Canmore is 80 kilometres west of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1), about an hour's drive in normal traffic. The highway runs directly through the Bow Valley and the scenery improves steadily as you climb toward the mountains.
There is no direct train service to Canmore, but Banff Airporter and other shuttle operators run regular services from Calgary International Airport to both Canmore and Banff. The Roam Transit bus connects Canmore to Banff year-round, making it possible to visit both towns without a car.