How to Get Around Brisbane: Go Card & Public Transport

Brisbane's transport network has been significantly upgraded over the past decade and is currently undergoing its most ambitious expansion in history with the Cross River Rail project (a $7.1 billion underground rail line connecting Dutton Park in the south to Bowen Hills in the north via four new underground CBD stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street, and Roma Street). The Go card (Queensland's equivalent of the Opal card, tap-on tap-off for all public transport including trains, buses, ferries, and the new Airtrain from Brisbane Airport to the CBD) provides automated fare capping and is the primary payment method for Brisbane public transport. Brisbane's urban ferry network (the CityCat and CityFerry services on the Brisbane River) is one of Australia's finest, providing fast and scenic river transport connecting the University of Queensland at St Lucia to the Brisbane CBD and beyond.

CityCat and CityFerry River Transport — the CityCat (the high-speed catamaran ferry service on the Brisbane River) is Brisbane's most distinctive and enjoyable public transport service, connecting UQ St Lucia, the Toowong and West End riverside suburbs, the South Bank and South Brisbane cultural precinct, the CBD (at Eagle Street Pier and Edward Street), the Teneriffe and Hamilton riverside industrial precinct, and the Bulimba and Hawthorne riverside suburbs in a single upstream-downstream route. The CityCat trip from UQ to the CBD (approximately 20 minutes) provides an extraordinary view of Brisbane's riverside landscape and is one of the most pleasant commutes in Australia. The Go card applies to all CityCat and CityFerry services.

Cross River Rail and the New CBD Stations — the Cross River Rail (due to open from 2025-2027 as works progress) will add four new underground stations to the Brisbane CBD (Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street, and Roma Street), dramatically increasing the rail network's CBD capacity and reducing peak-hour crowding on the existing Merivale Bridge crossing. The Woolloongabba station (adjacent to the Gabba stadium) will be particularly significant for the 2032 Olympics, providing a direct rail connection from the CBD to the main Olympic stadium.

Go Card and Fares — the Go card (available from Queensland Rail stations, convenience stores, and online) provides tap-on tap-off transactions with daily and weekly fare caps that make multi-trip days more affordable than single-trip pricing. The Go Explore weekend fare (a flat rate covering unlimited weekend and public holiday travel) provides outstanding value for weekend exploration of the Brisbane metropolitan area.

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