Transport on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, is provided by a large network of public transport operating modes including a railway line, light rail system, buses and ferries, as well as an expansive network of roadways, walking and cycling paths, and one international airport.
Railways
The Beenleigh railway line opened in 1885 and was extended to Southport in 1889 as the South Coast line. A branch line to Tweed Heads in New South Wales was opened in August 1903, with the first regular passenger train making the journey from Brisbane one month later. Because of the increasing popularity of the motor car, the Tweed Heads branch closed in 1961 and the line from Beenleigh to Southport closed in 1964.
In February 1996, the new Gold Coast railway line was opened, running from Brisbane to Helensvale. It was built an extension of the Beenleigh line, running on a different alignment than the South Coast line. It was extended to Nerang in 1997 and to Robina in 1998. In 2009, the line was further extended to Varsity Lakes. As part of the Cross River Rail project, three new stations were added to the Gold Coast line: Pimpama (opened in October 2025), Hope Island (opened in May 2026) and Merrimac (scheduled to open in 2026).
Trains travel express between Boggo Road and Beenleigh, with stops at Altandi and Loganlea on the Beenleigh line. Most trains from the Gold Coast run through to Brisbane Airport as the Airtrain service, stopping at the International and Domestic terminals.
A proposal to extend the line to the Gold Coast Airport terminal has existed in the airport's master plans since 2001. In addition to the airport, three additional stations are planned at Tallebudgera, Elanora and Tugun, as part of a proposal to extend the line from Varsity Lakes.
Light rail
A feasibility study for a light rail system on the Gold Coast was released in 2004. In 2009, the Queensland Government committed $464 million to the Gold Coast Rapid Transit (GCRT) project, supplementing $365 million committed by the federal government and $120 million provided by Gold Coast City Council. In September 2013, the first light rail vehicle was unveiled during a ceremony at the new depot in Southport, with the system branded as "G:link".
On 20 July 2014, the line officially opened with sixteen stations, running from Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) in Southport to Broadbeach South. Stage 2 of the line was announced in 2016, with three new stations connecting the line from GCUH to Helensvale railway station. Stage 3 will extend the line by 6.7 kilometres and bring the total station count to 27, extending the line to Burleigh Heads from mid-2026. A branch line from GCUH to the Harbour Town shopping centre in Biggera Waters was announced in June 2026, with the project is expected to be completed before the start of the Brisbane Olympics in July 2032.
The Stage 4 extension, which would have run to Coolangatta via the Gold Coast Airport, was cancelled by the Crisafulli state government in September 2025. In June 2026, the GC Surfer – a bus rapid transit line running from Robina railway station to Coolangatta – was announced as a replacement for Stage 4.
On 9 August 2026, the light rail line was extended from Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads.
Buses Kinetic Gold Coast operates its Queensland services under contract to Translink.Bus Timetables Surfside Buslines
Buses generally operate on a 05:00 to midnight timetable throughout the week, with some Friday and Saturday night 24-hour services.
List of bus routes Route Image Destinations via Notes 70 Helensvale stationBurleigh Heads station Operates on the G:link L1 line between midnight and 4am (Monday to Thursday) when the light rail does not run 700 Stockland Burleigh HeadsTweed Heads Burleigh Heads station Previous northern terminus at Broadbeach South station (or GCUH station for weekday overnights) 701 Robina stationThe Pines Elanora Varsity Lakes station, Burleigh Heads station Introduced on 7 September 2026 704 Helensvale stationSea World Southport station, Southport South station 705 Sea WorldBroadbeach South station Surfers Paradise, Pacific Fair 709 Helensvale stationHope Island Hope Island station 710 Helensvale stationGriffith University station Parkwood, GCUH station 711 Southport stationHope Island station Runaway Bay 712 Southport stationCoombabah Harbour Town 713 Southport stationParadise Point Harbour Town 714 Helensvale stationGriffith University station Pacific Pines, GCUH station 715 Helensvale stationSouthport station Pacific Pines, Parkwood station, Arundel 716 Helensvale stationStudio Village Operates as a loop 717 Helensvale stationPacific Pines 718 Helensvale stationSanta Barbara 719 Paradise PointSouthport station Griffith University station, GCUH station, Harbour Town 720 Ormeau stationCoomera station Pimpama, Upper Coomera 721 PimpamaCoomera station Pimpama station 722 Pimpama stationCoomera station 723 Coomera stationHelensvale station Oxenford 724 PimpamaCoomera station Pimpama station 725 Coomera stationSanctuary Cove Upper Coomera, Hope Island station 726 Coomera stationCoomera Waters 727 Coomera stationHelensvale station Upper Coomera 728 Beenleigh stationOrmeau station Yatala 729 Beenleigh stationOrmeau station Yatala 731 Southport stationBroadbeach South station Southport South station, Isle of Capri 732 PimpamaCoomera station Pimpama station 733 Jacobs WellPimpama station 735 Southport stationNerang station Ashmore 736 Nerang stationBroadbeach South station Highland Park 737 Southport stationAshmore 738 Griffith University stationBroadbeach South station Ashmore 739 Griffith University stationNerang station Ashmore 740 Nerang stationSurfers Paradise Ashmore 741 Southport stationBroadbeach South station Ashmore 742 MolendinarSouthport station Ashmore 743 Nerang stationBroadbeach South station Carrara 744 Nerang stationBroadbeach South station Highland Park 745 Nerang stationBroadbeach South station 746 Nerang WestNerang station 747 Southport stationRobina station Southport South station, Bundall 748 Robina Town CentreNerang station Robina station, Gilston, Worongary, Mudgeeraba 749 ClearwaterNerang station 750 Broadbeach South stationRobina station Bond University 751 Broadbeach South stationRobina station Mermaid Waters 752 Broadbeach South stationRobina station Robina Woods 753 Broadbeach South stationBurleigh Heads station Robina, Varsity Lakes station 754 Broadbeach South stationThe Pines Elanora Mermaid Waters, Burleigh Heads station 755 Broadbeach South stationRobina Town Centre Merrimac 756 Broadbeach South stationWest Burleigh Miami 757 Reedy CreekBurleigh Heads station Varsity Lakes station 758 Robina Town CentreMerrimac Robina station, Mudgeeraba 759 Robina stationVarsity Lakes station Reedy Creek 760 Robina Town CentreTweed Heads Varsity Lakes station, Gold Coast Airport 763 LakewoodsThe Pines Elanora Elanora 764 The Pines ElanoraCurrumbin Park 765 Robina stationChristine Avenue station Burleigh Waters 766 The Pines ElanoraCurrumbin Waters 767 The Pines ElanoraTugun Currumbin Operates as a loop 768 The Pines ElanoraTweed Heads John Flynn Private Hospital 777 Stockland Burleigh HeadsGold Coast Airport Burleigh Heads station Northern terminus at Broadbeach South until 7 September 2026; limited-stop express TX7 Coomera stationHelensvale station Dreamworld, Movie World, Wet'n'Wild Runs to theme parks on the Gold Coast
Walking and cycling Walking The Gold Coast has extensive paths one of which is called the Gold Coast Oceanway which is a network of pathways along the coastline. Locals residents and visitors alike often walk to the beach, shops or anywhere nearby, particularly so in areas of high-density living.
The Gold Coast hinterland also embraces the World Heritage listed Lamington National Park, established in 1915, with over of graded walking tracks maintained by the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service. The development of the national park tracks and accommodation at Binna Burra Lodge owe a great deal to the work of Romeo Lahey and Arthur Groom in the 1920s and 1930s.
Cycling The Gold Coast is largely flat providing excellent opportunities for cycling, most major road corridors have dedicated cycle lanes located on the roads. The river corridors provide opportunities to link west from the Gold Coast Oceanway out to the hinterland. The V1 is an emerging cycle route along the M1 motorway corridor from Smith Street, Gaven to the Logan River at Beenleigh. In the future it will be extended southwards along the M1 corridor through Nerang, Robina, Varsity Lakes, West Burleigh, Palm Beach and behind the Gold Coast Airport to the New South Wales state border.
The Gold Coast City Council has taken action in recent years to promote active travel. Mobike is a bike sharing company that operates in the city under contract from the council. Rather than only being able to access bikes from designated locations, this scheme allows people to borrow a bike wherever there is one available, and ride it to the desired destination without the need to return it to a 'docking station'. However, users can access up to 34 preferred bike parking areas known as 'Mobike Preferred Locations'. These areas are located beside key transport interchanges and existing city infrastructure, and they are easily identified by Mobike signs and ground markings.
Road network
The Gold Coast main mode of transport is by private vehicles which has resulted in the city having an extensive road network for an Australian regional city. Gold Coast's road are managed by all three level of Governments.
The Australian Federal Government is responsible for the maintaining the Pacific Motorway (M1), the city's main thoroughfare and a recognised nation freight route. Pacific Motorway commences in the Brisbane CBD and travels south passing through the western suburbs of the Gold Coast and continues on through Northern New South Wales.
Department of Transport and Main Roads, A division of the Queensland Government manages all state regionsied routes throughout Queensland. State designated routes can be identified by a white number inside a blue shield. The Gold Coast state routes typically commence from the Pacific Motorway and connect with major commercial and residential hubs. State roads travelling in a north to south direction will be designated in single digits where as state roads travelling in an east to west direction will be designated in double digits.
The suburban road network is maintained by the Gold Coast City Council.
Public transport Gold Coast's public transport system consists of heavy rail, buses, light rail & ferries.
Translink is a division of the Department of Transport and Main Roads that manages the planning, co-ordination, integrated ticketing and zoning for public transport services covering Brisbane and the rest of South East Queensland. It contracts Queensland Rail, Kinetic Gold Coast and Keolis Downer (Gold Coast light rail operator) to operate public transport services in allocated operating areas for a negotiated price, and keeps all fare receipts. Passengers pay common fares, based on the number of zones travelled through, on all the public transport modes covered including trains, buses and light rail, irrespective of who operates the service. In 2007, Translink introduced the go card smartcard-based ticketing system. Paper tickets are still available, but travel using the go card costs significantly less than using a paper ticket.