New Saturday tour gets Edmontonians to the Athabasca Glacier and Jasper townsite and back in one day - no car, no planning, no hassle
EDMONTON, AB - July 2026 - Go Coach Charters is adding a new weekly run starting July 11: Edmonton to the Columbia Icefield and Jasper, and back, all in one day. No car rental, no route planning, no five-hour drive each way. The Sherwood Park company will pick up every Saturday from South Gate in Edmonton, with tickets starting at $189 per person.
If you've driven the Icefields Parkway yourself, you already know, it's gorgeous, but it's a haul. Six hours round trip, give or take, and that's not even counting the time you'll actually spend at the glacier.
"Honestly, nobody wants to rent a car and drive five hours each way just to see a glacier," said a spokesperson for the company. "People want to show up, see the Skywalk, grab lunch in Jasper, and go home tired but happy, not stressed out from driving. So that's what we built."
What the Day Actually Looks Like
It starts early - 5:30 AM sharp, pickup at South Gate. Around the two-hour mark, there's a stop in Rocky Mountain House, enough time to grab a coffee and stretch your legs before the drive properly starts. From there it's the Icefields Parkway itself, all 232 kilometres of it, which more than a few travel writers have called one of the best drives in the world. It's hard to argue once you're actually on it.
The group pulls into the Columbia Icefield mid-morning and gets about four hours there. That's plenty of time to walk out onto the Glacier Skywalk, the glass platform that hangs right over the canyon, and if anyone wants to go further, there's a Snowcoach ride out onto the Athabasca Glacier itself that 's extra, not part of the ticket price.
From there, it's on to Jasper for about ninety minutes. There's time for lunch, a wander through town, maybe a second coffee. Keep an eye out for elk too. They show up in Jasper more often than people expect. Then it's back on the bus, and back into Edmonton around 9:00 PM. Long day, but a full one.
The Ride Itself
Passengers ride in Go Coach Charters' Prevost coaches, the same ones the company uses for its other charter work. Reclining seats, climate control, free WiFi, and yes, a washroom on board. It's a long trip, and nobody wants to go fifteen hours without one. Payment's flexible too: credit card, e-Transfer, or cash all work.
The tour goes every Saturday from July 11, 2026 onward, and given how popular the summer route is expected to be, seats probably won't stay open long. Bookings are already live at Edmonton to Columbia Icefield Day Tour, or you can just call the company directly.
About Go Coach Charters
Go Coach Charters is a Sherwood Park-based charter bus company serving Edmonton, Calgary, St. Albert, Fort Saskatchewan, Lloydminster, and the surrounding area. Alongside this new day tour, the company handles charter transportation for corporate groups, sports teams, and seniors' tours across Alberta.
Media Contact: Go Coach Charters 2016 Sherwood Dr, Sherwood Park, AB T8A 3X3, Canada Phone: +1 780-238-3866 Email: [email protected] Website: gocoach.ca