🌄How to get from Brisbane to Mount Coot-tha
Can you get there without a car?
🟢 Yes, all the way
Yes, the whole way on a flat 50c fare. 471 bus from the CBD to the summit, via the Botanic Gardens (~30 min).
The short answer
- 1🚌471 bus from the CBD to the summit, via the Botanic Gardens (~30 min)
The 471 runs limited daytime hours, so check times before you go.
The journey, end to end
One leg, no changes.
The city's own lookout, with botanic gardens and a planetarium at the bottom of the hill.
What is Mount Coot-tha?
Mount Coot-tha sits about seven kilometres west of the CBD and is the reason Brisbane has a skyline photo at all. The summit lookout takes in the city, the river and out to Moreton Bay on a clear day.
At the base are the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, considerably larger and more interesting than the City Botanic Gardens by the river, along with the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium.
Why go, and what to see
The summit lookout
The city view, and the one place to be at sunset
Brisbane Botanic Gardens
Tropical dome, Japanese garden and bonsai house, free entry
Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium
Dome shows at the foot of the mountain
JC Slaughter Falls track
Walking tracks through the forest, including the Aboriginal Art Trail
Every way to get there, compared
Including the ones that aren't public transport, because pretending the car doesn't exist helps nobody.
🚆 Public transport, no changes
Our pick- 🚌471 bus from the CBD to the summit, via the Botanic Gardens (~30 min)
Time
About 30 min from the city
Cost
50c each way
Best for
Cheapest by a distance, and no parking to find
The 471 runs limited daytime hours, so check times before you go.
🚗 Drive
- 🚗9 km from the city centre, about 15 min in normal traffic
Time
about 15 min
Cost
Fuel and parking
Best for
Carrying gear, odd hours, or several people splitting the cost
Usually quicker than the train, and that is worth being honest about. What it costs you is parking, tolls and driving home tired.
When to go
Late afternoon into sunset for the lookout. Just work out how you are getting down first.
Worth knowing
The 471 bus to the summit runs limited hours and not late, so check the timetable rather than assuming you can come down whenever you like.
Last service home →
Check your cut-off before you go, not after.
Anything disrupted? →
Live delays and closures across the network.
See it on the map →
The route drawn across South East Queensland.
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Getting to Mount Coot-tha: quick answers
Is there a bus to Mount Coot-tha lookout?+
Yes, the 471, but it runs limited hours and not late into the evening, which catches people out after a sunset visit. Check the last departure before you go up, or plan on a rideshare down. The botanic gardens at the base are better served than the summit.
How do you get from Brisbane to Mount Coot-tha without a car?+
471 bus from the CBD to the summit, via the Botanic Gardens (~30 min). Allow about 30 min from the city. Every leg on the TransLink network is a flat 50 cent fare.
How long does it take to get to Mount Coot-tha from Brisbane?+
About 30 min from the city, door to platform to door, depending on how the connection lands. The planner on this page works it out from where you actually are rather than from the city centre.
How much does it cost to get to Mount Coot-tha?+
A flat 50 cents each way on the TransLink network, however far you travel. The 471 runs limited daytime hours, so check times before you go.
What time is the last service back from Mount Coot-tha?+
It changes by day and by line, and it is the thing that catches people out on a long day trip. Check the last service home tool before you head out so you know your cut-off rather than guessing at the end of the day.