Visiting Moraine Lake is an absolute must while in Banff National Park! It’s one of my favourite lakes to visit in Banff and definitely worth the trip. Since 2023, personal vehicles are no longer allowed on Moraine Lake Road, therefore visitors must visit using a shuttle, public transit, or while on a tour. One company that offers shuttles to Moraine Lake is Via Via Moraine Lake, and I recently had the opportunity to try them out! I wanted to write a review for Via Via Moraine Lake Shuttle Company to help you decide if this is the best option for your trip to Moraine Lake!
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About The Via Via Moraine Lake Shuttle Company
Via Via Moraine is a locally-owned business with the goal of being part of the solution to help reduce the traffic, congestion, and parking issues that Banff and Lake Louise have been facing as tourism increases in the area.
Nathan and Jenna are the owners of the shuttle company, and are super kind people to interact with!
They are the only shuttle company that has pick-up points in Banff and Canmore throughout the day. Most shuttles to Moraine Lake pick-up and drop-off only at Lake Louise Village or Ski Resort, 45 minutes from Downtown Banff!
Via Via’s shuttles are comfortable and can hold up to 14 passengers per shuttle. Small pets are allowed onboard in a carrying-case that fits on your lap, and all sizes of service animals are allowed on board! There is a small amount of space in the back of the shuttle for climbing gear or strollers, but I would give them a heads-up in advance to ensure it can be accommodated!
Children over 2 years old are allowed on board at a discounted rate (children under 2 are not allowed because of insurance and government policies!).
For visitors with mobility issues, drivers can help you board the bus, however there is no wheelchair lift available on the shuttles.
Moraine Lake Road is only open from late May/early June to mid-October, depending on snow and conditions. Because of this, shuttles only operate when the Moraine Lake Road is open! Keep an eye on opening and closing dates each season to make sure you can visit during your trip!
Types of Shuttles Via Via Offers to Moraine Lake
There are a variety of options that you can book with this company in particular, which allows you to tailor your trip to what you want!
The types of shuttles you can book with them include:
- 2 Lakes Combo Tour (Moraine Lake and Lake Louise Combo)
- Sunrise and Golden Hour Tour (Moraine Lake and Lake Louise)
- Moraine Lake Sunrise Shuttle
- Moraine Lake Day Shuttle
- Lake Louise Day Shuttle
- Big 3 Lakes Tour (Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Emerald Lake, and Takakkaw Falls)
- Private Shuttle Tour
They also offer photography session add-ons, including surprise proposals, elopements, and couple/family/friends portrait sessions.
2 Lakes Combo Tour (Lake Louise and Moraine Lake)
If you are hoping to visit Lake Louise and Moraine Lake in the same day, this shuttle is probably one of the best choice for you:
- Visit Moraine Lake first for up to 2 hours
- Explore Lake Louise next for up to 2 hours
Via Via offers different options for pick-up and drop-off times so that you can tailor your shuttle to what you want.
In this tour they also include trail snacks, water refills (bring your own bottle), and access to phone chargers. Make sure to still bring enough food for yourself though too!
Moraine Lake at Sunrise and Lake Louise at Golden Hour
This shuttle option will get you to Moraine Lake for sunrise! This means it’s an early pick-up time and you will arrive at Moraine Lake in the dark, so that you can watch the sun come up at the lake!
After Moraine, you’ll head to Lake Louise which is close by. This shuttle will get you to Lake Louise for the morning golden hour.
If you wanted extra time at Lake Louise (if you were hoping to hike!), you can choose to be picked up later in the day, at an additional cost.
In this option you also have access to locally roasted coffee, hot chocolate or tea, headlamps, phone chargers, and blankets since it can be chilly before the sun rises!
Moraine Lake Sunrise Shuttle
The Sunrise Shuttle is the option we chose when riding Via Via Moraine! I had previously only visited Moraine Lake during the mid-day and in the evening, so I thought visiting for sunrise would be a fun new experience to try out!
This shuttle is an early pick-up time. The sun rises early in the mountains during the summer, and so in order to watch the sunrise, you need to arrive before the sun comes up (so in the dark!). The pick-up time will vary throughout the season, because the time of sunrise changes! When you are booking the Sunrise Shuttle, the option that is available for that day will get you there before sunrise, so you can watch the sunrise!
The Sunrise Shuttle offers more pick-up options in Banff and Canmore since it’s so early in the morning, and provides you about 3 hours at Moraine Lake itself. This is enough time to enjoy the sunrise, and explore a little bit of Moraine Lake, like the Lakeshore Trail!
If you want to spend more time exploring the lake or. hiking, you can book a later return time as well for an additional cost. Booking the later pick-up time will give you enough time to do a longer hike if you are interested.
Most people take the Rockpile Trail to watch the sunrise, which is a super easy hike at Moraine Lake. Since you’ll arrive in the dark, if you are unfamiliar with the area I would recommend walking with your driver, as they will show you where to go to get there! Your driver will also tell you a little bit of information about the sunrise and where to look. In late August when we went, the sunrise actually started on Mount Temple, instead of the famous mountain peaks that are in every photo of Moraine Lake!
Included in the Sunrise Shuttle with Via Via was blankets and warm drinks (coffee, tea, or hot chocolate), which was super appreciated because it was quite chilly in the super early morning!!
Moraine Lake Day Shuttle
This is the perfect shuttle choice if you are hoping to visit Moraine Lake and spend a nice chunk of time exploring the area with either a small hike or renting a canoe, and you don’t want to wake up for sunrise.
The shuttle picks up from Canmore, Harvie Heights, Banff, and Lake Louise at 3 different morning departure times (exact timing depending on your pick-up location). This tour naturally comes with 3.5-4 hours to explore. There is also the option for a later pick-up time if you would like more time to explore! For a later pick-up, there is an additional cost.
This is the best shuttle to choose if you don’t want to wake up super early for sunrise, and you are only interested in visiting Moraine Lake (and not Lake Louise too). 4 hours is enough time to explore the lakeshore, rent a canoe, or do a small hike like Consolation Lakes (depending on your skill level). If you are hoping to complete a longer hike or you’re unsure of your hiking capabilities, or you just want as much time as possible in the area, then choosing the later pick-up option is a good choice.
Lake Louise Day Shuttle
Via Via also offers a shuttle that will only take you to Lake Louise, and not to Moraine Lake. This is a great option if you are not interested in visiting Moraine Lake, and instead would like to spend more time at Lake Louise!
This shuttle will allow you to have around 5 hours at Lake Louise, which will give you time to do a smaller hike in the area, like the Lake Agnes Teahouse Hike. You can also combine the hike to Lake Agnes with the Little or Big Beehive hike, depending on your skill level. You’ll just want to make sure you don’t miss your return shuttle!
If 5 hours isn’t enough time, there is the option for a late pick-up when booking!
Keep in mind in 2026 you are not able to get to Moraine Lake with your vehicle, but you are still able to park at Lake Louise with your vehicle. There is paid parking in effect during the summer (until 7pm each day) and the lot fills up very fast. A shuttle will guarantee a stress-free visit to Lake Louise, but if you want to visit Moraine Lake as well, I would recommend choosing one of Via Via’s other options that also includes a stop at Moraine Lake!
Big 3 Lakes Tour (Moraine Lake, Lake Louise, Emerald Lake)
This tour option will bring you to 3 of the Canadian Rockies most popular lakes: Emerald Lake, Lake Louise, and Moraine Lake! It also includes a stop at Takakkaw Falls, which is the second tallest waterfall in Canada.
They also provide trail snacks, water bottle refills (bring your own bottle) and locally roasted coffee, hot chocolate, or tea. Make sure to pack enough food/snacks since this is a longer tour though!
At Emerald Lake, there is also the option to purchase a lunch package at the Emerald Lake Lodge.
Private Shuttle
Via Via offers their shuttles to be privately booked and tailored specifically to what your group is looking for. Pricing starts at $1299 CAD and requires you to contact them in advance!
What We Loved About Taking the Via Via Shuttle
We took this particular shuttle in August 2024 for sunrise and there were so many things we loved about it! This post has been updated though to reflect their 2026 shuttle options 🙂 .
- They provided complimentary blankets and warm drinks (which was especially nice at sunrise)!!
- They offer multiple pick-up locations
- Via Via Moraine has pick-up locations in Canmore, Harvie Heights, Lake Louise, and Banff!
- Most other shuttle companies to Moraine Lake only pick-up from the Lake Louise Summer Gondola parking lot, about 40 minutes from Downtown Banff. This spot is only accessible by car, so if you are travelling the Canadian Rockies without a car and hoping to visit Moraine Lake or Lake Louise, being picked up by Via Via Moraine is a great choice for you!
- We were camping and parked for free at the Banff Train Station in Downtown Banff, and were picked up from there for the sunrise shuttle!
- It was a super smooth and stress-free ride, and our driver, Alex, was so friendly!
- We arrived for sunrise with enough time to find a spot on the Rockpile Trail and not feel rushed. We also had a good amount of time to enjoy the lake once the sun had come up and take photos and take it all in before needing to go back.
- Our driver gave us a brief overview of what to expect for sunrise for the time of year we were there for, and he led us to the Rockpile Trail and showed us where to go. If you’ve been to Moraine Lake before and know where to go, you can leave without your driver! But since it was dark and a few people on the shuttle had never been before, it is really useful having someone show you where the trail is and where to go in the dark!
Cons of the Via Via Shuttle to Moraine Lake
Honestly, I have no bad things to say about Via Via Moraine Lake’s shuttles!
This company offers a ton of different options for you to customize your shuttle to fit what you want to do at each lake, and I love that they offer pick-up locations in Banff and Canmore.
They’ve worked to increase the quality of their shuttles and accessibility, especially by adding in pick-up locations in Harvie Heights and Lake Louise. Access to phone chargers and trail snacks is also a great addition they’ve added to some of their shuttles!
What We Love About the Company Itself
There are some things that I loved about the Via Via Moraine Shuttle company in general!
- By booking through them you are supporting local! The owners are local to the Bow Valley
- Incredibly kind owners – we forgot our phone in the shuttle after we had left, and the owners were so kind in helping us to get it back!
- Helps reduce congestion to and from Moraine Lake. If you’ve been to Moraine Lake when you could drive there, the consistent line of cars in and out can be super disruptive to the animals in the area and also as a visitor in general! By not allowing personal vehicles, getting to and from Moraine Lake is soo much smoother and the time it takes to drive in is way less stressful, because now you don’t have to worry about it since you’re on a shuttle!
Would I Book With Them Again? + Summary
I would definitely book with them again! I have no complaints about our experience with Via Via Moraine and it was a great option for getting to Moraine Lake and super stress-free!
I love that there are pick-up points in Banff and Canmore, that it is a locally owned company, and a stress-free way to get to Moraine Lake. There are a variety of types of shuttles that they offer and I highly recommend booking with them for your trip!
Check out Via Via Moraine at their website!
Thank you Via Via Moraine Lake for inviting me on your shuttle. All opinions are my own!
Plan Your Canadian Rockies Trip
🚐 Book Moraine Lake Shuttle Tickets in Advance! Booking with a private, local company is the most stress-free way to book. I have loved using Moraine Lake Bus Company
🌲 Popular experiences in Banff are the Banff Gondola and Sunshine Meadows Gondola/hike
🏔️ Popular experiences in Jasper are the Maligne Lake Boat Cruise, Jasper SkyTram, and Columbia Icefields Tour
🚗 Needing to rent a car? Check out rates with Discover Cars
🏨 Search for your hotel with Booking.com
Other Posts on Moraine Lake and Lake Louise
- Moraine Lake Tips for Visiting
- Biking to Moraine Lake in Banff
- Lake Louise 1-Day Itinerary
- Hiking to the Lake Agnes Teahouse, Big Beehive, and Little Beehive
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Hey! I’m Kat. Based in Alberta, Canada and just 4 hours from the Canadian Rocky Mountains, I love to travel to Banff and Jasper frequently and also explore new places around the world. Follow along for my tips based on my real adventures!
