The public transport in Brisbane are made up of trains, buses and ferries. there are also taxis and private transfer services. However, for most residents, their own vehicle is the most important means of transport. The hub of local public transport is the CBD, which is where the essential hubs are located. These include Roma Street Station, the main train and bus station, and the Riverside ferry terminal. In addition, the city had a very large network of cycle and footpaths built, which is also easy to get around.
General information
Brisbane’s public transportation is managed by the Queensland Government and the individual boroughs that make up the entire metropolitan area. Most of the local transport in the city and the southeast of the state is handled by the government department called TransLink represents, organizes and coordinates. These include trains (Queensland Rail and Airtrain), buses (state organizations and private companies) and ferries. When using private companies, which occurs mainly in the outer city area, contractual agreements are made with the government. The private taxis are also controlled by the state in order to guarantee a uniform quality and price standard. With a uniform ticket system (see below) you can use all local transport. Furthermore, public transport operates on average from 5:00 a.m. to around midnight. However, there are also night trains and buses that operate Friday and Saturday nights from 00:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. In addition, certain ‘high-frequency services’ on the trams and on some of the trains and buses at least every 15 minutes. For personal information on site, a visit to the large Brisbane Visitor Information Center in Queen Street Mall (167 Queen Street) is recommended.
The zone system is the same for all public transport belonging to TransLink. It consists of a total of 8 zones that run in a ring around the city center and extend very far outside of Brisbane. The outer boundaries are Gympie in the north (Zone 8), Coolangatta in the south (Zone 7) and Helidon in the west (Zone 6).
To use local transport, you have the choice between the go card or a conventional paper ticket. The go card is a chip card that can be topped up with credit as required. Such rechargeable cards are now represented in all major cities. At the beginning and at the end of the journey, it is stopped at the corresponding sensor station, whereby the cheapest tariff is automatically calculated. They are available in different versions: normal, disability (reduced rates for people with disabilities), visitor & tourist (see below), business (business occasions) and student (schoolchildren and students). In addition, children under the age of 15, senior citizens and other groups of people, for example, are entitled to further discounts with the appropriate proof. You can top up and purchase the go card online, on the Australian domestic number 13 12 30 or in one of the many sales outlets(e.g. shops marked with a top-up symbol, which include 7-Eleven branches). It’s also automatically rechargeable when you connect it to your credit or debit card. Visitors and tourists also have the opportunity to purchase the go seeQ card (valid for the entire TransLink network in southeast Queensland) or the go explore card (day ticket for unlimited travel on public buses and trams on the Gold Coast and buses on the Sunshine Coast ) acquire.
Alternatively, conventional existing one-way ticket out of paper (Paper Single ticket). You have to buy this from a ticket machine before you set off. They are valid for 2 hours in the selected zones. However, if you drive in more than 4 zones, the traveler has an additional 90 minutes. Paper tickets are recommended if you only want to use Brisbane’s public transport in exceptional cases. They are available from the ticket machines at the large stations.
The faresare calculated based on the number of zones traveled, membership of certain groups of people (concession), travel time (off-peak or peak) and the payment method used (go card versus paper ticket). The advantage of using the go card is the reduced fare, which is reduced by at least 30% of the original tariff. In addition, another 20% will be deducted outside of peak hours (8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and after 7:00 p.m. on weekdays, the entire weekend and on public holidays). From the eighth journey within a period of 7 days (Monday to Sunday), half the price will be charged, which, by the way, is independent of the zones traveled. Children who have not yet reached the age of 5 can even use local transport for free. From the 5th up to and including the 14th
Overview of public transport
train
The following trains in Brisbane are owned by the state-owned Queensland Rail and also operate under the unified organization TransLink: Ferny Grove and Beenleigh Lines (red), Shorncliffe and Cleveland Lines (blue), Airport and Gold Coast Lines (yellow), Caboolture / Sunshine Coastand Ipswich / Rosewood Lines (green), Redcliffe Peninsula and Springfield Lines (blue) and Doomben Line (purple). They all pass through the central Roma Street Station. There are express trains, but they do not stop at every station. In addition, many bus routes have been coordinated with the train schedule. On weekends, so-called NightLink trains operate, which make a stop at all stops (Friday and Saturday nights 00:00 – 05:00). They include the Beenleigh, Caboolture and Ipswich Lines. It occupies a special position Airtrain one. It runs a very important route between Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast, the CBD and the airport during normal operating hours (5/6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.). It is a private institution, but it can also be used with the go card.
Bus
The network of particularly environmentally friendly buses is very similar to that of trains. In addition to the numerous bus routes to the various parts of the city and suburbs, there are special special services.
The two free bus routes and the ferry, which is also free of charge, are recommended for visitors to the metropolis. From them the most important sights of the city center are controlled. The Brisbane City Loop (free) with numbers 40 (clockwise) and 50 (counterclockwise) runs through the city center every 10 minutes on weekdays. He makes a stop at the red bus stop signs (e.g. Central Station, Queen Steet Mall, Queensland University of Technology, City Botanic Gardens, King George Square, City Hall, Riverside Center and Treasury Casino). The Spring Hill Loop(free of charge) with the number 30 can be intercepted at the yellow bus stop signs. He commutes back and forth between Brisbane City and the Spring Hill Precincts on weekdays. The third option is the CityHopper Ferry (see below).
Some of the buses in Brisbane are pre-paid services . You can recognize them by the letter ‘P’ which is displayed in front of the bus number. Most of them only run at rush hour. You can use them with conventional paper tickets, but these are not available on the bus itself. The Blue CityGlider and Maroon CityGlider are highly frequented pre-paid buses that are not marked with a ‘P’. They run every 5 minutes during rush hour and every 10 to 15 minutes outside of rush hour. In addition, the CityGliders are in use around the clock from Friday morning to Sunday evening. Night owls have around 20 different NightLink bus lines on Friday and Saturday nights from midnight to around 5 a.m.available, which can be recognized by the letter N. Other special buses go to certain major events .
Ferry
When it comes to public transport, ferries play an important role for both local residents and tourists. They stop at more than 20 berths every day at regular intervals. The high-speed ferry called CityCat covers the area along the Brisbane River between the headquarters of the University of Queensland in Saint Lucia (approx. 6 km southwest of the CBD) and the district of Hamilton (approx. 7 km northeast of the CBD). The free CityHopper Ferry pans along the Brisbane River between Sydney Street (New Farm) and North Quay. Stations served include South Bank 3, Maritime Museum, Riverside, Holman Street and Sydney Street. The Cross River Ferries operate in the city center between Riverside and Holman Street and between Tenerife and Bulimba.
Taxi
Taxis can be booked in advance, spontaneously hailed on the street, or taken from a taxi rank. The government regulates the fares, which is why the fees of all companies are very similar. They depend, among other things, on the region traveled, the time and the number of passengers. Fixed prices are charged if you pick up a taxi from a taxi stand, have to use a wheelchair or are a member of the Taxi Subsidy Scheme (TSS). You also have the option of negotiating a fair price with the driver before starting the journey. In addition, TransLink provides an increased security system (security staff, camera surveillance, etc.) at certain taxi stands in the nightlife on weekends. Two of the largest taxi companies are 13Cabs (formerly Yellow Cabs) (13 19 24) and Black & White Cabs (133 222). Both companies also offer maxi-taxis and more luxurious vehicles.
Bike & footpaths
In addition to Brisbane’s public transport, very good cycling and walking routes have been built over the years. Matching maps are available on the city’s government website . The approximately 25 km long Riverwalk Network for bicycles, inline skaters and pedestrians, for example, is very popular. This beautiful trail runs along the Brisbane River from the St Lucia district in the southwest to Newstead in the northeast of the CBD. Cycle2City offers members in the Metrople guarded parking spaces, showers, lockers and a repair service. The CityCycle bike rental system, based on the Parisian model, is suitable for people without their own bike. Bicycles are still allowed on the ferries, but restricted on the buses and trains. Foldable scooters and bicycles are allowed, provided they are in a bag that is no larger than 90cm x 70cm x 36cm.
