Follow these guidelines and tips below to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey for everyone on our services.
Travel tips
- Have your go card, contactless card or smart device (for travel on trains, trams and Brisbane River ferries) or valid paper ticket ready.
- Reminder: services in South East Queensland are currently cashless.
- Arrive at your stop five minutes before the scheduled departure time.
- Use the MyTranslink app to check arrival times of your service.
- To hail a bus, raise your hand to show that you'd like the bus driver to stop. Make sure you are standing in a visible location so the driver can clearly see you.
- Favourite your service in the MyTranslink app to receive notifications of service disruptions.
- To get off a bus, press the stop button well before your stop, at least 100 metres, to allow the driver to stop smoothly and safely.
- Treat all public transport staff and other passengers with courtesy and respect (see Passenger Code of Conduct).
- For lost property, please contact the operator of the service the item was left on.
- If you're transferring to another service, you can combine your trips into a single fare.
Transferring between services
With our transfer options, you can combine two or more smaller trips into one overall journey, with one fare.
Use one card or device per customer to tap on and off for each trip. Our system will automatically combine your trips into a single fare.
Payment using contactless card or smart device is currently accepted for adult fares for trains, trams and Brisbane River ferries as part of the Smart Ticketing project. For journeys including a transfer to bus or or Southern Moreton Bay Island ferries, please continue to use your go card for now.
Train-to-train transfers only need to be tapped off at the end of the journey.
- One-hour time limit between transfers.
- Maximum of 3 transfers per journey.
- Total journey length must be shorter than 6 hours.
- Final trip must start within 3.5 hours of first trip.
- Unlimited transfers within 2 hours (3.5 hours if travelling more than 4 zones—SEQ only)
- You must start your final trip before the printed expiry time
- Returning to your initial departure destination is not permitted—you must purchase another paper ticket to do this
Please note, Gympie and Sunshine Coast Hinterland are not part of the South East Queensland fare network. Separate tickets are needed if you are travelling in both regions.
Travelling with large items
Please be aware of these extra safety measures when travelling with a pram or stroller.
You may need to fold your pram or stroller and store it in the luggage rack if:
- you are travelling during peak times
- the bus driver advises that there is not enough space on board the bus to safely park the pram
- it is not a wheelchair accessible bus
- the designated wheelchair space in already occupied or it is required throughout the trip.
At all other times, you can travel with the child seated in the pram or stroller.
Please remember to:
- park your pram or stroller in the designated wheelchair space with its brake on, and
- ensure your child is secured in the pram or stroller harness
- hold on to the pram during the journey to prevent tipping or sliding.
Due to workplace health and safety concerns, Translink staff are not required to assist in folding and loading prams or other large objects.
Special conditions apply if you want to take your bike or scooter on the bus, train, ferry or tram.
You can take surfboards, golf bags and other large items on our services that are equipped to do so. You may be refused travel or directed to use off-peak services if you have items which may inconvenience other passengers or pose a safety hazard.
Long surfboards cannot be carried on smaller Sunbus (Sunshine Coast) or Surfside (Gold Coast) buses.
You can take luggage and shopping bags on our services, provided there is space to do so.
Please use luggage racks or store items under your seat, to minimise disruption to other passengers.
Travelling with pets
You will need an approved Assistance Animal Pass if you wish to travel with a pet on our buses, trains, trams and ferries.
However, you don't need an Assistance Animal Pass if you are travelling with a pet dog on Brisbane River ferries and CityCats between:
- 8.30am - 3.30pm and 7pm - 6am weekdays, and all weekend.
Before you take your dog on a ferry please review our requirements (111KB, PDF), and ensure that:
- your dog is on a lead and wearing a muzzle, or in an enclosed carrier
- your dog is under your control and remains outside the ferry cabin
- you carry waste bags and clean up after your dog.
Due to capacity constraints, or other operational reasons, ferry staff may ask you and your dog to wait for another service.
Hail 'n' ride
There are several services around the network where you can catch the bus without waiting at a bus stop.
Hail 'n' ride locations are usually in rural and regional areas.
Contact your local bus operator for details about hail 'n' ride locations.
In addition to the above, in Cairns you cannot hail 'n' ride:
- within Cairns City
- along Sheridan Street or Mulgrave Road, except the following approved hail 'n' ride locations: