How do you get from the Gold Coast to Brisbane? There are 5 options including bus, train, shared shuttle service, taxi, and limousine. We’ll introduce each one, with prices and travel times, so you can freely choose what is right for you. Note, these options also work in reverse for traveling from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.
Brisbane is located around 80km north of the Gold Coast and the most affordable way from Surfers Paradise to Brisbane City is via public bus & train with prices starting from under $12 per person. Alternatively, the most convenient and fastest option is a taxi or limousine which can average from around $50-55 on a per-person basis (e.g. 4 passengers sharing a four-seat sedan).
1. Train
You can take bus 740 from Surfers Paradise to Nerang Station (around 10 minutes) and from there take the “Airport Train” to Roma Street Station in Brisbane City (around 70 mins).
Total Time: around 80 mins Cost: from $11.46 with GoCard and $16.60 without
If you are heading to Brisbane Airport (BNE), stay on the Airport Train and depart at either the domestic or International terminal station.
Total Time: around 1 hr 46 mins Cost: from $36.91 with GoCard and $43.60 without
In either case, the trains operate between around 5.50 AM and 10 PM at regular intervals of no more than 30 mins. For route planning, see: Translink
2. Bus
From the Surfers Paradise Bus Terminal, you can take the Greyhound Bus service to Brisbane which stops at the Brisbane Coach Terminal in the central city area near Roma St Parkland and Roma St Station. The station is a 20-minute walk or 10-minute taxi ride to the central city area.
Total Time: around 1 hr 30 mins Cost: from $18-38 depending on how early in advance you book
For bookings and more info see: Greyhound Australia
3. Shuttle Service
Conxion offers shared shuttle services from the Surfers Paradise Transit Centre (and other pick-up points) to the Brisbane Transit Centre which is near Roma Street Station and opposite the Queensland Police Museum, about 20 min walk from the city centre, they may be able to offer door to door services also.
Total Time: around 1 hr Cost: from $50
For bookings and more info see: Con X ion
4. Taxi
Taxi services offer fixed rates between the two cities and you can book online or via APP. They offer sedans that seat 4 passengers and maxi taxis that can seat up to 11 passengers.
Total Time: around 1 hr Cost: from $200
For bookings or more info see: 13Cabs
5. Limousine
Limousine companies on the Gold Coast (including us!) offer luxury late-model sedans, passenger vans, and of course, luxury stretch limousines. Sedans can seat four passengers while stretch limos can carry up to 11 passengers. Passenger vans can carry 13 while small and large buses can carry 21-50 people if you have a large group. Cost-wise, it starts from around $220 for a four-seat luxury sedan, so about $55 per person with each seat filled, and you can get exact quotes online quickly and easily.
Total Time: around 1 hr Cost: from $220 and up
For a quote and bookings see: My Gold Coast Limo
The Journey
Gold Coast to Brisbane Map
Brisbane is located north of the Gold Coast, about 80km by road. The two cities are connected by an excellent multi-lane highway and a rail line that has regular services. The road journey is fairly mundane without any real highlights along route unless you wish to make lengthy deviations.
Traffic can get busy during peak times in the morning and afternoon and around major events, so do keep that in mind. In such a case you may want to allow a 20-minute buffer in case but do speak to your driver at the time of booking if you have any concerns.
Footnotes
Prices were collated in March of 2024, please check with the respective service for the latest offers and pricing. The header image is via photographer, Ben George (Unsplash)