The Metro and most frequent bus routes going via Cultural Centre don’t directly service Central or Fortitude Valley Stations (the Glider is a block or two away), and the Metros would likely end up overcrowded during any significant events held at South Bank (Brisbane Festival and Riverfire, NYE, etc).
Cross River Rail is going to result in a significant reduction of train services to one of Brisbane’s most popular inner city destinations, so it’s practically a given that some of that reduction will be countered with a Bowen Hills - Boggo Road service.
I’m sort of implicitly assuming that track would need to move a bit anyway, but it’s a good point that the DG side would need to swap (and on both sides of the platform).
It does so coming into Roma St so it’s clearly doable, but perhaps not something you want to do too often.
Still if the XPT only runs a couple of times a day, that seems acceptable compared to the platform benefits for the QR trains running several times an hour.
I see kyogle campaigners aiming for better times…heres hoping with bulk of GC line trains shift to enable xpts to enter outside peaks between Boggo and Salisbury… During daytime but knowing xpt, they delayed often
And i think DG is one track only so would be nice if duplicated too
I would be ok with duplicating it if it was in conjunction with passenger rail to at least Flagstone. I believe with the inland rail proposal there was going to be a dual track freight line and a dual track passenger line, but I wonder if the inland rail project is being scrapped then just a dual gauge line with shared passenger and freight is adequate based on current line traffic. Of course if that is to change because of inland rail or a planned increase in freight traffic then would be worth revisiting.
Two of the suburban line should have DG between Boggo and Salisbury to allow flexability and with ETCS, the XPT can easily navigate into empty slots with windows of 6 mins each time before suburban trains needs to use line during off peak
Agree. Most of the standard gauge traffic is going to Acacia Ridge and not congesting the suburban network. I mean, apart from the very rare standard gauge tourist train (there’s a group based out of Coffs Harbour that has been a few times), the XPT and seasonal Great Southern are the only services going north of the flyover at Boggo Rd.
If you had 4 tracks Salisbury to Boggo Rd, 2 being DG at that point makes more sense to maintain directional running flow in the absence of a clear bidirectional track.
Yes - I think that the western track pair should be dual gauge with Salisbury/Flagstone services going via Merivale Bridge, and the eastern track pair the Beenleigh/GC services via CRR, with Beenleigh services running express from Salisbury to Boggo Road. This would significantly speed up Beenleigh line services making them more appealing.
I agree regarding the 5 tracks. My only concern regarding that is if the existing corridor is to be used from Boggo Road southwards, achieving this without a massive and expensive resumption of properties will not be possible.
Ultimately I feel gutted they didn’t proceed with the original southern plan with the tunnel to Yeerongpilly as this would have solved the issue.
I don’t know if this has been posted here yet but I saw this at Roma Street station last night. It looks like the same kind of display used at the Melbourne Metro Tunnel stations.
A shame that all that space above the station that could have been dedicated to retail and businesses seems like it will go to waste. I understand that brisbane transit centre was a bit dead before it was torn down but maybe if the state government actually tried to entice businesses to set up it could work, it works in Sydney and Melbourne, not to mention Japan and Singapore so why wouldn’t it work in Brisbane? Does anyone have any info on if this was even considered.
I think they might have looked at it VERY early on, but later decided to concentrate on developing across the road instead - QIC’s 101 Albert Street project.
Brisbane as a whole is just really bad at enticing people to the CBD for tourism or just pleasure compared to Melbourne and Sydney
I guess it could definitely be because of the gold and sunshine coast’s but CBD tourism just is never really a focus for Brisbane, in that way it really feels like a country town compared to Melbourne and Sydney’s CBD’s which act as the centre for tourism as well
iPhone Photo 17.06.2026
iPhone Photo 17.06.2026
iPhone Photo 30.06.2026
iPhone Photo 30.06.2026