Commercial Vehicle Operator Information

All vehicles are permitted to travel on Lake Louise Drive, however there may be times where the volume of traffic is too high, and all vehicles are redirected away from Lake Louise and onto the Trans-Canada Highway. Parks Canada cannot guarantee that access to roadways or parking will be available for any visitors, regardless of whether or not they are a commercial vehicle operator.

If all commercial vehicle parking is full, no additional parking will be made available. Operators will be given access to drop off their passengers but they will not be able to remain on site. Arrangements must be made to organize a pick-up time with the group and the vehicle will be required to leave the parking area until the scheduled pick up time. There will be a 10-minute maximum allowance for passenger drop off and pick up.

Business licences do not give the licence any rights for guaranteed or priority of access in the national park, which includes parking. Parking in Banff National Park is on a first-come, first-served basis, which includes all commercial vehicles. Parking on road shoulders is illegal.

When deemed necessary for park management purposes, the Superintendent may close any area to public use or traffic, including access or parking.

No. Commercial vehicles do not need to pay for parking at the Lake Louise Lakeshore.

Commercial vehicles are defined as commercially registered vehicles that can transport 11 or more persons, including the driver, and are used for the purpose of transporting persons. All commercial vehicles must have a business licence with Banff National Park and clearly display a commercial park entry pass.

It is expected that starting in 2025, as Parks Canada transitions to provide more certainty to operators and visitors, this will be re-evaluated. A sustainable system that allows continued commercial shuttle and tour access within the greater Lake Louise area will need to take into account the related operational costs, as well as run parallel to a more affordable public shuttle option for visitors, while ensuring best value for Canadians.

No. Due to high traffic volumes on Lake Louise Drive, no vehicles are permitted to turn left when exiting the Lake Louise Lakeshore parking lotto access hotels or pick up visitors. This is to ensure the safety of contracted traffic control personnel and visitors.

No, overnight parking is not permitted unless your tour group is on a multi-day backcountry experience. Contact the Lake Louise Visitor Centre for more information.

Commercial vehicles have separate, defined parking spaces in the Lake Louise Lakeshore parking lot (see map below). In 2024, these spaces are designed to separate vehicles by length.

• Commercial vehicles under 25 feet in total length will park in the orange “commercial bus parking” area.
• Commercial vehicles over 25 feet in length will park in the similarly labeled blue area.

Commercial vehicles are defined as commercially registered vehicles that can transport 11 or more persons, including the driver, and are used for the purpose of transporting persons.

• All commercial vehicle operators must have a Business Licence with Banff National Park and each vehicle must clearly display a commercial park entry pass.
• It is the responsibility of the operator to ensure all requirements are met with respect to proper commercial vehicle registration.

Parks Canada shuttles, Roam Public Transit and emergency response vehicles are permitted on Moraine Lake Road.

No. Commercial vehicles are permitted to travel Moraine Lake Road 24 hours a day/7 day a week from June 1 to Mid-October (conditions permitting). At this time there are no time or day restrictions in place.

No, holding a business licence in Banff National Park does not automatically qualify you as a commercial transportation provider. Commercial transportation providers go through a specific application process with certain requirements. If interested in becoming a commercial transportation provider, please reach out to the respective Parks Canada office which issued your business licence.

Business licence holders who are not approved commercial transportation providers will be required to book seats on a Parks Canada shuttle or arrange transportation with an approved commercial transportation provider if they wish to travel to Moraine Lake with clients.

No, taxi businesses must be operated as a taxi service for the general public and community, not specifically for another business venture.

Additionally, taxi vehicles do not meet the Moraine Lake Road add-on criteria for transporting 11 or more people.

No, contractors working for Moraine Lake Lodge will be let through but must park in the Moraine Lake Lodge parking area, not in the public Parks Canada parking lot. Contractors should coordinate with Moraine Lake Lodge in advance of their visit.

There is no parking permitted in any Parks Canada parking lots, public parking areas, and trailheads within the national parks. These areas are not authorized locations to direct clients to park their vehicles before they use a commercial shuttle service.

Businesses wishing to base their operations in the national parks (outside the Town of Banff), such as the community of Lake Louise, must obtain permission from third-party lessees, such as commercial accommodation providers. This written permission must include the number of parking stalls allocated to the operator. Operators are required to submit these letters of permission during the application process. Approved parking locations will be indicated for each operator on their Moraine Lake Road add-on.

Operators with approved parking locations must direct their clients to these locations.

Once clients have parked their vehicles in approved locations, operators are permitted to pick up and drop-off these existing clients throughout the national parks, adhering to local restrictions, closures, and regulations. Operators must ensure that they have seat capacity to return all clients to their vehicles (located in these approved parking locations if within the national park) on the same day of travel.

Operators may not solicit new clients in any Parks Canada parking lots, public parking areas, or trailheads.

Parks Canada has decided to authorize left turn access only for licenced commercial vehicle operators who have received a Moraine Lake Road add-on when entering or departing Moraine Lake Road onto (or from) Lake Louise Drive starting June 1, 2024.

Please note that restrictions may be reinstated to left turn access at any time should it compromise visitor safety or create unacceptable levels of traffic congestion. Additionally, construction plans for infrastructure improvement along Lake Louise Drive during the 2024 operating season may require additional traffic restrictions.

No, overnight parking is not permitted unless your tour group is on a multi-day backcountry experience. Contact the Lake Louise Visitor Centre for more information.

Commercial vehicles have separate, defined parking spaces in the Moraine Lake parking lot (see map below).

These spaces are designed to separate vehicles by length. Commercial vehicles under 25 feet in total length will park in the orange “commercial bus parking” area (see map below). Commercial vehicles over 25 feet in length will park in the similarly labeled blue area. Follow the direction of Parks Canada staff on site at all times as their direction supersedes information provided in the map below.

If all commercial bus parking is full, no additional parking is available. Operators will be given access to drop-off their passengers, but they will not be able to remain on site.

Arrangements must be made to organize a pick-up time with the group and the vehicle will be required to leave the parking area until the scheduled pick-up time. There will be a 10-minute maximum allowance for passenger drop-off and pick-up.

Business licences do not give the licencee any rights or priority of access in the national park, including parking. Parking in Banff National Park is on a first-come first-serve basis, including all commercial vehicles. Parking on road shoulders is illegal.

When deemed necessary for park management purposes, the Superintendent may close any area to public use or traffic, including access or parking.