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Getting Around Brisbane Without a Car
Trains, buses, ferries and the occasional river breeze.
2 February 2026 · 6 min read
Brisbane is one of the easier Australian cities to get around without a car — partly because the river forces everything into neat corridors, and partly because the CityCat is genuinely a nice way to commute. If you're new in town, car-free by choice, or just tired of paying for parking in the CBD, here's how the network actually fits together.
The short version: trains do the long hauls, buses fill in everywhere else, and ferries handle the river. Our route planner stitches all three together for any trip, but it helps to know what each one is good at.
Trains: the backbone
Brisbane's Queensland Rail network fans out from the city in every direction — Ferny Grove, Cleveland, Shorncliffe, Caboolture and the Redcliffe Peninsula, Ipswich and Rosewood, Springfield, plus the Gold Coast line down to Varsity Lakes. If your trip is more than a few suburbs long, a train is almost always the fastest leg.
Stations are covered, the platforms have live departure screens, and you can check the same times before you leave with our live departures tool. Trains also win on rainy days, which in Brisbane is not a small consideration.
Buses: everywhere the train isn't
Where the rail lines don't reach, the buses do. Brisbane's busways — the South East Busway and Northern Busway — are the clever bit: dedicated roads with proper stations at Cultural Centre, King George Square, Mater Hill, Buranda and beyond, so buses skip the traffic the rest of us sit in.
Regular roadside stops are more exposed (a running theme in this city), but the coverage is excellent. A bus is often the right call for cross-suburb hops that would otherwise mean backtracking into the city by train.
Ferries and CityCats: the scenic cheat code
The CityCat is the one piece of Brisbane transport people actually look forward to. It runs the length of the river — UQ St Lucia, South Bank, Riverside, Howard Smith Wharves, Hamilton — and the cross-river CityHopper is free. Terminals are covered, the ride is smooth, and you get the skyline for the price of a normal fare.
It's not always the fastest option, but for a trip along the river it's hard to beat. Let the route planner compare it against the train so you can decide whether to optimise for speed or for views.
Paying: go card or just tap
You can tap on with a go card or, on most services, a contactless bank card or phone. Either way the fare is the same, and as of writing Translink's flat 50¢ fare makes the maths refreshingly simple — more on that in our guide to Brisbane's 50¢ fares.
Always tap off as well as on. It's the one habit that trips up newcomers, and it's the difference between a 50¢ trip and a default fare.
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Plan your trip →Common questions
Do I need a go card to use Brisbane public transport?
Not necessarily. You can use a go card, or tap on and off with a contactless debit/credit card or a phone on most trains, buses and ferries. The fare is the same either way — just remember to tap off at the end.
Is the CityCat included in a normal fare?
Yes. CityCat and ferry trips use the same TransLink fare system as trains and buses. The cross-river CityHopper service is free.
What's the fastest way across Brisbane without a car?
For longer trips, a train is usually fastest because it avoids road traffic. For areas off the rail network, busway services are quick because they run on dedicated roads. GoThere's route planner compares all options for your specific trip.