Driving from Vancouver to Banff-how long it usually takes?

I am living in Vancouver currently, but recently one of my friends has moved to Banff. It seems to me that it is rather far, so it will probably be a long drive. I am not sure how exactly it will last, and I would like to be prepared for it. So, if anyone has any suggestion it would be very helpful.

First, you should know that Vancouver is pretty far from Banff. There is about 800 km of distance between the two. Considering the possibility of traffic jams, and that you need to drive somewhat more slowly in the mountain roads, you should be prepared for at least 9 hours of driving, or even more, depending on the weather and other factors. The town is near Calgary, around an hour to the west of it. As you see, you need to be prepared for a long drive, so take all that is necessary, and it would be probably best if you stopped somewhere in halfway to refresh a bit.