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Getting to the Gabba by Public Transport
Busway to the door now, an underground train station soon, and no car park to escape.
18 June 2026 · 5 min read
The easy version: the Gabba sits right on the South East Busway, so a bus on the busway drops you metres from the gate while the surrounding traffic crawls. Woolloongabba and Mater Hill busway stations are both a short walk away, and from 2026 a brand new underground train station, built as part of Cross River Rail directly beneath the precinct, will put you almost inside the ground.
Here is everything in detail: the busway stations, the trains, event buses, parking, and how to get home after. When you are ready, the trip planner picks the fastest way in from wherever you start.
The fastest way in: the busway
The South East Busway is a bus-only road with its own stations, and two of them, Woolloongabba and Mater Hill, sit right beside the Gabba. Because nothing else uses the busway, a service on it sails past the game-day traffic and drops you a few minutes walk from the gate. The PA Hospital station is a little further south if your route runs that way.
If the busway is new to you, our busways explainer covers how it all works. The short version: tap on, ride the fast road, tap off, fifty cents.
The new underground train station
Cross River Rail is building a new underground station at Woolloongabba, directly beneath the precinct beside the Gabba, with a connection to the Woolloongabba busway station. It is due to open in 2026 and will be just minutes by train from the city, which will make the Gabba one of the best-connected venues in Brisbane.
Until then, the nearest trains are South Brisbane and Park Road, both about a ten to fifteen minute walk, and Buranda, which links rail and busway a short ride south.
Event buses and free travel
On big match and concert nights extra event buses run to and from the ground, and for most major events your ticket includes free public transport on the day across the train and bus network. Check your event details, but it is the norm for the marquee fixtures, so the train or busway is usually free as well as fast.
Parking, and why to skip it
Woolloongabba is a tight inner-city junction with limited parking, event-day clearways and restricted streets, and a serious squeeze getting out once fifty thousand people leave at once. The busway has none of that.
For a full house, leaving the car at home is faster door to door and a lot less stressful. The busway runs frequently right up to and after the event, so you are rarely waiting long.
Getting home after
When it is over, walk straight to the Woolloongabba or Mater Hill busway, where services run frequently after events, rather than waiting around. For the late ones, our last service home from the Gabba page shows the nearest stops and live last departures, and the last train home guide has the city-wide after-dark picture.
Ready to go?
Plan your trip to the Gabba
Live times and the fastest way in from wherever you are starting, with the right station and service picked for you.
Plan your trip to the Gabba →Common questions
What is the closest station to the Gabba?
Woolloongabba and Mater Hill busway stations on the South East Busway are right beside it. A new underground Cross River Rail train station at Woolloongabba is due to open in 2026.
Is there a train to the Gabba?
Not yet at the door. The nearest are South Brisbane and Park Road, both a ten to fifteen minute walk, and Buranda. The new underground Woolloongabba station, due in 2026, will change that.
Is public transport free with a Gabba ticket?
For most major events, yes, on the day across the train and bus network. It is worth checking your specific event, but it is the norm for the big fixtures.
How do I get to the Gabba from the city?
Quickest is a South East Busway service to Woolloongabba or Mater Hill, a few minutes from the CBD busway stations, then a short walk to the ground.
Should I drive to the Gabba?
Best not. Parking is limited, the streets have event-day clearways, and the exit is slow. The busway is faster and cheaper.