Brisbane is well connected by air and it is increasingly affordable to fly here.
Brisbane Airport is about 16km northwest of the city centre and is comprised of two terminals – domestic and international – located 2km apart.
The easiest way to the airport is by the Air Train. The Air Train runs to the city centre four times an hour and to the Gold Coast twice an hour. The trip between the airport and the city centre takes 22 minutes and costs $16.50. Many hostels sell discounted tickets for the Air Train.
Alternatively, Con-X-ion Airport Transfers run mini buses into central Brisbane that cost $15–20 each way.
Greyhound Australia and Premier Motor Service coaches arrive at the Brisbane Transit Centre on Roma Street. There are daily coaches to most destinations with more frequent services on the popular Sydney and Cairns routes.
The Roma Street Transit Centre is Brisbane’s main train station for long-distance travel with daily trains to most major destinations including frequent local trains within the Brisbane area, trains to the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, interstate services to New South Wales and trains on the Brisbane–Cairns line.
Long distance trains from Roma Street train station include the NSW TrainLink XPT train to Sydney, the Westlander to Charleville, the Spirit of the Outback to Longreach (via Rockhampton), the Tilt Train to Rockhampton and the Spirit of Queensland to Cairns.
Greyhound is based in Toowoomba and has coaches to Brisbane, Cunnamulla, Lightning Ridge and Rockhampton. The Greyhound terminal is at 28 Neil Street.
The Westlander train stops in Toowoomba en route between Brisbane and Charleville.
Toowoomba train station is located on Railway Street at the northern end of the city centre.
Although the Gold Coast is close enough to make Brisbane’s airport a convenient gateway, Gold Coast Airport (OOL) in Coolangatta at the southern end of the coast has frequent flights from most major destinations in Australia.
Surfside buses stop on the Gold Coast Highway outside the Airport, and they also operate an airport shuttle service from both Brisbane and Gold Coast/Coolangatta Airports with drop-offs to hostels and hotels along the Gold Coast. The shuttle costs around $21, so it’s a much better idea to walk five minutes to the highway and catch the local bus (route 700 to Surfers Paradise) for just $7.50 (or $5.24 with a go card).
If you’re travelling from Brisbane Airport, the Airtrain operates twice an hour with a connecting bus to Surfers Paradise. It costs $35.90 from the airport to Robina station or $55 with a connecting shuttle bus to your hostel.
Port Macquarie’s small airport has flights to Brisbane and Sydney. The airport is served by Qantaslink and Virgin Australia.
Greyhound Australia and Premier Motor Service coaches run up and down the coast stopping in Port Macquarie at the transit centre at 28 Hayward Street near the Coles supermarket.
