To avoid cluttering on other topics.
Discuss happenings and developments of the Gold Coast transport network, be it Queensland Rail services, G:link trams, Kinetic Surfside buses, on demand operations and also Transport for NSW duties over the border.
The Tweed Shire is not part of Queensland… For now.
I think Gold Coast could do with a HF service along SR3 from Southport to Burleigh Heads.
Agree. With a few bus jumps at intersections as well.
My wishlist for GCLR 3 is basically as follows. This wouldn’t be revenue neutral though (ie applying service km currently taken up by the 700, 765 and 777 between Broadbeach South and Burleigh Heads).
Following existing routes to HF standard 7 days per week - 722, 735, 745, 747.
Additional weekend trips for 713 and 719 to get those to HF standard.
765 goes back to its original Robina end route (Robina Station, Robina TC, Christine Ave) and terminates at Miami.
756 split into 2 more direct routes south of Pizzey Park.
GC Hwy corridor routes become:
HF 770 - Stockland Burleigh to Tweed (same as Burleigh - Tweed stretch of current 700).
HF 775 - Stockland Burleigh to The Pines (same as Burleigh - The Pines stretch of current 765)
HF 777 - Varsity Lakes station to Gold Coast Airport (same route as current 777 south of Burleigh, then to Varsity along West Burleigh Rd).
All 3 routes would stop at all stops between Burleigh and Thrower Drive and be timetabled for an even 5 minute headway.
704 and 750 upgraded to run every 10 minutes during 7am-7pm and to have 24/7 ops overnight (704 only from Southport to Helensvale).
Route N700 runs half hourly 12am - 5am when trams aren’t running - this is the current overnight 700 but extended from GCUH to Helensvale.
All HF services then run every 15min or better 7am-7pm and operate at least half-hourly (outside those windows) from about 5-6am to 10-11pm, all 7 days a week - with a few earlier or later trips where the route connects to a train so it meets all or nearly all out of peak train.
Weekend services for 739, 746 and 749.
Focus on ensuring all other bus routes run at least hourly from 6-7am to 7-8pm 7 days a week except for the 737 and TX7.
Buy hybrid or straight electric articulated buses (at least 50) for the busiest routes.
Use the TMR land behing the West Burleigh wrecking yard to build a new bus depot, and relocate/expand the Currumbin depot.
Kinetic Surfside is on a massive roll this year bringing more and more brand new GBV buses mounted on MAN 19.330 Euro 6 chassis.
Molendinar has units 955-957, 991-994 and 5771-5776 (ex-Sunbus SC numbering because they were originally intended for Marcoola) while Coomera has 958 all the way to 990.
I do wonder when more units with electric traction will be rolled out here.
When the State does something a bit more concrete with their procurement strategy I guess. I’m also sceptical they will want to pay to fit out Tweed with the necessary gear.
I half wonder if the future is a new depot at West Burleigh behind the wrecking yard, and to expand Currumbin. That would wipe out a hell of a lot of dead running and ensure more of the hard infrastructure is physically within Queensland. Even Tweed itself might need to relocate in the future as the local centre of gravity / population growth / major services shifts a bit further south towards Kingscliff. (Any cooperation with the NSW Government seems to be more or less impossible, even though it shouldn’t be.)
With all these new buses on the Gold Coast, makes you wonder when the Sunshine Coast will get some.
I counted the number of “Mechanical issues” related cancellations on the Sunshine Coast bus network the other day, and there was 8 of them, and it was only around 1PM.
I wonder if there’s any way to get the NSW & Qld governments to co-operate on journey planning? Currently, if I try to plan a trip from Kirra Beach to Tweed City shopping centre, Translink tells me to take a bus to Wharf St, then walk 3.7 km.
The NSW 600 exists, and can be used for this purpose, admittedly, costing a bit more than 50 cents. You can find it on the NSW trip planner.
However, if you want to travel to/from a little further north (say Tugun), the TLJP gives basically the same result; bus to Wharf St and walk 3.7 km. NSW doesn’t allow searching for anywhere not serviced by the 600.
Is there any way we could petition the NSW and/or Qld governments to have an integrated journey planner, even if fares aren’t integrated? Surely it can’t be that hard to do through the publicly-available data?
Even though it is unlikely is there any possibility tweed heads could join Queensland if the locals wanted it?
Possibly, but I believe it would need the consent of both the NSW and Qld Parliaments, and possibly also a referendum of the entirety of both states, not just the affected part.
That’s my reading of s.123 of the Constitution, but I’m not any kind of lawyer.
Printable timetables for Kinetic Surfside services are now available on translink’s website.
I had a quick look through them and most timing changes are very minor and probably not even noticeable to most passengers.
The 759 is the only non-northern route that’s getting a rethinking: currently trips start at Robina, go through Town Centre > Mudgeeraba > Varsity Lakes > Reedy Creek, starting the return journey at Bridgman Drive.
The new routing swaps the order of the journey: Robina > Town Centre > Mudgeeraba > REEDY CREEK > Varsity Lakes. Repeat that in reverse, making for a more direct journey for residents of the area.
QR timetables are still not available.
Question on Notice
No. 1035
Asked on 16 September 2025
MS B ASIF ASKED MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS
(HON B MICKELBERG)
QUESTION:
Will the Minister advise the month and year that the Crisafulli LNP Government currently
estimates the following work, recommended in the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 4 Review Report,
will commence and be completed (a) the investigations into enhanced bus lanes on the southern
Gold Coast and (b) the Gold Coast regional transport planning exercise to be undertaken by the
Department of Transport and Main Roads?
ANSWER:
I thank the Member for the question.
Timeframes for the commencement and completion of the bus service enhancements and public
transport planning work are currently being developed as part of consideration of the Review
recommendations, and I look forward to providing further information once finalised.
The QR timetable for Gold Coast line services is up.
I’m curious to know what people think about a Gold Coast shuttle train Beenleigh <> Varsity Lakes.
A GC shuttle train could fill gaps in the timetable so that 15 min frequency is provided.
With the opening of new Gold Coast line stations, there would be 10 stations on the line. Possibly enough to fill gaps.
Any thoughts about this? Would it be worth it?
It’s quite popular on event days for short trips so I’d reckon there could be something good to chase in there.
Back to Pimpama and scheduling: I’m happy to report that pretty much all stop timetables around the GC have been replaced with new ones.
Good job on that translink I guess.
It isn’t physically possible given where the turnouts are located. Ormeau to Varsity possibly.
