Brisbane is set to implement the most significant transformation of its bus network in decades, commencing Monday, June 30, 2025. This comprehensive overhaul, introducing a “trunk and feeder” model, aims to enhance efficiency and connectivity across the city. While the changes are designed to benefit the broader community, students, particularly those at QUT, will experience notable impacts on their daily commutes.
The Brisbane City Council, in collaboration with Translink, is launching the new bus network alongside the Brisbane Metro M1 service. This initiative represents the most substantial uplift to the city’s bus network in over a decade. Approximately 70% of existing bus routes will undergo changes, including renumbering, rerouting, or removal.
Six new routes are being added to Brisbane’s bus network:
Route | Where It Goes | Why It Matters |
26 | Garden City (Upper Mt Gravatt) → RBWH via Woolloongabba and Fortitude Valley | Connects southern suburbs to the inner north, great for students doing placements or commutes near Herston. |
P109 | Acacia Ridge → City via Ipswich Road | A faster peak-hour option from the south-west into the city. |
127 | Indooroopilly → Fairfield Gardens via Yeronga | A handy suburban connector; ideal for students living near UQ or Indooroopilly. |
182 | Garden City → Holland Park West via Wishart & Mansfield | Serves quieter suburbs, useful for southside students wanting to reach the busway. |
197 | South Brisbane → City | Short but useful for inner-city travel and connections to Cultural Centre/QUT Gardens Point. |
M1 | Eight Mile Plains → Roma Street (Metro Service) | Replaces Route 111; fast, frequent, and now running 24/7 on weekends — connects to the heart of the city and a short walk to QUT GP. |
If you’re travelling from the southside, Route 26 and the M1 are now your go-to. For westside students, Route 127 adds a new option that connects directly to key uni-friendly hubs.
Three routes are being completely discontinued. If you rely on these, you’ll need to plan an alternative trip or make a transfer. In the new system, most long-haul routes are being cut back to feed into faster services like the Metro. Make sure you check Translink’s Journey Planner before classes start back.
Cancelled Routes:
Route | Where it goes | Impact |
28 | Langlands Park → University of Queensland | Students commuting to UQ from the east will need to use alternative routes and transfer near Woolloongabba. |
145 | Browns Plains → Griffith University (Nathan) | This cut affects students living in Logan suburbs — check for replacements like the adjusted Route 135 or new M1 connections. |
P151 | Calamvale → City | A popular peak-hour service; now replaced by the hub-and-spoke model requiring transfers at Garden City or PA Hospital. |
Some existing routes are being divided to better connect with the new “hub-and-spoke” system. This means the full journey you used to do on one bus may now involve a transfer These changes are meant to boost reliability — but they’ll take some getting used to.
Old Route | Now Becomes | What It Means |
375 (Bardon → Stafford) | 348 (Stafford → City via Lutwyche) + 375 (Bardon → City) | Students commuting from Bardon or Stafford will now use separate services depending on which direction they’re heading. |
379 (Ashgrove → Stafford via Grange) | 347 (Stafford → City via Grange) + 379 (Ashgrove → City) | Divided to create clearer northside-to-city access, especially useful for Kelvin Grove students. |
470 (Toowong → Teneriffe Ferry) | 470 (Toowong → City) + 309(RBWH → City via Teneriffe) | East-west travellers will need to switch between the inner-city and hospital zone routes — important for QUT GP and health placement students. |
To reduce duplication and streamline services, twelve routes are being merged. If you were catching any of the below pairs, they’re now operating as a single combined route. If you’ve ever stood at a stop wondering whether to wait for the 174 or the 175 – good news: you’ll only need to remember one number now.
Old Routes | What to Expect | ||
124 + 125 | Continues to serve southside suburbs into the city — now just one bus, not two. | ||
174 + 175 | Reduces overlap through Holland Park and Mt Gravatt East. | ||
184 + 185 | Less confusion in Tarragindi and Moorooka areas; same reach, simpler route. | ||
108 + 105 | Focuses on Indooroopilly and surrounding suburbs with more frequency. | ||
117 + 115 | Western suburbs route condensed for clarity and consistency. | ||
136 + 132 | Southside services combined for easier access around Sunnybank. | ||
178 + 177 | Cleaner connections in Runcorn and Eight Mile Plains. | ||
P129 + 131 | Peak-hour services now simplified for easier transfers. | ||
P157 + 156 | Streamlines Calamvale and Algester peak-hour travel. | ||
P173 + 172 | Reduces fragmentation for southside city-bound commuters. | ||
P207 + P217 | Consolidates long-distance express services into one. | ||
P343 + 345 | Focuses on the northern corridor with a unified city run. | ||
If your usual bus wasn’t cancelled, merged, or split. It probably still isn’t what it used to be. A whopping 155 existing routes are being changed in some way: renumbered, shortened, redirected, or rerouted to feed into a Metro or busway transfer.
- Your stop might have moved.
- Your bus might end earlier than before.
- You might need to transfer at a hub.
- The number might be different (Route 111 is now M1)
- “Direct to city” routes are being replaced by “hub and transfer” models.
Basically, if you take a particular bus you check if your route still exists, what number it is now, where it goes, and whether you’ll need to transfer. The Translink Journey Planner is your new best friend
Under the new network, twelve suburban routes will no longer go all the way into the city. Instead, they’ll terminate at a major busway interchange, where you’ll transfer to a Metro or a high-frequency “turn-up-and-go” service to reach your final stop. If you’re from the south, east, or outer suburbs, this is where your direct trip into the city stops; quite literally. From now on, you’ll be getting off at a hub and jumping on a second bus (like the M1 or M2) to finish the ride.
Route | New Termination Point | What it Means |
105 | PA Hospital or Buranda (likely) | Southside uni commuters must switch services to reach city or QUT GP. |
110 | Ends at Princess Alexandra Hospital | Transfer to M2 to reach CBD — adds a stop but not much time |
112 | PA or Woolloongabba area | Previously a through-service, now requires a switch. |
113 | Similar to 112 | Commuters from southwest suburbs must adjust. |
115 | Indooroopilly–Toowong loop changes | Now connects to busway instead of CBD. |
135 | Ends at Griffith Uni busway | City travel now requires a change. |
155 | Garden City terminus | Connect to M1 or another frequent service. |
161 | Southside-to-busway realignment | No more direct city access. |
170 | Renumbered to 179, busway shift | One of many where direct city routes have been broken up. |
172 | Merged and busway redirected | Southside students: double-check this one. |
202 | Woolloongabba or South Bank likely | Transfer into city, Kelvin Grove students affected. |
203 | Also redirected to end at a hub | East Brisbane/Norman Park commutes now include a transfer. |
What This Means for QUT Students
Gardens Point Campus
If you’re commuting to QUT Gardens Point:
- Expect to transfer more frequently at major busway hubs like Cultural Centre or King George Square.
- Example: If you used Route 110 from Inala, you’ll now stop at Princess Alexandra Hospital, then transfer to M2 to reach the city.
- Route 111 is gone, replaced by the M1, which links Eight Mile Plains to Roma Street (a short walk to Gardens Point).
Kelvin Grove Campus
If you’re heading to Kelvin Grove:
- Some direct services (like 375 from Bardon) have been split; now you might use 348 and transfer at RBWH.
- From the south or west, you’ll likely transfer at Roma Street or RBWH, then connect via local buses (e.g. 390s) or walk.
These changes are part of a broader effort to modernize Brisbane’s public transport system, aiming to improve service efficiency and reduce congestion. While the adjustments may require commuters to adapt to new routes and stops, the overall goal is to enhance the reliability and capacity of the city’s bus services.
For detailed information on specific route changes and to plan your journey, visit Translink’s Journey Planner.