Brisbane Airport is about 15 km from the CBD. Transport costs are moderate by Australian standards, with the Airtrain offering a solid budget option.
The two published tariffs
Brisbane is unusual in that both of the main options have real, citable prices rather than estimates:
Airtrain: fares start from AUD 23.30 to all Brisbane City stations (TransLink, effective 27 April 2026). Children 14 and under travel free with a paying adult, provided the adult buys an eTicket online or a paper ticket at the same time — the offer does not work with go cards. Airtrain also advertises a 15% online discount and a $17 City Fare for two or more adults travelling together in both directions.
Taxis: metered on the Queensland government maximum fares, from 1 July 2026:
- Flagfall: AUD 3.80 (7am-7pm weekdays), AUD 6.20 at all other times
- Distance: AUD 2.77 per km in South East Queensland
- Waiting time: AUD 1.04 per minute
- Booking fee: AUD 1.90 (only if you book rather than use the rank)
- Card surcharge: capped at 5%
Over the 15 km to the CBD that comes to roughly AUD 45 by day and AUD 48 at night on the meter alone, before waiting time in traffic and the airport's access fee — so AUD 45-60 is the realistic band.
Cost breakdown by transport type
| Transport | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Airtrain (one way) | From AUD 23.30 (about EUR 14) | Same fare to all city stations |
| Airtrain — children 14 and under | Free | With a paying adult; not on go card |
| Taxi | ~AUD 45-60 (about EUR 28-37) | Metered on the QLD tariff, plus airport access fee |
| Uber/DiDi | Quoted in app | Demand-driven, not tariffed |
| Private transfer | Fixed at booking | Sedan or minivan; door to door |
| Bus 590 | Standard TransLink fare | No cash on board |
Fixed-price private transfer
BNE Brisbane City Center
From€82for 2 passengers
4 passengers: €113 per vehicle, about €28 per person
- Fixed price, no meter
- Flight tracked
- 60 min free waiting
- Driver meets you at arrivals
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before pickup
Cost by destination
| Destination | Airtrain | Taxi |
|---|---|---|
| Central Station / CBD | From AUD 23.30 | ~AUD 45-60 |
| South Bank | From AUD 23.30 | ~AUD 45-60 |
| Fortitude Valley | From AUD 23.30 | ~AUD 45-60 |
| New Farm | Train + walk | Metered — similar order to the CBD |
| Surfers Paradise | Airtrain to Helensvale + G:link tram | Metered over ~95 km |
| Noosa (Sunshine Coast) | N/A | Metered over ~100 km |
| Ipswich | N/A | Metered — around 40 km |
The Airtrain fare is the same to every Brisbane City station, so the first three rows are identical by design. Taxi fares to everywhere else follow straight from the per-km rate above — we would rather show you the arithmetic than invent a range per suburb.
The Airtrain value calculation
For one or two travellers heading to the CBD, the Airtrain from AUD 23.30 per person is the best value, and faster than the road. For a couple, the $17 City Fare (two or more adults, both directions) brings it down further.
The calculation flips with group size: a taxi is charged per car, not per head, so three or four people splitting one metered fare of roughly AUD 45-60 can land near or below the per-person train fare — with door-to-door service included. The exception is families, where the Airtrain is very hard to beat: adults pay, and every child aged 14 and under rides free.
Airport access fee
Airports charge taxis a fee to enter and collect passengers, and it is added to your total. Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads is explicit that these access fees are not regulated by TMR — which is why we do not print a figure for it. Uber and DiDi build their own airport pickup fee into the quote you see in the app.
Gold Coast on a budget
The cheapest way to the Gold Coast is the Airtrain to Helensvale station, then the G:link tram to Surfers Paradise. The journey takes about 90 minutes and costs a fraction of a metered taxi over roughly 95 km. Check current fares with Airtrain and TransLink before you travel.
Bottom line
The Airtrain is the standout budget option for CBD trips, and the free child fare makes it the family option too. For groups of three or more sharing one car, a taxi or transfer drops to a competitive per-person cost with door-to-door convenience. For the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast, the per-km taxi rate is punishing over those distances — a pre-booked transfer with a fixed price is the sensible comparison.
When a private transfer from BNE is the right choice
- Three or more people: a 4-seat car to Brisbane City Center is from €113, about €28 per person, usually level with or below separate public-transport tickets once you count the walk, the wait and the last mile with bags.
- Going to a specific address rather than the main station: the car goes to the door, so the public-transport fare is not the whole cost of the trip.
- Arriving tired or late: the driver waits at arrivals with your name, included for 60 minutes after landing.
BNE → Brisbane City Center from €82Fixed price, flight tracked, free cancellation up to 24 h before pickup.