Snowboard Club UK
Abroad - Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
Paulio - Jul 05, 2008 - 05:10 PM
Post subject: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
I'm put off the ridiculous price of whistler next year and banff is looking a lot cheaper at the mo....BUT.... :
Q1. whats the deal with the ski bus- do you have to pay extra for that everyday to get to the mountains?
Q2. is there a lift system connecting the mountains or do you have to ride down and get on another bus to go to another mountain?
Q3. can you ride back into banff at the end of the day? or how late do the buses run so you can hang around and wait till the crowd goes?
Q4. does anybody have any links to piste & lift maps etc so i can work it out for myself?!
My concern is im pretty impatient and i dont know if i will enjoy riding down and having to get a bus to go somewhere else and i dont know if i will enjoy having to queue for a bus at the end of the day freezing my nuts off having people push me and ding my board....am i a whinging git?!
Is it the same deal with Fernie as well?
sorry, never done Canada and from the research ive been doing its looking more likely ill just end up in europe again at these prices! 
cooljerk77 - Jul 05, 2008 - 05:37 PM
Post subject: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
When you buy a big3 lift pass for all 3 resorts you get the bus for free otherwise its i think its about $7-$10 return.
each resort has their own bus so you cant jump resort to resort ya gotta go back to town first, busses start running back at about lunch time till about 5.30- 6.30 generally being the last bus!
they always have plenty of busses running so ya wont be waiting if you turn up at the pick up time, oh and take a board sleeve if ya dont want some careless asshole chucking his rental board on top of yours as their stored under the bus in the hold.
the resorts aint connected its about a 30 min ride to lake louise, 20 min to sunshine village and 5 in to norquay which overlooks the town of banff!
Go to www.skibig3.com for piste maps and prices of passes which aint out for this season yet. I just booked with thomson at 1418 for me an me bird for 2 weeks end of jan.
anything else ya need to know?
Hodude - Jul 05, 2008 - 05:52 PM
Post subject: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
i've seen a deal for two weeks in Banff, at end of Jan, for £450.00 per person, flights and hotel. Its the lift passes that kill you, but worth it for crowd less pistes, and better snow!
jdderbys - Jul 05, 2008 - 07:27 PM
Post subject: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
where?
Paulio - Jul 05, 2008 - 08:26 PM
Post subject: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
cheers for the info cooljerk....i think im just used to skiing into the pub at the end of the day back in town rather than getting a bus!
if the buses dont start again until lunchtime presumably there is enough to keep you occupied for a good few hours without riding over the same runs?
ive found 2 weeks for £519 ish on crystal ski not including lift passes which sounds like a deal to me! thats for a self catered apartment though so only 2 double beds....good job we are all good friends!
plus can fly direct to calgary from manchester rather than glasgow to vancouver and the fact its higher makes me think better snow... so at the moment banff is winning i think....ill just have to cope with the bus and not be a grumpy arse.
passtherizla - Jul 05, 2008 - 11:03 PM
Post subject: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
conditions are amazing but i found the bus a real ball ache.
too_low - Jul 06, 2008 - 09:37 AM
Post subject: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
last minute.com come up at 499 for 14 nights at the mo
bartiebat - Jul 06, 2008 - 08:30 PM
Post subject: Re: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
passtherizla wrote:
conditions are amazing but i found the bus a real ball ache.
Ditto - at the weekends it took over an hour to get out of Banff town then it was another 45 mins drive to Lake Louise - not as bad in the week. Also one of the gang twisted his knee at Sunshine so we went back to the hotel for a bit only to realise we couldn't get back on the mountain til the next day. Hire a car if you can & if you can't, get used to the idea you could have some long journeys; you'll only be able to do 1 mountain each day & you absolutely need a board sleeve! Conditions were absolutely amazing though - baltic, but amazing 
Tomahawk - Jul 06, 2008 - 09:59 PM
Post subject: Re: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
Paulio wrote:
if the buses dont start again until lunchtime presumably there is enough to keep you occupied for a good few hours without riding over the same runs?
hahaha
theres enough terrain to keep you ocupied for 10 years.
i have rode lake louise 300 + full days and still stuf iahvent even been to.
could do the same at sunshine.
i didnt hitched everyday this year taking the bus is a luxury.
and as for a board sleeve. what a load of crap. your board made of glass or something?
whats a scratch or to? your gonna be rding it on rocks, mud, boxes, trees, snow. it will get way more damaged riding than chucking it in the bus racks.
estwing - Jul 07, 2008 - 07:57 AM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
hire a car kicking horse within easy reach you wont regret it!!!!
pitstop - Jul 07, 2008 - 09:26 PM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
me and wife just booked for banff at end of jan for 2 weeks cost us £1200 sounds amazing from what been told by other members on here,
has anyone stayed at the irwins mountain lodge/inn?
are there anymore people going to banff at same time?
could make it a quality drinking session 
too_low - Jul 07, 2008 - 09:34 PM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
well i wanna go but its looking bleek as im not going on my own!
pitstop - Jul 07, 2008 - 10:01 PM
Post subject: Re: RE: Re: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
too_low wrote:
well i wanna go but its looking bleek as im not going on my own!
more the merrier too_low
Hodude - Jul 08, 2008 - 05:43 PM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
Looks like me, wife, and a few others are going to Banff end of Jan too (24-31), so will definately have a drink with you, or two!
too_low, get yourself out there, you will always have someone to board, eat and drink with!
pitstop - Jul 08, 2008 - 06:23 PM
Post subject: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the deal?
Hodude wrote:
Looks like me, wife, and a few others are going to Banff end of Jan too (24-31), so will definately have a drink with you, or two!
too_low, get yourself out there, you will always have someone to board, eat and drink with!
no probs me and wife dont fly out till jan 28 first time to banff so would be good to pick your brain on where best to board/eat/drink etc over a few beers
too_low - Jul 08, 2008 - 07:00 PM
Post subject: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Banff - the ski bus, whats the d
well if anyone would care to let me tag along i'll come, im not crazy or anything just looking to go away for a good holiday!
so yeah PM me with details and i'll see if i can do exactly the same times or flights 