The Banff Gondola

By alantvuong on October 25, 2022

Last weekend a friend and I went on a day trip to Banff so we could ride the gondola and get a late lunch or early dinner. I recently traveled to Banff using the $10 accessible bus just over a month ago to hang out downtown and wanted to come back to actually ride the Banff Gondola this time. This trip was more spontaneous so we did not have time to request an accessible bus and will just go in my friends car for the drive.

Getting There

Since we were taking my friends car, we decided he was going to pick me up after 10.30 AM. The drive from my place to Banff was just over 90 minutes and we were going to aim to be at the gondola for 1 PM. With taking a scenic route to see the beautiful mountains and all the green landscapes and taking a quick coffee break, we managed to finally make it to the Banff Gondola Base. There were a bunch of cars heading the same way too, but it didn’t take to long to the parking lot and we were there slightly after 1 PM.

road trip to Banff

About Banff Gondola

There were 2 big parking lots attached to the Banff Gondola Base and we were being pointed to drive into the first and closer parking lot. There were 3 big disabled parking spots right next to the building entrance. Depending on season and says, the gondola can open anywhere from 8 AM to 10 AM and close from 8 PM to 10 PM. Last ride up is 90 minutes before closure, as it is best to check the website before going.

3 disabled parking spots right beside the Banff Gondola Base

Ticket pricing for the gondola varies and depends on the season and day going. It costs more during the summer than the winter and is cheaper on a weekday than a weekend. So adult ticket prices ranges from $40 to $70. There are also combo pricing that includes lunch or dinner at the busy but expensive Sky Bistro Restaurant. Advance online tickets are highly recommended as time slots can sell out during busy times and to reduce time buying tickets at the front desk.

side ramp to get into the building

Getting In

Getting in the Banff gondola was an easy process for us, as a staff member temporarily pauses the gondola from moving and brought out a portable ramp. Then they even wheeled me in and flipped one side of the seats up so my wheelchair could have enough room inside the gondola. Each of the 40 gondolas is capable of having a wheelchair guest.

a portable ramp was brought out so I could get in/out of the gondola

My friend had enough room to sit as we started our 8 minute ride to the top. The weather that day was nice so we got a great view of Sulphur Mountain and the sweeping views of the surrounding peaks and all the green trees. The ride was never bumpy, shaky, or scary at all and was very comfortable.

safe and smooth ride in the gondola

view outside the gondola

At The Gondola Summit

at the top

Once we made it to the top to the summit, we can tell it was noticeably colder as we were high up in altitude and can feel the windy air. There is a sign that says it was 10 Celsius cooler. We took a bunch of pictures at every angle we could and the views were definitely amazing. The Sulphur Mountain Boardwalk to Sanson’s Peak was not wheelchair accessible as there were so many stairs, but my friend did go on it for a bit to take pictures of it for me.

too many stairs to get to the boardwalk

gift shop

The Gondola Summit is 4 floors with 1 elevator and also includes a gift shop, theater, Sky Bistro & Northern Lights restaurants and more. We really enjoyed the Observation deck which gave us a 360 degree view of the town of Banff. We even got a great pic of the Banff mirror bear. Above Banff Interpretive Centre has interactive displays, exhibits and mobile games for kids to play and learn about Banff and the mountain.

Banff mirror bear at the observation deck

Leaving

checked out Above Banff Interpretive Centre before leaving

Since I couldn’t get on the boardwalk, we visited all of the summit in just over an hour and were ready to leave. Tickets were scanned to get back on the gondola to go back to the base. We had to wait in line which didn’t take too long overall.

lining up to get tickets scanned to ride gondola down

My friend transferred me back into his car and drove us back to Banff downtown. It was a bit busy leaving the Banff Gondola area as it took us a bit longer than the normally 10 minute drive. We went to eat at Three Bears Pub and bought some delicious chocolates from Mountain Chocolates to take with us before heading back home.

Three Bears Pub

Final Thoughts

fun day on the Banff Gondola

The Banff Gondola should be on your list of things to do when visiting the town of Banff. It was easy to get on and I still had a blast despite not being able to go on the boardwalk due to many stairs. Tickets can be a bit pricy, but if you go on a weekday during the slow season you can save some money.