Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 26, 2026

Roam (public transit)

Roam is the public transit system for the towns of Canmore, Banff, and serves Lake Louise 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 3,600 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2025.

Last revised
Jun 26, 2026
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Roam
FormerlyBanff Public Transit
ParentBow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission1
HeadquartersBanff, Alberta
LocaleBanff, Alberta
Canmore, Alberta
Lake Louise, Alberta
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
Hubs3
FleetNova LFS
Daily ridership3,600 (weekdays, Q4 2025)2
Annual ridership1,887,600 (2025)3
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 3,600 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2025.

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.4 Although not a voting member, Parks Canada actively participates in commission meetings.4

In the fall of 2012, the BVRTSC took over responsibility for the transit service.5 On December 3, 2012, regional transit service between Banff and Canmore began.6

Service

Each Roam bus is decorated with images of different animals from the National Park and area. This one is Elk source ↗

There are currently fourteen routes, seven that operate year-round and five that operate seasonally (May to September).7 Service is provided using hybrid Nova buses, each decorated with scenes from the National Park, featuring either a grizzly bear, elk, mountain goat, moose, buffalo, fish, fox, lynx, wolf, etc.

Route Districts/Areas Served Frequency Notes
Banff Local
1 Sulphur Mountain Sulphur Mountain District, Banff Downtown District, Uptown District, Industrial District8 40 minutes Limited service to the Banff Industrial District
2 Tunnel Mountain Banff Springs District, Banff Downtown District, Uptown District, Tunnel Mountain District9 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 District10 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 Minnewanka11 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, Carey/Homesteads, Three Sisters12 35 minutes Currently operating fare-free
5C Cougar Creek Downtown Canmore, Cougar Creek, Bow Valley Trail13 35 minutes Currently operating fare-free
12 Palliser Downtown Canmore, Palliser, Bow Valley Trail, TeePee Town, Hospital Hill 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 Trailhead141516171819 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 Canmore20 60 minutes Regional fare required

Operates fare-free within Canmore town limits

8S Lake Louise/Banff Regional Scenic Johnston Canyon, Bow Valley Parkway (Castle Junction, Protection Mountain, Baker Creek), 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 District21 60 Minutes Regional fare required
9 Johnston Canyon Bow Valley Parkway (Johnston Canyon Trailhead, Castle Junction), Banff Train Station, Banff Downtown District22 60 Minutes Regional fare required

Currently operating as a Weekend Service from mid-September to mid-May

10 Moraine Lake Moraine Lake, Lake Louise Village Centre, Lake Louise Ski Resort/Park & Ride, Banff Train Station, Banff Downtown District23 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 Lakeside242526 Operates Seasonally
References

References

  1. Transit History of Banff, Alberta
  2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2025" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 20, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  3. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2025" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. February 20, 2026. Retrieved February 27, 2026.
  4. "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. "Lake Louise - Banff Express Route 8X". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  22. "Johnston Canyon Regional Route 9". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  23. "Moraine Lake Regional Express Route 10". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  24. "Lake Louise Local Route 11". Roam Transit. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  25. u/remembeu (2023-09-24). "ROAM route 11?". r/Banff - Reddit. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  26. "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2026-05-06.
External links

Media related to Roam public transit at Wikimedia Commons