Roam (public transit)

Roam
FormerlyBanff Public Transit
ParentBow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission
HeadquartersBanff, Alberta
LocaleBanff, Alberta
Canmore, Alberta
Lake Louise, Alberta
MD of Bighorn (future)
Kananaskis Improvement District (future)
Service typebus service
Routes14: 7 year-round, 5 seasonal, and 2 temporarily suspended
Stops120
DestinationsCanmore, Alberta; Banff, Alberta; Lake Louise, Alberta; Banff National Park, Alberta; Kananaskis Country, Alberta; MD of Bighorn (future); Kananaskis Improvement District (future)
Hubs3
FleetNova LFS
Daily ridership
6,100 (weekdays, Q2 2026)
Annual ridership
1,887,600 (2025)
Fuel typehybrid electric, diesel fuel
OperatorBVRTSC
Websiteroamtransit.com

Roam is the public transit system for the towns of Canmore, Banff (located inside Banff National Park), and serves Lake Louise (located inside Banff National Park) and the Bow Valley of Alberta's Rockies in Canada. The system is managed by the Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission (BVRTSC). In 2025, the system had a ridership of 1,887,600, or about 6,100 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2026.

History

Roam was formerly known as Banff Public Transit and the town has had some form of public transportation since 1994, with services contracted to a variety of private operators.

The system was re-branded as Roam in June 2008. At the same time a new fleet of four hybrid buses was acquired and operation of the service was turned over to a new private contractor, Brewster Inc., a local tour bus company.

On April 21, 2011, the Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission (BVRTSC) was formed by the Town of Banff, the Town of Canmore and Improvement District No. 9. This new government agency was authorised to provide or coordinate local and regional transit services in the Bow Valley. Although not a voting member, Parks Canada actively participates in commission meetings.

In the fall of 2012, the BVRTSC took over responsibility for the transit service. On December 3, 2012, regional transit service between Banff and Canmore began.


Service

A Roam bus in Banff

There are currently fourteen routes, seven that operate year-round and five that operate seasonally (May to September).

Current Routes

Route Districts/Areas Served Frequency Notes
Banff Local
1 Sulphur Mountain Sulphur Mountain District, Banff Downtown District, Uptown District, Industrial District 40 minutes Limited service to the Banff Industrial District
2 Tunnel Mountain Banff Springs District, Banff Downtown District, Uptown District, Tunnel Mountain District 40 minutes Seasonal service to Tunnel Mountain Village I Campground
4 Cave and Basin/Bow Falls Cave and Basin District, Banff Recreation Grounds, Bow Falls, Banff Downtown District, Uptown District 60 minutes Operates Friday-Sunday, mid-May to September 30
6 Lake Minnewanka Banff Downtown District, Uptown District, Cascade Ponds, Minnewanka Park & Ride, Johnson Lake, Two Jack, Minnewanka Lookout, Lake Minnewanka 60 minutes Operates mid-May to mid-September
7 Fenlands/Banff Centre Banff Centre District, Surprise Corner, Tunnel Mountain Trailhead, Banff Downtown District, Uptown District, Banff Train Station, Fenlands Recreation Centre 35 minutes Operates mid-September to mid-May

Temporarily suspended from 2019 until 2026

Canmore Local
5T Three Sisters Downtown Canmore, Hospital Hill, Carey/Homesteads, Three Sisters 35–40 minutes Currently operating fare-free
5C Cougar Creek Downtown Canmore, Cougar Creek, Riverstone, Grotto Mountain Village, Kananaskis Way/Bow Valley Trail 35–40 minutes Currently operating fare-free
12 Palliser Downtown Canmore, Palliser, Bow Valley Trail, TeePee Town 60 minutes Currently operating fare-free.

Operates mid-September to mid-May

12 Palliser/Grassi Lakes Downtown Canmore, Palliser, Bow Valley Trail, TeePee Town, Hospital Hill, Quarry Lake Park, Kananaskis Country, Canmore Nordic Centre, Grassi Lakes Trailhead 60 minutes Currently operating fare-free.

Operates mid-May to mid-September

Regional
3 Banff/Canmore Regional Banff Downtown District, Uptown District, Industrial District, Bow Valley Trail, Downtown Canmore 60 minutes Regional fare required

Operates fare-free within Canmore town limits

Future re-routing throuth Harvie Heights is proposed

8S Lake Louise/Banff Regional Scenic Bow Valley Parkway (Johnston Canyon Campground, Johnston Canyon Trailhead, Castle Mountain Campground, Castle Junction, Protection Mountain Campground, Baker Creek Resort), Lake Louise Ski Resort/Park & Ride, Lake Louise Village Centre, Lake Louise Lakeside, Banff Train Station, Banff Downtown District 4 hours 30 minutes Temporarily suspended until further notice

Regional fare required

Operates July to August

8X Lake Louise/Banff Regional Express Lake Louise Village Centre, Lake Louise Lakeside, Lake Louise Ski Resort/Park & Ride, Banff Train Station, Banff Downtown District 60 Minutes Regional fare required
9 Johnston Canyon Bow Valley Parkway (Johnston Canyon Trailhead, Castle Mountain Campground, Castle Junction), Banff Train Station, Banff Downtown District 60 Minutes Regional fare required
10 Moraine Lake Moraine Lake, Lake Louise Village Centre, Lake Louise Ski Resort/Park & Ride, Banff Train Station, Banff Downtown District 60 Minutes Temporarily suspended until further notice

Regional fare required

Operates September to late-October/early-November

Lake Louise Local
11 Lake Louise Local Lake Louise Ski Resort/Park & Ride, Lake Louise Village Centre, Lake Louise Recreation Grounds, Lake Louise Campgrounds, Village Road, Lake Louise Lakeside Operates Seasonally

Future Routes

Route Districts/Areas Served Frequency Notes
Canmore Local
13 Smith Creek / Dead Man's Flats Downtown Canmore, Kananaskis Way/Bow Valley Trail, Three Sisters, Smith Creek, Dead Man's Flats 35–40 minutes Will only Extend to, and have the route named after, Dead Man's Flats once the infrastructure and funding are finalized with the MD of Bighorn

Will operate fare-free within Canmore town limits, and a regional fare will be required to exit Smith Creek and go to Dead Man's Flats

Regional
Kananaskis Village / Canmore Downtown Canmore, Kananaskis Way/Bow Valley Trail, Dead Man's Flats, Exshaw, Lac Des Arcs, Kananaskis, Bearspaw Travel Centre, Kananaskis Visitor Centre, Barrier Lake (summer), Troll Falls (summer), Nakiska (winter), Kananaskis Village, Kananaskis Country Golf Course, Peter Lougheed Parks Discovery Centre, Boulton Creek 1 Hour 15 Minutes Regional fare will be required
Kananaskis Village / Kananaskis Interlakes Kananaskis Village, Kananaskis Country Golf Course, Peter Lougheed Parks Discovery Centre, Upper Kananaskis Lake, Boulton Creek Trading Post, Elk Pass Trailhead, Lower Kananaskis Lake, Mt. Sarrail/White Spruce, Interlakes Campground, Panorama, North Interlakes 1 Hour 15 Minutes Regional fare will be required
Kananaskis Village / Highwood Pass Kananaskis Village, Elbow Lake, Highwood Pass 45 Minutes Regional fare will be required

Will operate mid-September to late-October/early-November

References

  1. ↑ Transit History of Banff, Alberta
  2. ↑ "Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2026" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. September 2, 2026. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2025" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 20, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Strategic & Business Plan, 2017 to 2020" (PDF). Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission. December 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission Regulation" (PDF). Regulation 59/2011. Alberta. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  6. ↑ "Roam between Canmore and Banff: regional public transit service". Roam. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Schedules & Routes". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
  8. ↑ "Banff Local Route 1". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  9. ↑ "Banff Local Route 2". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  10. ↑ "Banff Local Route 4". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  11. ↑ "Banff Local - Lake Minnewanka Route 6". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  12. ↑ "Canmore Local Route 5T". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  13. ↑ "Canmore Local Route 5C". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  14. ↑ "Improving trails, transit and expanding K-Country". Roam Transit. 2022-03-25. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  15. ↑ Colgan, Greg (2022-03-25). "New Grassi Lakes, Nordic Centre bus route to begin in 2024". Rocky Mountain Outlook. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  16. ↑ Colgan, Greg (2022-07-04). "Seasonal transit route for Grassi Lakes transit, full-time options discussed". Rocky Mountain Outlook. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  17. ↑ Alberta, Government of (2022-03-25). "Improving trails, transit and expanding K-Country". Alberta Government. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  18. ↑ Parsons, Sarah (2024-07-09). "Exploring More of Canmore with Route 12". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  19. ↑ "Canmore Local Route 12". Roam Transit. Archived from the original on 2024-12-28. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  20. ↑ "Canmore - Banff Regional Route 3". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  21. 1 2 3 4 "Transit Feasibility Study | Municipal District of Bighorn, AB". www.mdbighorn.ca. Retrieved 2026-10-20.
  22. 1 2 3 4 "Transit Feasibility Study Public Information Session 2". MD of Bighorn. 2024-10-09. Retrieved 2026-10-20.
  23. ↑ "Lake Louise - Banff Express Route 8X". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  24. ↑ "Johnston Canyon Regional Route 9". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  25. ↑ "Moraine Lake Regional Express Route 10". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  26. ↑ "Lake Louise Local Route 11". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  27. ↑ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2026-05-06.
  28. ↑ Colgan, Greg (2024-04-26). "Canmore public transit review outlines potential needs for Roam". Rocky Mountain Outlook. Retrieved 2026-10-20.
  29. ↑ "BVRTSC Agenda Package August 2026" (PDF). ROAM Transit. 2026-08-12. Retrieved 2026-10-20.

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