A guide to using Brisbane’s public buses including the free city centre loop buses and paid suburban services.
City centre free loop buses
You can hop on and off these buses as you like and there is no payment required. It’s a great way to get around the city center.
City centre free loops – The red bus
There are two free bus routes that feature distinctive red buses that stop at the bright red signposted stops. These loop services are
Route 40 City Centre Loop – clockwise – Monday to Friday every 10 minutes between 7am and 6pm (last service departs QUT at this time)
Route 50 City Centre Loop – anti-clockwise – Monday to Friday every 10 minutes between 7.05am and 6.05pm (last service departs QUT at this time).
Spring Hill Loop – The yellow bus
There is also another free bus route that features distinctive yellow buses that stop at the bright yellow signposted stops. These loop services are
Route 30 Spring Hill Loop runs on a continuous loop between the CBD and Spring Hill precincts. Frequency is approximately every 10 minutes in peak hours and every 20 minutes off-peak, Monday to Friday only from 6am to 6.57pm.
City Centre Loop and Spring Hill Loop bus route map
Paid Bus Routes
The best way to plan your route using Brisbane’s buses is with the Journey Planner at Translink which makes it super easy to find bus stops, the easiest route, along with a map and fares.
BUZ services – The Blue Bus
Routes 100 – 444. BUZ services operate at least every 10 minutes in peak periods and at least every 15 minutes in off-peak periods, seven days a week between 6am and 11.30pm daily.
High frequency services
Routes 29, 66 and 555. Bus services that operate every 15 minutes or better, Monday to Friday.
CityGlider bus services – The Maroon Bus
The CityGlider buses (Routes 60 and 61) provide fast transport from West End to Teneriffe and from Ashgrove to Stones Corner, operating at least every 10 minutes in peak periods and at least every 15 minutes in off-peak periods, seven days a week. CityGlider services operate 24 hours on Friday and Saturday nights (excluding public holidays unless otherwise advertised).
How much are the fares for Brisbane buses?
Fares are calculated on how many zones you travel. Generally, most trips are one to two zones ranging from $3.37 to $4.11 in cost and if you cross three zones it goes up to $6.28 when using a Go Card during peak times. Off-peak is a little cheaper. The best way to get the fare estimate for your journey is to use the Journey Planner.
How to take the bus in Brisbane?
Once you have found your route and nearest bus stop via the Translink site above you can then wait for your bus looking out for the route number which is displayed in the right corner of a large digital screen on the front of the bus.
Your board the bus through the front most door and you can either purchase the ticket from the driver or ‘touch on’ with your Go Card or present your prepaid ticket. Many bus services are prepaid meaning the driver does not sell tickets and you need to purchase the ticket in advance or use a Go Card. These buses have a ‘P’ in front of their route number.
Buses without a ‘P’ in front of the route number are not pre-paid and you can buy a ticket from the driver when boarding the bus, simply have your money ready and the driver does give change. Or, use a pre-paid ticket or Go Card.
Where to buy bus tickets?
You can buy paper tickets at major bus interchanges or bus ticket vending machines.
Where to buy a Go Card?
The Go Card makes it easy to use the whole public transport network in South East Queensland (including Brisbane, Ipswich, Sunshine Coast, and the Gold Coast).
With the Go Card you ‘touch on’ at the start of the journey by touching your Go Card on the card reader when entering the bus and then touch off by touching your card on the card reader when exiting the bus.
Fares are also cheaper when using the Go Card.
For more info on the Go Card and cards especially for travelers visit the Go Card page at Translink.
Mt Coot-tha shuttle bus
The free Mt Coot-tha shuttle bus services the Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha, J. C. Slaughter Falls and Mt Coot-tha Lookout. The service runs every 20 minutes.
- 1 October to 30 April – 8.40am-7pm
- 1 May to 30 September – 9.40am-4.40pm.
Mt Coot-tha shuttle bus map and stops