree with Inghams guy on one thing, Banff will cease to be a favourite for UK skiers if this happens!

It can be a very long walk to the centre of Banff with ski's and/or snowboards from the less central hotels and besides for all of January and February it can be freezing. Worst of all, it would be an even bigger scrum to get on the buses than it is at Mayrhofen early in the morning at the Penken gondola! Evil or Very Mad
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
It is about 7 years since I stayed in Banff but IIRC if you drive to Lake Louise from Banff you have to pay some sort of admission charge because you are driving through a national park - does anyone know if this is still the case? If so, how much is it?
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Chris Mason, just Google for Alberta national park fees. I read it recently and can't really remember but I think a car is 25 bucks a day or something. The rates are on the website.

edit: also, people entering on the tourist buses should pay it but don't, just don't get arrested.
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The bargain basement Inns of Banff is a pretty good hotel, even if it is in the fuzzy area between 'out of town' and 'in town'. It used to be one of the first stops for pick-up, so was a pretty good location transport-wise. Fortunately, the town bus stop is just across the road, which probably becomes de rigeur for the morning commute to Mount Royal. Hopefully the ski bus will wait for connections.

On the return trip, it may mean a hotel-to-hotel 'pub crawl' becomes established as a tradition. wink

This also looks set to change the skier-to-boarder ratio from 50:50 to 30:70, given walking a mile in ski boots ain't attractive (nor is waiting 20 mins for a second bus).

Central bars will be happy as things get a bit more lively given everyone dumped off in the same place each hour.

They're going to need some more ski & board racks though!

On balance, I think I could cope. In fact, as a soft-booter, I'd be inclined to return via a less packed Banff Springs coach, to enjoy apres in the Waldhaus pub, before trekking back.

I think I might hold out for bargains given the prospect of a drop in forecast demand. Twisted Evil
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Anyone that wears their ski boots on the bus deserves to have to walk a mile in them Laughing
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Chris Mason wrote:
It is about 7 years since I stayed in Banff but IIRC if you drive to Lake Louise from Banff you have to pay some sort of admission charge because you are driving through a national park - does anyone know if this is still the case? If so, how much is it?


You pay the admission charge when you enter the national park, which on the way from Calgary is near Canmore. It was 70 dollars for a month's pass when we went. No charges once in the park if you have the badge and are travelling to Louise though. Banff is already in the park boundary.
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This is a real pain in the backside. The buses were so convenient especially when you were on a package with no car. We've booked for 10 nights next Easter and the thought of walking into town to get the bus or fighting onto the Roam buses in ski gear does not fill me with joy. Am seriously dischuffed... Evil or Very Mad
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Biddy Twiddle, I'd imagine you'll have some kind of case against the tour op. I'd be looking to be moved hotels.
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Arrrgh.. I'm going to Banff in Jan.

How do I find out if the bus stop is near my hotel?

I might consider car hire now!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
v1cky24, if you can tell me what hotel you are staying at I'll be able to let you know how far it is to a bus stop.
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Aafter reading the article mentioned in the first posting on this thread I emailed the reporter, Larissa, at the paper, to express my concerns.

She has replied and asked if my email can be used as a letter to the editor.

It may be helpful for other snowheads who will be affected by the proposals to follow up with similar emails to express their comments and concerns so as to add weight to arguments to keep the status quo.
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You're only paying about £50 a day for the lift pass what more do you expect wink

I stayed at the Inns of Banff when I went and it was bad enough getting up early, still jet lagged, standing around in -20 or so, to catch one bus let alone two. They threaten this every year though don't they?
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I imagine that IF this comes into effect, Inns of Banff is big enough to start their own shuttle service to the bus station and back to keep punters happy. IMO It'll be the other smaller hotels between IoB and the centre of town that'll get hit hardest.
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Chris Mason,

We forgot our pass last week as we left it in our other car. Daily rate for a full car is 19.50.

It may be less than that if there are only two in car. An annual group pass is 130. You are meant to sign the back of an annual, but it would be easy to forget and then send it to next snowhead
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Colin B, Yeah, for £50 per day you expect a free ski bus given a journey of up to an hour each way! Adding another half-hour of waiting for town bus and connecting on top is stealing precious ski time! It's beginning to make Avoriaz look more attractive - starting the morning at the top of a ski run rather than two bus journeys, several ski lifts and cable cars away. Banff is edging nearer the 'this is not a ski resort' status. That said, I remember Zermatt taking about 3 hours to get from town to the top of the piste (I hear it's now about 2 hours).

I think someone's just spotted a way of apparently improving profits (whilst hiding haemorrhage of custom).
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Political battle and brinksmanship I suspect - hotels know they are screwed if they lose the regular European package punters as not that many Japanese visit in winter and its not a huge destination for fly-in Canadians & Merkins.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
crosbie,
Quote:

I remember Zermatt taking about 3 hours to get from town to the top of the piste (I hear it's now about 2 hours).


No way. Last half term, 10 mins walk to Klein Matterhorn, 10 mins wait for it to open at 8.30 then the journey up. At 4kM by around 9.00 am.
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Colin B, I'm talking a few years ago: queue for bus, followed by a queue for an elevator and then long queues at each of three cable cars. It was three hours to get to the top. It was that bad I timed it. Ok, it could have been 2 hours 53 minutes, if you're being picky. But, of course, today with an extra bypass cable car, and when it's not busy and everything goes tickety boo you might get it down to 90 minutes.


Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 15-10-10 14:29; edited 1 time in total
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crosbie, you need to pick where you stay too, by Kleine Matterhorn is ideal, no buses, and get out early to get on the first gondola and cable car up. I'm sure it is pretty painful from the wrong starting point at the wrong time.
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Colin B, Yeah, wrong year, 'wrong' part of town (the Gornengraat station end), rush hour, peak ski season, school hols, etc. Banff's long bus journey was positively brisk in comparison - even from the Inns of Banff hotel.
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fatbob wrote:
Political battle and brinksmanship I suspect - hotels know they are screwed if they lose the regular European package punters as not that many Japanese visit in winter and its not a huge destination for fly-in Canadians & Merkins.


Not really as the hotels do not rely on the winter trade - they are one of the few resorts that make a hell of a lot more in the summer months rather than the winter. This is why they arent prepared to foot the bill any more for the buses.

The bus service did work great I believe, but when we were there we picked up a 4X4 in Banff. Made life so much easier and as we planned to visit further a field anyway, neccessary.

As for the park permit, we bought one from a fellow snowHead half price, and then sold it on again in the same season Madeye-Smiley BUt the local TO staff will be able to get you one at a reasonable rate - they offered us one, and offered to buy ours when we left Toofy Grin
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
As Bones has stated Banff / Lake Louise really aren't full winter destinations - you should see it in mid-summer (just the once) to appreciate the difference. I would recommend anyone to plan to rent a car as then you are not tied to the bus times. (And if the forecast is for a big snow fall in say kicking horse you can make the trip when you choose)
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I've lived there for a summer many moons ago so understand the full horror of the summer season, but I still think its naive to assume that hotels don't have skin in the game re utilising their expensively depreciating assets in the winter months. Its true that as walk-ins you can usually sniff out a great deal in Banff in winter due to overall bed capacity so maybe I should be encouraging them to drop the bus service/lose the TO business as that will drive rates down even further for those prepared to DIY.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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scotia, I'm staying at the red carpet inn Smile
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
v1cky24, according to Google maps it is 600m to the Mount Royal pick up location so it's a pretty easy walk on well cleared pavements if its not too cold. My advice would be to just hoof it in your shoes and put your ski boots on when you arrive at whatever hill you decide to go to each day.
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Hello all,
Im going to Banff for the first time in jan. So I see its recommended to wear your normal shoes on the bus, but are there lockers at the 3 resorts that I can rent and store my shoes etc. in for each skiing day?
Thanks.
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earlyapex, Yes lots of lockers for about $2. You could probably ride with your boots to Norquay as its not far.
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earlyapex, I wouldn't think twice about leaving my shoes and ski bag and top of the locker but there are loads available. I've probably skied 80 days there leaving my shoes/bag/lunch just on top of a locker or by the fireplace in Sunshine/Norquay.
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earlyapex, lockers always seem like such a good idea at the time, and then come the snow the next day you or your friends want to go to Sunshine, Norquay, or Kicking Horse and your boots are at Lake Louise...
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crosbie, Puzzled
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crosbie, the lockers in canada are day rentals

Colin B, in places such as soldeu and courmayeur, I've sen lockers you can rent by the week as yo uneed to get a gondola up to the ski slopes, so you leavce you gear at the top of the gondola
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crosbie, just to leave your valuables during the day when you are out on the hill.
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At Sunshine most people seemed to leave rucksacks, shoes, etc strewn around the lodge.
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Colin B, nbt, & scotia, I assumed the idea was to leave one's skis & ski boots in the lockers overnight (as well as one's walking shoes in them during the day) - to travel light and be more able to cruise around the shops and bars for apres ski on return to town (on the expectation of returning to the same ski area the next day).

As for myself, though a boarder, I have very tight fitting 'race' hard boots for my alpine board which I use for hard pack. I just slip my feet out of these half-way on the bus back to Banff. However, yes, I wouldn't want to walk or do apres ski in them! I will be waiting for that second bus back. In soft boots, sure, no worries. That's why I think this bus malarky (if permanent) may change the skier/boarder ratio.

I suppose those used to a rucksack will bung some moccasins in them. Those not, will have to get up early to nab one of the last few lockers remaining untaken.
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