The Town of Banff (pop. 8,000) is only 90 minutes from Calgary International Airport and is easily accessible by rental car, the Banff Airporter, ROAM Transit or the Brewster Banff Airport Express.

 

Venue

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

Max Bell Building (link to floor plans)

Banff, Alberta, Canada

Medical Information and Accessibility

Maps & directions

Accommodation

Accommodations

Reserve your room now at the Banff Centre!

The Banff Centre is a large conference venue with multiple meeting rooms, dining facilities, bars, theatres, hotel rooms and other venues.  We have a large block of rooms reserved in two different buildings. We urge you to stay at the Banff Centre rather than in town. This way we will be able to enjoy each other’s company (!), gather after hours, eat breakfast together at the Center (we are arranging this, lunch will also be included) and if we book sufficient hotel rooms the venue will be free. Downtown Banff is a short walk when you want to get out and see the sites.

To get the lower on-site registration price for the conference, you must stay at the conference hotel at the Banff Centre. A $150 fee is added for each attendee choosing different accommodations, to cover the cost of wi-fi and other amenities provided by the venue. Registration costs do not include hotel.

Hotel rooms are available in Lloyd Hall and the Professional Development Centre.  You can check out the Centre Map to see where these are. The IPICS 2026 meeting will be in the Kinnear Center and the Max Bell Building.  

Getting There

Driving from Calgary Airport (YYC) 

If you choose to travel by private vehicle, you will find the route is well-signed and the trip from the Calgary International Airport to Banff takes approximately 90 minutes. 

  1. Depart airport and take Deerfoot Trail North Highway 2.  

  2. In four km, take the exit for Stoney Trail NW heading West. Signs indicate it heads towards Banff and Highway 1. 

  3. Drive approximately 23 km and take the exit for Trans-Canada Highway 1 West (Banff).

  4. Continue West approximately 90 km on the Trans-Canada Highway 1 to the Banff National Park gates.

  5. Once through the park gates, continue 12 km to the first exit to the town of Banff.

  6. Follow the road through town to Buffalo Street

  7. Turn left on Buffalo, drive up the hill to Banff Centre.
    - If you are driving to the Professional Development Centre (Hotel), turn left and follow the signs.
    - If you are driving to Lloyd Hall (Hotel), follow St. Juliens Road.

Map with directions

Shuttle + Bus

Banff Airporter

  • The easiest way to get to Banff Centre. We’re excited to partner with Banff Airporter, our preferred travel partner, to make your journey from the Calgary International Airport directly to the hotel as smooth as possible.

  • Exclusive Offer for Attendees:

    • Enjoy 15% off Banff Airporter's scheduled shuttle service, operating 11x daily between the airport and Banff Centre. 

    • Promo Code: IPICS2026

    • Valid for travel: October 8-19, 2026

    • How to Book:

      1. Visit Banff Airporter and click "Book Now".

      2. Enter your travel details.

      3. On the final payment page, enter IPICS2026 in the "Promo Code" field to apply the discount. 

    • To help choose the best departure time:

      • View the full shuttle schedule here.

      • Or use our shuttle time calculatorfor personalized recommendations here. 

    • To guarantee your seat, please book at least 2-3 weeks in advance.

Brewster Express

  • With over 125 years of outstanding service behind us, we're proud to provide the best travel experience, connecting Calgary to Banff, Canmore, Kananaskis, Lake Louise and Jasper. Sit back and relax in one of our brand new coaches—with luxury seating and, large viewing windows. Take advantage of your driver’s extensive knowledge and passion for the Rockies—our entire team is here to make your visit unforgettable.

    • Visit brewsterexpress.com to reserve

    • Offer – save 20% when you use the promo code IPICS2026

    • Not combinable with any other offers

    • Valid for travel from Oct 9-19, 2026

Banff On Demand

  • Private transfer between Banff and Calgary International Airport​​​

  • For rates and inquiries call 1-800-587-9958 | 403-762-3300

Car Rentals

Companies with Calgary Locations 

Companies with Banff Locations

Activities

  • Banff and Lake Louise Tourism  | banfflakelouise.com | 1-403-762-8421 | Email

  • Travel Alberta | travelalberta.ca | 1-800-252-3782 | Email

  • Banff Gondola: Timeless Rocky Mountain views. 100% reimagined summit experience, circa 2016. Discover sweeping scenes of six mountain ranges, the Bow Valley and the charming town of Banff from the Sulphur Mountain summit. Once you're at the top, begin your adventure by strolling the boardwalk to the Cosmic Ray Station and Sanson's Peak and learn about Canada's first national park. Then, head inside to explore our world-class mountaintop discovery centre. Fuel up on grab-and-go fare at Castle Mountain Coffee or enjoy an elegant meal at the award-winning Sky Bistro. Exceptional service and jaw-dropping vistas are hallmarks of all our summit dining experiences.

    • Book at banffgondola.com and save 20% when you use the promo code IPICS2026! Not combinable with any other offers. Valid for travel from Oct 9-19, 2026. Valid for General Admission Only.

  • Banff Centre is proud to offer over 400 events year-round including concerts, film screenings, readings, talks, dance, opera, theatre performances, art exhibitions and open studios. Shows vary from paid to free and are always open to the public. Check out what's happening this month by checking out the events calendar.  

  • A park pass is required by all people using Banff National Park. Park passes may be purchased at the Park entrance or at the Visitor Centre on Banff Avenue. pc.gc.ca | 1-888-773-8888 | information@pc.gc.ca