Brisbane

Travel to Brisbane

Flights to Brisbane leave from over a dozen airports across the UK and you can expect at least one change along the way, or possibly two if you're after a bargain flight! Make sure that you check your schedule carefully when you book because stopping twice may actually be faster than only stopping once. Flight times to Brisbane range from around twenty five hours upwards to around thirty eight hours, so be sure to pack some in-flight entertainment! It's easy to get cheap internal flights to Brisbane from all the major cities across Australia so you can create a tailor-made multi-destination holiday.

On arrival in Brisbane

Brisbane Airport lies about 10 miles from the heart of the Central Business District and with a variety of options awaiting you once you disembark you'll be resting at your accommodation in no time. Taxis offer the fastest way to get to your hotel, but be sure to fix a price for the journey before you hop in. You can make this a relatively good value way of getting there if you can share the price between several passengers. For cheaper alternatives try the public transport systems. The Airtrain runs every 15 minutes at peak times and takes you to the CBD as well as the South Bank, or there are dedicated shuttle buses to accommodation across the city. These must be booked in advance if you don't want to be waiting around for ages at the airport, and it's much cheaper if you sort out your return travel at the same time. If you're really looking to stretch your budget you can get the local bus 308 from the Airport Village and then take the commuter train into the city. Car hire is also available and is a great option if you're planning on taking a couple of day trips out of the city. Traffic isn't too bad in Brisbane, particularly if you snooze a little longer and avoid the morning rush hour!
Brisbane Airport Website

Getting around Brisbane

Brisbane is an excellent place to discover on foot or by bike as it's flat and very pedestrian and cycle friendly, particularly in the Central Business District. If you do want to head further out then there is a good bus and train network that will take you around the suburbs, or you can jump on a ferry and go by water, which is a wonderful way to see the sights too. All the public transport is run by the same company so you can get tickets that let you on all three modes. Green Cabs are a fairly new and popular way to get around the central areas under someone else's steam, these cycle rickshaws can carry a couple of adults plus a couple of kids and some offer tours as well. If you plan on driving around the centre be aware that parking prices are pretty steep and that there is a pretty comprehensive one-way system, so make sure you have a top-notch navigator with you! Taxis are also available.

Travelling further afield

There are train and bus connections to other destinations along the Queensland coast so you could combine a holiday in Brisbane with a spot of surfing or diving at some of the nearby beaches. You can also get a longer distance bus to Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and many more smaller stops along the way. It's not exactly the most glamorous way to travel but if you're seeing the country on a budget it's perfect. Trains run twice a day to Sydney, from where you can catch a whole host of other connections if you would prefer to make the journey this way. You can explore the surrounding area by car and there are plenty of sights to see along the way, but if you're planning on covering long distances it might be worth hopping on an internal flight and then hiring another car at the other end.