Things to do in Brisbane without a car
Trains, buses & ferries to the lot · every trip a flat 50c
Brisbane might be the easiest city in Australia to enjoy without a car: the river is a transport system, every train, bus and ferry trip is a flat 50 cents, and a surprising number of the best attractions are completely free. Here are the city's essential days out with the exact way to reach each one, drawn from our interactive Explorer map, which grows as we add places.
See these plotted on the SEQ Explorer map with their routes drawn from the city, or head further out with our day trips from Brisbane by train.
1. 🏙️ South Bank & Streets Beach
A real beach in the middle of the city, with free galleries next door.
- · Streets Beach (Australia's only inner-city beach)
- · GOMA & Queensland Museum (free entry)
- · The Wheel of Brisbane
🚆 Train to South Bank station, or the busway to Cultural Centre
⛴️ Or a CityCat to the South Bank terminals
⏱ ~5 min from Central
2. 🌇 Queen's Wharf & Sky Deck
The Sky Deck: 360-degree views from 100 metres up, and entry is free.
🚶 Five-minute walk from Central along William Street
⏱ ~5 min walk from Central · Sky Deck entry is free (it can close in bad weather)
3. 🌉 Howard Smith Wharves & Story Bridge
Riverside eating and drinking directly under the big bridge.
- · Howard Smith Wharves precinct
- · Story Bridge lookouts
⛴️ CityCat or KittyCat ferry to Holman Street or Riverside, short walk
⏱ ~10 min by ferry from the CBD
4. 🧗 Kangaroo Point Cliffs
Story Bridge views from the clifftops, one short ferry hop from town.
⛴️ KittyCat cross-river ferry to Holman Street (50c)
🥾 Clifftop lookouts and the riverside path below
⏱ ~5 min across the river
5. 🌿 City Botanic Gardens & QUT
The city's original gardens, wrapped in a bend of the river.
🚶 Ten-minute walk from Central through the city
⛴️ Or a ferry to QUT Gardens Point
⏱ ~10 min walk from Central
6. 🌺 Roma Street Parkland
One of the world's largest subtropical city gardens, directly above a train station.
🚆 Any train to Roma Street, the parkland sits on top
⏱ ~2 min from Central
7. 🌹 New Farm Park & the Powerhouse
Giant figs, rose gardens and free art at the Powerhouse, right off the CityCat.
⛴️ CityCat to the New Farm Park terminal, at the park's edge
⏱ ~15 min by CityCat from the CBD
8. 🎓 UQ St Lucia by CityCat
One of the prettiest campuses in the country, best arrived at by river.
⛴️ CityCat upriver to its UQ St Lucia terminus
⏱ ~15 min by CityCat from the CBD
9. 🌄 Mount Coot-tha Lookout
The whole city in one view, and a bus runs to the summit.
🚌 471 bus from the CBD to the summit, via the Botanic Gardens (~30 min)
⏱ ~30 min from the city · The 471 runs limited daytime hours, so check times before you go
10. 🐨 Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
The world's oldest koala sanctuary, and the bus stops at the gate.
🚌 430 bus from Adelaide or Queen Street, right to the sanctuary gate
⏱ ~40 min from the city
11. 🐾 Bluey's World & Eat Street
Ride a CityCat to the very end of the line and you're at Bluey's door.
- · Bluey's World (2 min from the wharf)
- · Eat Street Northshore (Fri–Sun markets)
⛴️ CityCat downriver to its Northshore Hamilton terminus (~30 min)
⏱ ~30 min from the city
12. 🎸 Fortitude Valley
Live music capital: venues, laneways and late-night eats, one stop from Central.
🚆 Train to Fortitude Valley, one stop from Central
⏱ ~3 min from Central
Visiting with kids? Under-5s ride free and 5 to 14s travel free on weekends with a child go card — the detail is in do children travel free in Brisbane. And when the day runs long, the last service home tool shows tonight's real final departures.
Car-free Brisbane questions
Do you need a car to enjoy Brisbane?+
No — for visitors it's arguably easier without one. The inner city is compact, trains and the busway cover the suburbs, CityCats run the length of the river, and every trip is a flat 50 cents. Parking in the city is expensive; the ferry is fifty cents and comes with river views.
What can you do in Brisbane for free?+
The Sky Deck at Queen's Wharf (100 metres up, free entry), GOMA and the Queensland Museum (free entry), Streets Beach at South Bank, the City Botanic Gardens, Roma Street Parkland, the Kangaroo Point clifftop lookouts and New Farm Park. Getting between them costs 50 cents a trip.
What's the best way for a visitor to get around Brisbane?+
Tap on and off with a contactless bank card or phone — no ticket to buy, every trip 50 cents. The CityCat doubles as the best-value sightseeing cruise in the country, and the journey planner gives live times for any trip.
What should families do in Brisbane without a car?+
Bluey's World by CityCat, Streets Beach and the museums at South Bank, Lone Pine on the 430 bus, and New Farm Park's playground by ferry. Children four and under ride free, and 5 to 14s travel free on weekends with a child go card.
More live guides
🚧 Weekend train closures & Cross River Rail →
Why your line is replaced by buses, and what's closed for works right now.
⛴️ Is the CityCat running today? →
Live ferry status, why the river stops the boats, and your backup routes.
🚆 Are the trains running on time? →
Live train delays and cancellations right now, and which lines cop it most.
📅 Public holiday train & bus timetables →
Do trains run on holidays? The live holiday arrangements as they're announced.
Live information on this page comes from TransLink's service alerts feed and updates automatically. Plan any trip with the journey planner.