Parks Canada shuttle bus to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake must be reserved this summer
Visitors who drive their vehicles up will have to pay for parking
Parks Canada is making some changes to its shuttle bus service that gets visitors to the hugely popular destinations of Moraine Lake and Lake Louise.
Starting this summer, the shuttle bus that runs from a park-and-ride lot east of the hamlet of Lake Louise up to the lakeshore and to nearby Moraine Lake will be a reservation-only service.
Reservations will be available on the Parks Canada Reservation Service (PCRS) beginning April 28.
Each reservation includes service to both Lake Louise lakeshore and Moraine Lake — and between the lakes on a connector bus — plus a return trip to the park and ride.
"Reserving a seat on a Parks Canada shuttle guarantees the ability to see both iconic destinations in one day," the release said.
This year, visitors will book a seat within a one-hour window, rather than an exact departure time, allowing for greater flexibility, Parks Canada said.
Visitors who choose to drive their own vehicles up to Lake Louise will have to pay for parking under a new two-year pilot project.
Parking is a flat rate and will cost $11.70 per vehicle per day from mid-May to mid-October.
Roam Transit, which operates buses from the Banff townsite to Lake Louise and other destinations will stop at the Parks Canada park-and-ride lot outside Lake Louise starting this year.
"Limited parking and traffic congestion in the Lake Louise area requires active management to ensure the safety of visitors, staff, and residents," Parks Canada said in a release.