Brisbane Airport is about 15 km from the CBD. Transport costs are moderate by Australian standards, with the Airtrain offering a solid budget option.
Cost breakdown by transport type
| Transport | Price (AUD) | Price (EUR) | Notes | |-----------|-------------|-------------|-------| | Airtrain (one way) | AUD 22 | EUR 13 | Flat fare to all city stations | | Airtrain (return) | AUD 36 | EUR 22 | Return valid for 6 months | | Taxi | AUD 45-60 | EUR 27-36 | Metered + AUD 3.70 airport fee | | Uber/DiDi | AUD 35-55 | EUR 21-33 | Dynamic pricing | | Private transfer (sedan) | AUD 70-100 | EUR 42-60 | Fixed, door to door | | Private transfer (minivan) | AUD 100-140 | EUR 60-84 | Groups or heavy luggage | | Bus 590 | AUD 5-8 | EUR 3-5 | TransLink go card |
Cost by destination
| Destination | Airtrain | Taxi | Transfer | |-------------|----------|------|----------| | Central Station / CBD | AUD 22 | AUD 45-55 | AUD 70-90 | | South Bank | AUD 22 | AUD 48-58 | AUD 70-90 | | Fortitude Valley | AUD 22 | AUD 42-52 | AUD 70-90 | | New Farm | N/A (train + walk) | AUD 40-50 | AUD 70-90 | | Surfers Paradise | AUD 35-40 (train + tram) | AUD 130-160 | AUD 120-160 | | Noosa (Sunshine Coast) | N/A | AUD 200-250 | AUD 180-230 | | Ipswich | N/A | AUD 100-130 | AUD 90-120 |
The Airtrain value calculation
For one or two travelers heading to the CBD, the Airtrain at AUD 22 per person is clearly the best value. For a couple, that is AUD 44 total — comparable to a taxi but faster.
For three or more travelers, a taxi at AUD 50-55 (split three ways at AUD 17-18 each) actually beats the Airtrain per person. And a transfer at AUD 80 split four ways is only AUD 20 per person — with door-to-door service included.
Airport surcharge
Taxis leaving BNE add an automatic AUD 3.70 airport surcharge to the meter. This is standard and applies to all rides. Uber and DiDi include their airport pickup fee in the quoted price.
Gold Coast on a budget
The cheapest way to the Gold Coast is the Airtrain to Helensvale station (about AUD 30-35), then the G:link tram to Surfers Paradise (about AUD 5 with a go card). Total: roughly AUD 35-40 versus AUD 130-160 by taxi. The journey takes about 90 minutes but saves over AUD 90.
Bottom line
The Airtrain is the standout budget option for CBD trips. For groups sharing a taxi or transfer, the per-person cost drops to competitive levels with added convenience. For the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast, a pre-booked transfer is significantly cheaper than a metered taxi over those distances.