long distance train travel queensland

Queensland Explorer Pass

The Queensland Explorer Pass gives you unlimited travel on most Queensland Rail Travel Train services in Queensland. Queensland has the best trains in Australia and this pass is valid on the fast Tilt Trains between Brisbane and Rockhampton and the new Spirit of Queensland trains that run between Brisbane and Cairns.

Where can I use this rail pass?

This pass is valid for unlimited travel on Queensland Rail Travel Train services including the following rail services:

• Tilt Train (Brisbane–Rockhampton)
• The Spirit of Queensland  (Brisbane–Cairns)
• The Spirit of the Outback (Brisbane–Longreach via Rockhampton)
• The Inlander (Townsville–Mount Isa)
• The Westlander (Brisbane–Charleville)

This pass includes the following connecting coach services:

• Maryborough–Hervey Bay
• Proserpine–Airlie Beach
• Barcaldine–Winton
• Charleville–Quilpie
• Charleville–Cunnamulla

The Queensland Coastal Pass includes one journey on Brisbane’s City rail network to connect with a Queensland Rail Travel Train service. This includes travel as far south as the Gold Coast.

When is the Queensland Explorer Pass valid?

This pass is valid for one or two months travel in economy seating. This rail pass is good for unlimited rail travel for the entire validity of the pass (not a set number of travel days or a set itinerary like many other rail passes). Travel must commence within six months of the date of purchasing this pass. The one or two-month travel period begins on the date that the pass is first used.

Who can use this rail pass?

The Queensland Coastal Pass is only available to overseas visitors to Australia. People travelling with this rail pass must be able to prove that they are not an Australian resident (a passport or drivers licence issued outside Australia will usually be sufficient proof).

More details about the Queensland Explorer Pass

Click below for the latest prices for the Queensland Explorer Pass and details about ordering your rail pass online.

Other important details about this rail pass

After purchasing the Queensland Coastal Pass you will receive a voucher that you need to exchange for the actual travel pass at a ticket office exchange location in Australia prior to commencing your first journey. Your exchange voucher will be emailed to you but it is best to allow 3–5 business days for your order to be processed prior to emailing your voucher.

Seat reservations must be made prior to each leg of travel.

The Queensland Coastal Pass is valid for economy class travel on most rail services. However it does cover premium economy travel on the Spirit of Queensland for bookings made within seven days of travel. Seat bookings made outside this time will incur an upgrade charge.

Pass holders may upgrade to business seats on the Tilt Train (between Brisbane and Rockhampton), RailBeds on the Spirit of Queensland and available sleeping berths upon payment of an upgrade fee.

Travel on the fast Tilt Train is only available between Brisbane and Rockhampton (and intermediate stops).

This rail pass cannot be used on heritage railways and tourist services such as the Kuranda Railway.

The Queensland Coastal Pass is only valid for travel on services operated by Queensland Travel Train. It is not valid for travel on Great Southern Railway, NSW TrainLink, V/line or TransWA services.

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The new Spirit of Queensland combines modern seating and entertainment options with the romance of long distance rail travel. Contemporary, comfortable and designed for relaxation, the newest addition to the Queensland Rail Travel fleet has two dedicated RailBed Cars, a shared Club Car and three Premium Economy Seat Cars.

SPIRIT OF QUEENSLAND TIMETABLE

Brisbane to cairns, cairns to brisbane.

Click here for more information on the Cairns Skyrail .

BOOKING INFORMATION

For group bookings please contact us by clicking here .

For standard bookings or to call QLD Rail Travel on 300 131 722 from 7am to 7pm (AEST)

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Eligible for Concessions

​​​​​​​​​Note : Our online booking system is currently available for a range of concession types. For more information visit our  Online Booking Help page, Concessions booking tab​ . The concession types that can be booked online are listed there, including what concessions require registration first.

The below concessions types are eligible for travel discounts, click for further information.

To check the eligibility for any other concession types not listed please contact our Customer Contact Centre .

Queensland Pensioner

Online bookings are available for Queensland Pensioners:   Book Now

Note: This concession must be registered to your passenger profile before booking online for the first time. Please contact the Queensland Rail Travel Customer Contact Team on 1800 872 467 to register your concession prior to booking online. 

Eligible Cards for Queensland Pensioners

A range of eligible customer categories may receive this card including aged pensioners, carers, disability support, single parents, Newstart or Youth allowance recipients.​

   Find out more about Pensioner Concession Travel

Australian Pensioner

Online bookings are are now available for all eligible interstate pensioner concession card holders:  Book Now

Bookings can be made online without prior registration of your concession card on your passenger profile.​

Eligible Cards for Australian Pensioners

On presentation of a current Pension Concession Card (PCC), interstate pensioners receive a discount of 25% off   the full adult rail fare on Queensland Rail Travel long-distance services. Meals and upgrades to a sleeper or RailBed are not discounted and incur an additional cost.

Online bookings are available for all eligible Senior card holders:   Book Now

Note:  Australian State Government Senior cards (including Queensland cards) must be registered to your passenger profile before booking online for the first time. Please contact the Queensland Rail Travel Customer Contact Team on 1800 872 467 to register your concession prior to booking online.

Other eligible Australian senior cards including Queensland Seniors Business Discount Cards, National Seniors Australia and New Zealand Senior card bookings can be made online without prior registration.

Eligible Cards for Seniors

Valid for Queensland or other interstate cardholders. When booking, customers will receive a discount of up to 50% off  ​ the full adult rail fare on Queensland Rail Travel long-distance services when they provide proof of a current Australian state or territory Government Seniors Card. Meals and upgrades to a sleeper or RailBed are not discounted and incur an additional cost.

When booking, customers will receive a discount of up to 15% off   the full adult rail fare on Queensland Rail Travel long-distance services when they provide proof of any other type of Australian or international seniors card or seniors association membership. Meals and upgrades to a sleeper or RailBed are not discounted and incur an additional cost.

Hint: If booking in advance, BQuick fares may provide you with a better rate than selecting 'Senior Other' when booking online.

​ Find out more about Senior Travel

Queensland resident veterans and carer / companion concessions.

​ Queensland TPI/EDA Veterans Travel Pass holders​

Online bookings are available for Queensland TPI/EDA Veterans Travel Pass holders:   Book Now

Note:  This concession must be registered to your passenger profile before booking online for the first time. Please contact the Queensland Rail Travel Customer Contact Team on 1800 872 467 to register your concession prior to booking online. 

Queensland residents in possession of a Commonwealth Department of Veterans’ Affairs Repatriation Health Card - For All Conditions (Gold), that is embossed with Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) or Extreme Disability Adjustment (EDA) must hold a TPI or a TPI/EDA Veteran Travel Pass to gain access to their entitlements.

Veterans in possession of a TPI or TPI/EDA Veterans Travel Pass are entitled to one return journey on Queensland Rail Travel long-distance rail services each fortnight.

The travel entitlement covers Business and Economy Seats. Meals and upgrades to a sleeper or RailBed are not discounted and incur an additional cost. Travel is only available within Queensland.

If the cardholder exceeds their entitlement for the fortnight, they are entitled to half fare travel as often as they wish. Half fare bookings are unable to be made online, please call us on 1800 872 467.

​​The TPI or TPI/EDA Veterans Travel Pass is not transferable and travel entitlements are only for the cardholder, they do not extend to spouses/partners, dependents or carers.

All spouses and partners of QLD TPI or EDA veterans that do not hold a Queensland Pension Concession Card are required to obtain a confirmation letter from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to access their four (4) annual rail travel entitlements. Refer to the following fact sheet for information on these entitlements.

Queensland Resident Veterans Gold Card (endorsed War Widow/er)

Online bookings are available for Queensland Resident Veterans Gold Card (endorsed War Widow/er) by selecting the Queensland Pensioner concession type:   Book Now​

Holders of this concession card are entitled to the same rail concessions as a Queensland Pensioner Concession Card holder. Refer to the following fact sheet for information on these entitlements.​

Queensland Resident Blinded Ex-Service Personnel​

​Bookings are unable to be made online, please use our request form to make your booking or call us on 1800 872 467.

On presentation of a Queensland Rail Travel Pass (Photo included), or an authorisation letter from the Department of Veteran Affairs, Queensland resident Blinded Ex-Service Personnel may receive free travel for the blinded ex-service personnel and their guide/carer. This pass is available for travel on all Queensland Rail Travel services and includes sleepers or RailBeds.

Note : Meals are mandatory inclusions for RailBeds and Sleepers. These meals are not discounted and incur an additional cost.

Companion Card​

Queensland Rail Travel's policy allows a carer to travel for free on our services when accompanying a customer with a disability who requires their assistance.

Please visit  Travelling with a Carer for more information.​

Online bookings are available for all eligible full-time student card holders:   Book Now

To receive a discounted student fare on Queensland Rail Travel, a valid student identification card must be presented for all customers aged 16 years and over. Customers under 16 years of age are classified as children, and travel at the child rate.

Eligible Cards for Students

• Expiry date
• Student’s name and photograph^
• Educational institution’s logo/emblem or business name
• Full-time (for tertiary students)

^some Queensland secondary school student cards do not include a photograph

To apply for a tertiary concession sticker visit the TransLink website.

  find out more about student travel, backpackers.

Online bookings are  are now available for all eligible international backpackers​:  Book Now

​Eligible Cards for Backpackers

International Backpacker   discounted fares of up to 40% off the full adult fare on Queensland Rail Travel long-distance services are available to bona fide overseas backpackers visiting Australia. Meals and upgrades to a sleeper or RailBed are not discounted and incur an additional cost. A valid international passport and backpacker identification is required to qualify for this discount. Identification includes a backpacker membership card and/or a working holiday or work and ho​​liday visa valid up to 1 year. 

Travel passes are also available for international visitors. Find out more about Travel Passes .

Find out more about Backpacker Travel

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Home Travel Queensland’s top 7 rail journeys

Queensland’s top 7 rail journeys

With 4000km of regional track, Queensland Rail Travel can deliver you all the way to Cairns in the state’s north, Longreach, Charleville and Mount Isa in the west and even to tourism hotspots in the Far North and the Gulf Savannah. You can also take advantage of its RailBus connections to explore don’t-miss coastal havens such as Hervey Bay, Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays. With Queensland Rail Travel you can leave the car at home, and enjoy the unique luxury of time and space to sit back and enjoy the ever-changing landscapes. Here are our top picks.

SPIRIT OF QUEENSLAND

Brisbane–Cairns (1681km)

This train travels the coast of Queensland from Brisbane to Cairns, a distance of 1681km, in 25 hours and has two travel options – economy seats, which are great if you are stopping along the way, and the RailBed, a spacious seat during the day that folds out to a lie-flat bed at night, with all-inclusive in-seat dining. The train passes through canefields and rainforest and stops at some of the Queensland coast’s biggest regional cities, including Mackay, Rockhampton, Proserpine (the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands) and Townsville.

SPIRIT OF THE OUTBACK

Brisbane–Longreach (1325km)

Launched in 1993 by combining the Capricornian and Midlander train journeys, the Spirit of the Outback travels 1325km between Brisbane and Longreach in about 24 hours. The perfect introduction to outback Queensland, the Spirit takes its passengers deep into the engine rooms of the Queensland economy. It follows the coast to Rockhampton, then turns inland and passes through the heritage mining towns of Blackwater and Emerald, and the birthplace of the Australian Labor Party, Barcaldine, before arriving in Longreach, a town that has been saved from the clutches of a never-ending drought by its burgeoning tourist trade.

Townsville–Mount Isa (977km)

A historic trip from the major northern Queensland port city of Townsville to the mining centre of Mount Isa. Over a leisurely 21-hour journey, covering 977km, the Inlander offers the opportunity to experience the heritage and natural treasures of northern Queensland’s ruggedly beautiful inland.

From Townsville, the train travels through picturesque Charters Towers, across the Great Dividing Range and through the mining towns of Hughenden and Julia Creek, before delivering passengers into Queensland’s dry western reaches. Introduced in 1953, the Inlander was Queensland’s first air-conditioned train.

KURANDA SCENIC RAILWAY

Cairns to Kuranda (37km)

Imagine all that natural wonder so close that you can almost touch it, your senses alive with the heady organic fragrance and untamed sounds of the dense rainforest. That’s what it’s like aboard Kuranda Scenic Railway as you unwind your way through a tropical paradise framed by rugged mountains with waterfalls tumbling forever into deep ravines.

Rising from sea level to 328m, the journey to Kuranda passes spectacular waterfalls and into the stunning Barron Gorge. Meandering through picturesque scenery, you travel through 15 handmade tunnels and a​cross 37 towering bridges that stand as a monument to the pioneers of the north.

Being one with the rainforest as you undertake an unforgettable journey is what makes Kuranda Scenic Railway such a must-do experience.

Normanton to Croydon (151km)

​​​​​​​​​Take a journey through frontier country from Normanton to Croydon as you step aboard the iconic Gulflander. Also known as the ‘Tin Hare’, this legendary rail motor is one of the last great characters of the rail world.

Affectionately said to go from ‘nowhere to nowhere’, the Heritage Listed Normanton to Croydon line was never connected to the state rail network and remains the only line in Queensland still measured in miles. From wetlands and grasslands to arid Savannah territory, the Gulflander travels through countryside that most people will never see. This nostalgic rail journey is the perfect way to discover an area steeped in pioneering history and heritage. 

As a working tribute to the Gulf of Carpentaria’s early pioneers, the Gulflander is a once in a lifetime experience.​

Brisbane to Charleville (740km) ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Venture to the natural wonders of Queensland’s southwest outback onboard the Westlander. From Brisbane travel across the Great Dividing Range, through the rich farmlands of the Darling Downs to Charleville, this scenic journey travels through some of the state’s most picturesque outback regions. 

Depending on the travel sector a complimentary in-seat snack pack will be delivered to each seat at meal times. Light refreshments can be purchased from the Economy Lounge.

Experience this unforgettable journey into Queen​sland’s western frontier as you follow in the footsteps of the early pioneers on Westlander. Unwind, as you sit back relax and watch the striking scenery pass you by.

THE SAVANNAHLANDER

Cairns–Forsayth (425km)

The Savannahlander’s unique experience departs Cairns weekly, winding through the Wet Tropics area of the Kuranda range and out through the savannah to Forsayth and back, taking four days. The highly personalised tours, in a 1960s classic Silver Bullet rail-motor, offer passengers the opportunity to see remote Queensland at a sleepy 50km/h. Drivers provide running commentaries and there are options for short tours and visits to Cobbold Gorge, Undara Volcanic National Park, and overnight stops in country hotels. This is train travel at a relaxed pace.

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Long distance rail travel

Some, but not all, of Queensland Rail's long distance train services are accessible. Let the Queensland Rail Customer Contact Centre know of your requirements when booking your journey. If you use a wheelchair, walking frame, mobility scooter or other mobility aid, provide its dimensions.

Contact  Queensland Rail Travel by:

Phone:  1800 TRAINS (1800 872 467) Email:   [email protected] TTY:  3235 1000 National Relay Service:  13 36 77

Tilt trains and other services

Spirit of Queensland to Cairns, Rockhampton and Bundaberg have the following accessibility features:

• a retractable step that folds down to make stepping into and off the carriage safer and easier
• a fold-out ramp for wheelchair access
• wheelchair-accessible spaces
• wheelchair-accessible toilet
• collapsible onboard wheelchairs
• high visibility handrails and grab handles on seat backs
• overhead lockers with raised numbers and braille
• seats, aisles and flooring in contrasting colours
• signs using braille, pictograms, raised text and clear colour contrasts
• captioning on all safety and information messages, lifestyle programs and selected movies
• hearing aid loops
• improved customer control for headset sound clarity.

Other Traveltrain services — the Spirit of the Outback, Westlander, and Inlander—are not fully accessible to people who use a wheelchair. Ask  Queensland Rail Travel if you are able to safely access and travel on these services.

Costs for carers

Your  Companion Card is valid on Queensland Rail Traveltrain services.

The 4 free rail journeys that you receive on a  pensioner concession card can include a carer if you have a signed letter from your doctor or an organisation for people with a disability. Talk to staff at  Queensland Rail Travel about your circumstances.

Taking a mobility scooter on the train

Space can be an issue. Mobility scooters are usually stored in the baggage carriage. If travelling by tilt train, you may be able to stay on your scooter for the trip. Check with  Queensland Rail Travel when booking your seat.

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A firefighter dies and a long-distance train derails amid heavy rains and flooding in Germany

Sections of the city are flooded by water, in Reichertshofen, Germany, Sunday, June 2, 2024. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)

The high water of the Schussen river floods parts of Meckenbeuren on Sunday, June 2, 2024. A railroad line has not yet been flooded, but water is already standing to the right and left of the tracks. (Felix Kästle/dpa via AP)

Firefighters erect a dam with sandbags against the flood on the Nonnenbach in the Moosheim district, Germany, Sunday, June 2, 2024. (Thomas Warnack/dpa via AP)

On the way to church in the Moosheim district, a woman carries her bicycle over fire hoses designed to suck up the floodwater, Germany, Sunday, June 2, 2024. (Thomas Warnack/dpa via AP)

Roads are flooded after heavy rainfalls in Babenhausen southern Germany, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (Nikolas Schaefers/dp/dpa via AP)

Residents are rescued with a dinghy from a flooded area, in Babenhausen, Germany, Saturday, June 1, 2024 following a several days of heavy rainfall. (Stefan Puchner/dpa via AP)

Residents are rescued with a dinghy from a flooded house, in Babenhausen, Germany, Saturday, June 1, 2024 following a several days of heavy rainfall. (Stefan Puchner/dpa via AP)

Firefighters work on a street flooded by the Günz in Ichenhausen, Germany, Saturday, June 1, 2024. Weather forecast expect more rain during the weekend. (Stefan Puchner/dpa via AP)

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FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Flooding, high river levels and heavy rain led to the death of a firefighter and disrupted train travel in southern Germany on Sunday.

The firefighter’s body was recovered after an inflatable watercraft carrying four firefighters capsized as they navigated floodwaters to bring residents to safety in the town of Pfaffenhofen, on the Ilm River in the southern Bavaria region, the dpa news agency reported.

A long-distance train derailed after the ground under a section of track collapsed near the town of Schwaebisch Gmund some 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Stuttgart late Saturday. The 185 passengers were uninjured.

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn warned of extensive cancellations and delays and told customers who postponed trips that their tickets would be honored. Traffic was disrupted on routes including those from Munich to Berlin, Stuttgart and the Swiss city of Zurich.

Queensland is slashing public transport fares but Australia has 'a long way to go' in getting cars off the road, expert says

How did you get to work this morning?

Nationally, most Australians opt to get behind the wheel, according to the previous Census.

But there might soon be fewer cars on the road — at least potentially in Queensland.

Over the weekend the state government announced bus, train, ferry and light rail fares would be dramatically reduced to a flat rate of just 50 cents .

The pre-election trial will run for six months starting in August, and is aimed at easing congestion and cost of living pressures, and getting public transport usage back to pre-pandemic levels.

While experts welcome the reduced fares, they say there's more to do in improving the way Australians get around.

Australians overwhelmingly drive to work

The most recent census found that 53.1 per cent of us drive to work each day.

However, it is worth noting that the last census captured data from 2021, which saw 21 per cent of Australians working from home, up significantly from the pre-pandemic figure of 4.7 per cent.

Meanwhile, the percentage of commuters who rode public transport to work languished in the low single digits, down from just over 10 per cent in the previous census.

Dr Mark Limb, a senior lecturer in Urban Regional Planning at the Queensland University of Technology, says the state's reduced fares will "certainly" get more commuters using public transport.

"People's use of cars at the moment is quite a rational decision that people take and they do it because cars are generally cheaper and often faster as well," Dr Limb told ABC News.

"But I think this will sort of tip that equation for a whole bunch of people of whom this 50-cent public transport ride policy will make the public transport option that cheaper option and therefore they will take it."

A 'long way to go' in improving Australia's public transport

In Queensland alone, two major public transport projects are currently underway: the Cross River Rail and the Brisbane Metro.

The Brisbane Metro is due to start operating at the end of this year while the Cross River Rail — a project that runs for 10 kilometres, including under the Brisbane River and CBD — is due to open in 2026.

"I think we still have a long way to go in terms of improving our public transport to be kind of World City standards here in Brisbane," Dr Limb says.

He says Australia as a whole would benefit from more interconnected services and a higher priority placed on public transport to get traffic flowing faster.

"We could always do with more. More regular, more frequent services would help in almost every route.

"More interconnected services across the city rather than just being a CBD service where you get services linking up all the various centres of the city.

"And also just making sure we have priority for public transport so we can have, a bit like the busways, have bus lanes and things like that so buses aren't sitting in traffic.

"So that as a comparable choice to a car that suddenly becomes a lot faster when the public transport options are moving literally faster through traffic."

What can Australia learn from other countries' public transport?

Dr Limb says when you compare Australia to countries that are known for their public transport services — like Japan — then "we're a long, long way behind."

"A lot of the times I think it is just a matter of how much resourcing we prioritise towards this compared to what the amount of resourcing we throw into our road system," he says.

"We currently have quite a bit of a mismatch around that compared to other places that perhaps do disproportionately fund public transport better."

In the 1960s, Japan built the world's first high-speed rail network — the Shinkansen, colloquially known as the bullet train.

It has since become a favourite mode of travel and a symbol of a country that has been at the forefront of technology.

"I lived in Japan for about four years and I can never once remember the train being closed for track works ever," he says.

"They simply just manage that around their services rather than bending their services towards their maintenance schedule."

Dr Limb says Australia's public transport systems would benefit from better "linking concepts" as well because public transport "obviously doesn't take you door to door."

"Making sure we have those active transport connections really well-linked in terms of high-quality pedestrian environments, safe and easy to access cycling environments."

"In other countries, you'll often find, like in the Netherlands for example, their train service has a bike system associated with it.

"You get off at the other end [and] they have bicycles that you can hire quite cheaply to take you to the next spot, and then similarly you can drop them back at the station or take them home at the other end as well."

"So I think things like that are the sort of things we need to think of.

"The fare is obviously important and I think people will absolutely respond to it."

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A firefighter dies and a long-distance train derails amid heavy rains and flooding in Germany

Flooding, high river levels and heavy rain led to the death of a firefighter and disrupted train travel across Germany on Sunday

FRANKFURT, Germany — Flooding, high river levels and heavy rain led to the death of a firefighter and disrupted train travel in southern Germany on Sunday.

The firefighter’s body was recovered after an inflatable watercraft carrying four firefighters capsized as they navigated floodwaters to bring residents to safety in the town of Pfaffenhofen, on the Ilm River in the southern Bavaria region, the dpa news agency reported.

A long-distance train derailed after the ground under a section of track collapsed near the town of Schwaebisch Gmund some 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Stuttgart late Saturday. The 185 passengers were uninjured.

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn warned of extensive cancellations and delays and told customers who postponed trips that their tickets would be honored. Traffic was disrupted on routes including those from Munich to Berlin, Stuttgart and the Swiss city of Zurich.

New BYD Hybrid Can Drive Non-Stop for More Than 2,000 Kilometers

• Dual-mode plug-in electric hybrid can manage New York to Miami
• Range anxiety still plays on consumers’ minds in making switch

BYD Co. unveiled a new hybrid powertrain capable of traveling more than 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) without recharging or refueling, intensifying the EV transition competition with the likes of Toyota Motor Corp. and Volkswagen AG .

The upgraded tech, which aims to put more distance between BYD and its rivals, will be launched in two sedans immediately that cost under 100,000 yuan ($13,800), the automaker said at an event live-streamed Tuesday evening from China.

Catching public transport in Queensland will soon cost just 50 cents. Are cheap fares good policy?

Senior Research Fellow, Cities Research Institute, Griffith University

Professor, Cities Research Institute, Griffith University

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Abraham Leung's research at Griffith Cities Research Institute is funded by the Transport Academic Partnership (Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) and the Motor Accident and Insurance Commission) and Transport Innovation and Research Hub (Brisbane City Council, BCC). His forthcoming Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellowship is funded and/or partnered with TMR, BCC, Townsville City Council, and micromobility operators (Neuron and Beam).

Matthew Burke has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, the Motor Accident and Insurance Commission, BEAM, Neuron Mobility, Brisbane City Council, the City of Gold Coast, Transport for NSW, the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland, Queensland Airport Limited, the Australia Awards (the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) and, the Queensland Government's Advancing Queensland.

Griffith University provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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As part of a six-month trial, public transport fares in Queensland will soon be slashed to just 50 cents per trip for everyone.

The cheap fares will apply to all trips on buses, light rail, trains, and ferries, over any distance, in cities and towns that are part of the Translink network.

Very-low flat fares have become fashionable policy as governments respond to cost of living pressures around the world.

In 2022, Germany experimented with a flat-rate €9 per-month rail pass over a 90-day period. And just last year, the UK government implemented a £2 fare cap on many single bus journeys in England.

Last summer, Western Australia offered free public transport to SmartRider pass users for five weeks.

“ Captive ” users of public transport – who have limited access to private vehicles and few alternatives – would surely welcome such schemes.

But who stands to benefit the most? Is offering free or nearly-free public transport a good policy idea?

The benefits aren’t spread evenly

Some trips across Queensland will now be extraordinarily cheap. You’ll be able to travel from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast for just 50 cents, if you don’t mind a four-hour trip on trams, trains and buses.

At an individual level, adults travelling the longest distances will benefit most. But as a group, commuters in the inner and middle suburbs of Brisbane and tertiary students will enjoy most of the benefits.

There are a few regional cities with well-frequented bus services, notably Townsville and Toowoomba. Passengers travelling from Yeppoon to Rockhampton, or from Proserpine airport to Airlie Beach, will get inter-city travel at an amazing price.

But the regions will otherwise benefit less than in South East Queensland, given the limited demand for public transport, and the lesser provision of services.

Will people ditch their cars and get back on public transport?

Queensland’s government hopes the move will boost public transport usage and reduce congestion.

The impacts of low flat fares on patronage have been studied elsewhere. Early reports from Germany suggested that €9-a-month fares were popular and even led to some overcrowding during peak tourist seasons .

To investigate the trial, researchers conducted a before-and-after survey to understand behaviour changes. They found that public transport use did increase, but not all trips taken privately were substituted.

It has been argued that car ownership produces lock-in effects . Affordable fares are only one of the motivators that can encourage a shift to public transport. Buses and trains also need to be frequent, reliable and comfortable when competing against private car travel.

The layout of Queensland’s cities and towns is highly car dependent. Our previous work has examined how spatial layout and the availability of public transport affect its patronage in different cities. Transport statistics reveal only about 10% of trips use public transport in Brisbane , while the figure is as high as 90% in Hong Kong .

The new low fares might help relieve congestion on a few arterial roads where public transport corridors run alongside an alternative, most notably on the M1 motorway between the Gold Coast and Brisbane. But with limited public transport coverage across much of Queensland, heavily discounted fares may not lead to a dramatic uptake in use.

What will the social and economic impact be?

This leads to a bigger debate on how we should price public transport and who should pay for it.

There is no straightforward answer to this. Even when public transport is made very cheap or even free, someone ultimately has to pay for it. The merits of any pricing policy should be evaluated in terms of the winners and losers across society as a whole, referred to as transport equity . Equity can have two dimensions:

• horizontal – reducing inequality between people in similar groups
• vertical – giving a greater share of resources to disadvantaged groups.

Everyone in Queensland will now pay 50 cents, no matter how far they go, which creates strong horizontal equity between travellers.

But the wealthy have reclaimed the centre of Australian cities, including Brisbane. As these nearly-free flat fares benefit so many inner-city and middle-suburban commuters, a very hefty subsidy will be going to a group who don’t necessarily need it, paid for by other forms of taxation.

Are there other ways to subsidise public transport?

Yes. One alternative is to directly target programs to those in need, such as by ring fencing benefits to a smaller area. This was recently tested in Los Angeles under a program called Universal Basic Mobility .

A transport stipend of US$150 per month was provided via a debit card called a “ mobility wallet ” to residents of a disadvantaged neighbourhood. The card could be also used for e-scooters, taxis and even Uber or Lyft. Service improvements were also rolled out.

Queensland itself has long provided free fares where they are seen to have a social benefit. The largest city councils often provide free bus travel for seniors outside peak hours, and popular “free” public transport to large stadiums for concerts or sporting events is covered by a fee hidden in the ticket price.

The state has also trialled another alternative – the ODIN Pass – which provides affordable multi-mode (bus, train, ferry and e-scooter) trips for students via a “ Mobility as a Service (MaaS) ” smartphone app.

Free or heavily discounted public transport can be a good idea – where it can help meet social goals. But it’s best when targeted at the most disadvantaged.

• Public transport
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• Better Cities
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