Can You Drive From Calgary to an Alaska Cruise?
Yes, and it is one of Canada's great drives. The catch is cost: by the time you add fuel, hotels on the road and a week of parking in Vancouver, two people usually pay more than they would to fly. The drive wins when the road trip is part of the holiday, or when four people share the car.
The route and how long it takes
The usual route is about 970 km: the Trans-Canada west through Banff, Lake Louise, Golden, Rogers Pass and Revelstoke to Kamloops, then the Coquihalla (Highway 5) to Hope and the Fraser Valley into Vancouver. Allow 10–11 hours of driving without long stops.
Driving straight through is possible, but it means arriving tired with no buffer. A two-day plan is safer:
- Day one: Calgary to Revelstoke or Kamloops. About 5 hours to Revelstoke or 7 to Kamloops, with stops at Lake Louise or Rogers Pass.
- Day two: on to Vancouver. Kamloops to Vancouver is around 4 hours over the Coquihalla. Check into a downtown hotel the night before sailing.
- Sailing day: drop bags, park, board. Porters take luggage at the Canada Place curb, then you park and walk in.
- Coming home: take a different route. Head through the Okanagan via Kelowna and Vernon to rejoin the Trans-Canada at Sicamous, and make the return its own mini holiday.
What it costs compared with flying
Per couple, for a 7-night sailing, at recent prices:
| Item | Driving | Flying |
|---|---|---|
| Getting there and back | Fuel, about C$260–300 | Two return flights, about C$300–700 |
| Hotels on the road | About C$300–500 (one night each way) | None |
| Hotel the night before sailing | About C$180–300 | About C$180–300 |
| Parking for the cruise | About C$175–280 | None |
| Airport to terminal | None | About C$25 by SkyTrain |
| Rough total | C$915–1,380 | C$505–1,025 |
With four people, the driving total barely changes while flights double, so a family can come out ahead by car. Skipping the road hotels by driving straight through also narrows the gap.
Two ways to cut the parking bill
Parking is the single biggest driving cost. Hotel "stay, park and cruise" packages bundle the night before with parking for your whole sailing, often for less than the terminal rate. Off-site lots with shuttles are the other route. Both are compared in Vancouver cruise ship parking, and hotel picks are in where to stay the night before.
Before you set off
- Check DriveBC the night before and the morning you leave. Rogers Pass and the Coquihalla close occasionally for crashes, rockfall or wildfire.
- Get a Parks Canada pass if you plan to stop in Banff, Yoho, Glacier or Mount Revelstoke national parks. Driving straight through without stopping doesn't need one.
- Book parking ahead for July and August sailings.
- Pack passports where you can reach them, not buried in the trunk, for US preclearance at the terminal.
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The strongest case for driving is not saving money but adding a road trip: two days through the Rockies, a week on the Inside Passage, then home through the Okanagan's orchards and wineries. If you would rather keep it simple, flying is covered in Calgary to the Vancouver cruise terminal, and the full trip budget is in the real cost of a Calgary to Alaska cruise.
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Get a quote or book online →Frequently asked questions
How much does cruise parking cost in Vancouver?
Parking at or near Canada Place runs roughly C$25–40 per day, so C$175–280 for a 7-night sailing at recent prices. Off-site lots and hotel stay-and-park packages can bring the effective cost down.
Is the drive from Calgary to Vancouver difficult?
It is a full day of mountain driving through Banff, Golden, Rogers Pass and Kamloops, then over the Coquihalla. It is straightforward in summer but serious in shoulder season, when the high passes can see snow, so most drivers split it over two days.
Do you need winter tires to drive to Vancouver in the fall?
From October 1, BC requires winter tires (or chains, for some vehicles) on most mountain highways, including the Trans-Canada through Rogers Pass and the Coquihalla. Tires marked M+S or with the mountain-snowflake symbol, with enough tread, qualify.
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