Brisbane’s New Bus Network is keeping Brisbane moving, with new data revealing trips between South Bank and Queen Street bus stations are now more than 40 per cent faster.
According to data from Translink, more than 23 million trips have been taken on the city’s new bus network, which launched in June 2025 following one of the city’s largest-ever community consultations.
Patronage has surged by nearly 12 per cent, with an additional 2.4 million journeys taken on the network compared to the same period last year, Translink’s data outlines.
Brisbane’s New Bus Network is the biggest boost to bus services in decades, delivering 160,000 new trips annually and faster journeys for more than 45 million passengers.
The first two stages of Brisbane Metro is expected to boost public transport capacity by up to 30 million additional trips by 2031, with 5 million trips already taken on M1 and M2 services.
Each year, Council’s bus network moves around 80 million people, which is more than two-thirds of public transport users in Brisbane.
The CBD used to be a massive choke point, with too many buses stuck at the Cultural Centre, on the Victoria Bridge and at Queen Street Bus Station.
The new Adelaide Street Tunnel, which opened in September 2025, now lines the Inner Northern and South East busways to make journeys faster and more reliable.
By linking local buses with turn-up-and-go metro services on dedicated busways, combined with the new tunnel, congestion on Victoria Bridge has reduced by 30 per cent.
Data from the first quarter of Brisbane’s New Bus Network show travel times between Queen Street and South Bank bus stations are on average 43.75 per cent faster compared to the same period last year.
More than 600 people a week are moving to Brisbane and Brisbane’s New Bus Network will ensure our bus network can continue to grow with our city and help ease congestion.
Quotes attributable to Transport and Main Roads Minister, Brent Mickelberg:
“Brisbane’s New Bus Network is giving commuters more frequent, reliable and connected services that actually work for them.
“The new bus network is already helping more Queenslanders move around Brisbane with less waiting and more options and that’s exactly what delivering for Queensland looks like.
“There have been more than 132 million trips taken on public transport since the LNP’s Permanent 50 Cent Fares were introduced to the end of September – delivering cost of living relief and saving Queenslanders about $275 million.
“The Crisafulli Government and Schrinner Council will keep working together to identify ways to make Brisbane’s bus network even better as more people get on board.”
Quotes attributable to Brisbane Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner:
“This is the biggest boost to bus services in generations – delivering quicker, more reliable journeys to over 45 million passengers.
“With more than 600 people moving to Brisbane every week, we’re focused on helping residents get home sooner and safer. These results show that’s exactly what’s happening.”
“Our partnership with the Crisafulli Government demonstrates what can be achieved when governments work together to deliver for Queenslanders.
“If we don’t keep investing in reliable public transport, people will return to cars and congestion will only get worse.
“That’s exactly why projects like Brisbane’s New Bus Network are so important for our city’s future.
“It hasn’t just been designed for the city of today but designed to support our city through the 2032 Games and for decades to come.”
