Brisbane Transport

Brisbane City is serviced by a large network of integrated transport alternatives. Travellers are always within walking distance of river transport, buses, trains and taxis. If you’re only in town for a short time and you want to see as much as possible during your stay, then the hop on, hop off tourist buses are by far your best option.

By train

Brisbane’s suburban rail network is fast, safe, quiet and clean. All trains depart from Central Station, between Turbot and Ann Streets at Edward Street. The Citytrain network extends from the centre of Brisbane: south to Beenleigh and Robina on the Gold Coast; north to Ferny Grove, Shorncliffe, Caboolture and Gympie; east to Cleveland; and west to Ipswich and Rosewood. Phone: +61 7 3606 5555; website: www.qr.com.au/.

By bus

The Loop is a free bus service that runs through Brisbane’s Central Business District. It has many major stops including Central Station, Botanic Gardens, Queen Street Mall, Riverside Centre and King George Square. Tickets for all other bus services are available from bus and ferry operators, newsagents and City Council customer service centres. Phone: +61 7 3215 5000; website: www.translink.com.au/qt/TransLin.nsf/index/busservices.

By ferry

The fast CityCat ferries go to many attractions including South Bank and the Queensland Cultural Centre. They run every half-hour between Queensland University to the south and Brett’s Wharf to the north. The slower but more frequent CityFerry service stops at a few more points. Ferries operate from about 06:00 to 22:30 daily. Travelling the entire CityCat line takes around 2 hours. Phone: +61 7 3403 8888; website: www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/:STANDARD::pc=PC_1231.

Taxis

Taxis in Brisbane are an economic choice for shorter trips, and taxicabs can be either hailed on the road or at central taxi ranks at the Transit Centre and at the top end of Edward Street. Some local firms in Brisbane include Yellow Cabs and Black and White Cabs.

Tourist services

The City High Lights Bus Tour, operated by the Brisbane City Council, is a guided bus tour of Brisbane. Offering knowledgeable and informal commentary, the bus tour stops at around 20 major locations en route. The bus tours are also a very convenient way to travel around Brisbane, as the tickets are valid all day, allowing you to hop off and rejoin the bus tour later. All-day access to the CityCat ferries and other Brisbane City Council buses is available using the same ticket.

From the airport

The airport offers door-to-door bus services to Brisbane City, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast. Coachtrans runs services between Brisbane International Airport and Brisbane Transit Centre and to all CBD hotels. A train operates from the airport to Brisbane City. The trip takes 22 minutes. Trains depart frequently from both the domestic and international terminals. A porter service is available and the Airtrain booths can be found in the domestic terminal. Meanwhile, taxis are available from the Domestic Terminal and the International Terminal.