Getting around · Gold Coast · Australia
Getting around Gold Coast
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: ASphericalBird, CC BY 4.0
Quick answer
The coast is long and spread out, so most visitors combine the G:link light rail and Translink buses with taxis, ride-hailing or a hire car. Within Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, walking and the light rail are enough. Not for the beach strip, which the light rail and buses cover.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Tram
- Airports
- OOL, BNE
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- go card
Ways to get around
Tram
The G:link light rail runs from Helensvale through Southport, Main Beach and Surfers Paradise to Broadbeach, connecting with the Brisbane train line at Helensvale.
Use a go card or contactless payment where accepted to get lower fares than paper tickets.
Bus
Translink buses run along the Gold Coast Highway to Burleigh, Palm Beach, Coolangatta and the airport, and to the theme parks.
Train
Trains on the Gold Coast line run from Varsity Lakes, Robina, Nerang, Coomera and Helensvale to Brisbane, taking about 75–90 minutes to the city.
Ride-hailing
Uber and other ride-hailing apps are widely used for trips between suburbs and to the airport.
Car
A hire car makes it easy to reach the hinterland, Byron Bay and the southern beaches. Driving is on the left.
Theme parks have large paid car parks; beach parking at Burleigh fills early on weekends.
Tickets and passes
go card
Translink's reloadable smartcard for the light rail, buses and trains across southeast Queensland, including trips to Brisbane.
From the airport
Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta is about 25 km south of Surfers Paradise, roughly 30–40 minutes by car; buses connect to the light rail. Brisbane Airport is about 90 km north, linked by the Airtrain to Gold Coast line stations in roughly 1.5 hours.
Do you need a car?
Not for the beach strip, which the light rail and buses cover. Rent a car to reach Springbrook, Lamington, Tamborine Mountain and Byron Bay, or book a tour.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Springbrook National Park | About 1 hour by car | Car or organised tour |
| Tamborine Mountain | About 45 minutes by car | Car or tour |
| Lamington National Park | About 1.5 hours by car | Car |
| Byron Bay | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car | Car or coach |
| Brisbane | About 1–1.5 hours by train | G:link to Helensvale, then train to Brisbane |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Gold Coast?
Not for the beach strip, which the light rail and buses cover. Rent a car to reach Springbrook, Lamington, Tamborine Mountain and Byron Bay, or book a tour.
+How do you get from the airport to Gold Coast?
Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta is about 25 km south of Surfers Paradise, roughly 30–40 minutes by car; buses connect to the light rail. Brisbane Airport is about 90 km north, linked by the Airtrain to Gold Coast line stations in roughly 1.5 hours.
+What is the best way to get around Gold Coast?
Tram: The G:link light rail runs from Helensvale through Southport, Main Beach and Surfers Paradise to Broadbeach, connecting with the Brisbane train line at Helensvale.