How to get from the Gold Coast to Brisbane

Getting to Brisbane is made easy thanks to its close proximity to airports and major highways.

From the Gold Coast to the heart of Brisbane City, you’ll find the journey will take approximately one hour 10 minutes and 78kms by car (or 48 miles for our overseas friends) but you may want to plan for longer in peak-hour traffic.

Once you’re there, you’ll find Brisbane’s public transport stretches to every corner of the city, making getting around by train, bus or ferry a breeze. 

How to get from the Gold Coast to Brisbane

Train

South-East Queensland’s public transport is serviced by the TransLink network and includes buses, trams, trains and ferry services.  

Purchase a Go Card from 7-Eleven stores, newsagents and various train stations and tap on at the station to start your journey. Just remember to tap off when you alight to avoid being charged a fixed-fare.

To get to Queensland’s capital city, hop on the Brisbane City line at Varsity Lakes, Robina, Nerang or Helensvale station. Popular stops along the route include South Brisbane to check out the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and iconic swimming attraction, Streets Beach. If luxury brands are calling your name, hop off at Fortitude Valley to shop your heart out on James Street.

Central and Fortitude Valley station is also where you need to be to catch a train up north. Jump on the Redcliffe Peninsula line for a day by the bay, or the Sunshine Coast line to explore sunny Maroochydore. 

Pro-tip: A helpful way of planning your journey is through the Translink Journey Planner.

Fare price: from $3.50 to $15.00. Please note that South East Queensland comprises of different travel zones. The more zones you travel through, the higher the fare. 

Car or Private Transfer

Take control of the wheel and drive your own way up to Brisbane. If you prefer someone else to do the driving, you can book a private transfer with Con-X-ion Private Transfers with fares starting from just $50.00.

Bus

There are a few different routes you can take from the Gold Coast to Brisbane. We’d recommend downloading the Translink trip planner on your mobile device and finding which route works best for you.

Fare price: from $3.50 to $15.00 depending on travel zones. 

Air train

Airtrain services travel between Brisbane Airport to the Gold Coast every 15 minutes during the peak (and 30 minutes during the off-peak), making Airtrain the frequent and easy airport transfer.

Fare: From $35.00 one way

Greyhound

Whether you’re a backpacker or traveller looking for an easy way to get around, the Greyhound is just $17 and is a comfortable option for those already travelling around the East-Coast.

Fare price: from $17.00

Ferry

Brisbane is known as the River City after all, so what’s better than taking in the sights of the city than cruising around the bends of the Brisbane River?

Catch the CityCat or KittyCat ferry from landing points around Brisbane, seven days a week. City Cat travels between St Lucia in the south and Hamilton in the north. The Cityhopper travels between inner-city destinations including South Bank, Kangaroo Point and New Farm.

Pro-tip: Get to know the Queensland capital by ferry and hop on the free City Hopper at night (when the city’s all lit up!)

Things to do in Brisbane

Embrace Brisbane’s outdoor lifestyle and explore new and wonderful places. Dine at acclaimed new restaurants, meander around the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), shop your heart out at Queen Street Mall, climb the iconic Story Bridge or plan an island escape to the glistening beaches of Mulgumpin (Moreton Island).

Choose from a range of tours and day trips so you can sit back and let the local experts show you the sights, or choose your own adventure. 

Dining

As the leader of Queensland’s culinary scene, Brisbane is home to a thriving food and drink culture, with some of the country’s best restaurants, cafes and bars on offer. Fancy a restaurant as eye-catching as it is delicious? Otto in South Bank calls your name. Crave variety? Eat Street Northshore, a shipping container precinct with over 70 food-vendors has a treat to tickle your tastebuds. Want to tick off a Brisbane icon? Head to Howard Smith Wharves where the view of the Brisbane River and Story Bridge is worth the visit alone.

The hardest part of dining in Brisbane is where to start, so head to our best riverside dining and best cocktail bars guide to help you on your way.

Nature and Wildlife

No trip to Brisbane is complete without a visit to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary – the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary home to over 100 koalas and 70 species of Australian native animals. With a daily schedule full of presentations, photo opportunities, education talks and free-range kangaroo feeding, there’s something for guests of all ages.

One of the first things you’ll notice when visiting Queensland for the first time is the diversity of plant life thanks to the state’s sub-tropical climate. If a day out in the garden is your walk in the park, drop into Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mount Coot-tha. More than just a showcase of beautiful flora, the gardens are a must-visit for families, with a range of attractions to ogle like the Japanese Garden, Tropical Dome and Children’s Playground.

Heading out towards the hinterland?  Strap up your boots, pack your day bag and venture off for a hike that’s sure to bring you a higher appreciation of nature. Here are the best day hikes from Brisbane.

Arts & Culture

You'll find incredible arts and culture events all year round in Brisbane. Catch a world-renowned theatre performance at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) in South Bank or wander through inspiring art exhibitions at QAGOMA. If it’s a heart-thumping live music performance you’re after, Fortitude Valley is where you’ll find it. You can also chuckle at a variety of comedy shows at Brisbane Powerhouse, browse the many weekend markets, discover a different world at the Queensland Museum or schedule in some time to embark on an eye-opening Indigenous tour.  

Adventure

Queensland’s capital of culture and entertainment has another title to add to its repertoire: the capital of adventure. Here you can abseil down the Kangaroo Point Cliffs, kayak the river with Riverlife Adventure Centre, or head north of Brisbane to Redcliffe where you can skydive over Moreton Bay and Bribie Island.

Aching for an Island adventure? Catch the ferry over to Tangalooma Island Resort on Mulgumpin (Moreton Island) for a weekend of snorkelling through sunken shipwrecks, sandboarding down massive sand dunes, finding your sense of discovery on a guided tour or just soaking in the natural wonder of the island.

Here are 11 adventure experiences in Brisbane that will leave your heart racing.