Brisbane International Airport (YBBN/BNE)
Brisbane, Australia
Brisbane Airline Crew Layover Guide
Reviewed by Captain AL
Crew car rental deal ↓Hotel deals ↓
The BNE crew card
| Fastest into town | Airtrain from the station directly in front of your terminal: 20 minutes between Brisbane Airport and Brisbane City, AUD 23.30 for an adult one way |
|---|---|
| First and last train | First train from the airport 5:04am on weekdays and 6:04am on weekends and public holidays; last train from the airport 10:04pm. Outside those hours it is a taxi or a rideshare. Coming back, the last train from Central to the airport leaves at 9:31pm, weekdays and weekends, which is 33 minutes before the last train out of the airport and is the one that strands people. |
| Payments | Queensland’s 50 cent flat fare does NOT cover the airport train. Airtrain is a non-Translink operator, so a go card or a contactless Visa or Mastercard is charged the Airtrain fare of AUD 23.30 to any Brisbane City station |
| Tap water | Safe to drink |
| Emergency | 000 (Queensland Government numbers; 000 is the national emergency number) · non-emergency 13 14 44 |
| Solo & at night | Taxis run 24/7 from sheltered ranks right outside both the Domestic and the International Terminal, with kerbside officers on hand at peak times |
| Crew knows | Queensland’s 50 cent flat fare stops at the airport gate: Airtrain is a separate operator and charges AUD 23.30 into Brisbane City. Coming back it is the clock rather than the fare that catches people, because the last train from Central to the airport leaves at 9:31pm, earlier than the last one out of the airport |
| Crew deals | Verified car rental and hotel rates for airline staff: on this page, right below this guide. |
airlinecrewdiscount.net · BNE crew card · Checked Aug 2026 · Next check Nov 2026 · Screenshot this card for offline
Every number on this page comes from an official source. Where no official source gives a number, we say so instead of guessing.
Getting from BNE Airport into Brisbane City: which ride makes sense?
Brisbane has two terminals and each has its own Airtrain station directly in front of it. The train is the fast way in and the expensive one: it is a private operator, so the 50 cent fare that covers the rest of Queensland stops at the airport gate. The cheap way in exists, but it costs you a change and a walk.
👉 Swipe sideways to see the full table
| Mode | Time | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train (Airtrain, Domestic Airport and International Airport stations) | 20 minutes between Brisbane Airport and Brisbane City every 15 minutes at peak times and every 30 minutes off peak |
AUD 23.30 adult one way to any Brisbane City station, the same from either airport station and in both directions; AUD 23.80 to any other South East Queensland station; children 14 and under travel free to the city stations | Brisbane City stations are Eagle Junction, Wooloowin, Albion, Bowen Hills, Fortitude Valley, Central, Roma Street and South Brisbane. From the Domestic Terminal, go out to the front of the building and take the Skywalk across to the station. From the International Terminal, take the travelator or lift to Level 3 and follow the signs. Pay with an Airtrain ticket bought online or at the station, a go card, or a contactless Visa or Mastercard. The AUD 23.30 fare has been effective since 27 April 2026 per the transport authority. Last departure from Central to the airport is 9:31pm, weekdays and weekends; first is 4:31am weekdays and 5:40am weekends. |
| Bus (free Skygate transfer bus, then Translink route 590) | route 590 runs seven days a week | AUD 0.50, the Translink flat fare, after a free airport transfer bus; one fare covers the whole journey when you transfer and tap correctly | Route 590 does not call at the terminals. Take the airport’s own complimentary Skygate Loop bus first: about 5 minutes from the Domestic Terminal and about 15 minutes from the International Terminal via the Domestic Terminal. From Skygate, route 590 runs to Toombul Interchange for the suburban rail network. No cash is accepted on Translink buses, so bring a go card or a contactless card. Read the caveat in the tips: the airport train is unaffected by the Queensland Rail industrial action, but this route uses the Queensland Rail network, which the rail operator states is on a modified schedule. |
| Taxi | approximately a 20 minute drive from the airport to the city outside peak periods 24/7 |
AUD 67 to AUD 82 one way to Brisbane City, plus a fee of AUD 4.86 added to any fare collected from the airport; toll road fees are extra and are the passenger’s responsibility | Sheltered ranks sit right outside both terminals. At the Domestic Terminal the rank is centrally in front of the terminal building; at the International Terminal it is in front of the terminal on the Level 2 Arrivals Road, through the doors and out to the left. Brisbane has two taxi companies: 13cabs on 13 22 27 and Black & White Cabs on 133 222. The airport publishes no flat rate and no fare table beyond the city. |
| Rideshare (Uber, Didi, Ola, Sheba) | app priced, with a fee of AUD 4.86 added to your fare when you use a rideshare service from the airport | Order in the app and follow the signs to the designated Rideshare Booking areas. At the International Terminal the exit is at the end of the building on Level 2, behind The Coffee Club, then down the ramp and along the path. At the Domestic Terminal, pick up is on the central road between the taxi rank and passenger pick up and drop off, either side of the Skywalk, two crossings from the terminal door. |
Best Areas for Crew Stays in Brisbane, from the CBD stations on the airport line to the riverside quarters past them
Brisbane CBD and Queen Street: The compact grid in the bend of the river, with the main shopping mall and the two central Airtrain stations a few minutes apart on foot.
South Bank: Riverside parkland, galleries and museums on the opposite bank, reached on the same train line as the airport.
Fortitude Valley: The late night music and eating quarter just north of the centre, and one of the Brisbane City stations on the airport line.
Howard Smith Wharves and New Farm: A riverside walk under the Story Bridge into a quieter residential stretch of restaurants and parkland, better on a long window than a short one.
West End: Independent cafes, bookshops and weekend markets southwest of the centre, off the train line and closer to a bus or a walk from South Bank.
What to Do on a Layover in Brisbane, from a short sit in the terminal to a full day in the city
Under 5 hours: Stay airside. Wi-Fi is free across both terminals, the showers are free if you bring a towel, and a city round trip at AUD 23.30 each way plus screening on the return does not sit comfortably in a short window.
5 to 9 hours: One clean move works: Airtrain to Central or South Brisbane, the CBD and South Bank on foot, and back on the same line. Fix your return train before you leave the platform, and remember the last train out of the city runs earlier than you think.
9 hours plus: A proper city run is realistic: the CBD, South Bank, and one neighbourhood beyond such as Fortitude Valley or Howard Smith Wharves, with a meal. Watch the return leg: the last train from Central TO the airport is 9:31pm, weekdays and weekends alike. The 10:04pm figure is the last train LEAVING the airport, not the last one back to it; if the evening runs long the ride back is a taxi at AUD 67 to AUD 82 plus the airport fee.
Crew Tips for Brisbane and BNE Airport
The 50 cent fare stops at the airport gate: Queensland runs a 50 cent flat fare across all Translink services, whatever the distance and however you pay. Airtrain is not one of them. The transport authority is explicit: you can use your go card on Airtrain, but you will be charged Airtrain fares. That is AUD 23.30 for an adult to any Brisbane City station, the same in both directions and from either airport station, and AUD 23.80 to any other South East Queensland station. Tap on and tap off with the same card or device: if you do not, you can be charged a default fare of AUD 2.50 instead of your real fare, and a fare adjustment then has to be requested within 120 days.
Travelling as a pair or a crew group: Airtrain sells a City Group Fare of AUD 17 per person between the airport stations and the Brisbane City stations, against a standard adult fare of AUD 23.30 each, so two adults travelling together pay AUD 34 total. The conditions are firm: a minimum of two adult tickets, bought online or at an Airtrain station before you travel, and the party must travel together at all times throughout the entire journey in both directions. Children 14 and under travel free with it. The operator states the offer is valid until further notice and that it can be withdrawn at any time, so check the price before you count on it. The operator’s page is marked correct as of 10 February 2025, which predates the April 2026 fare change, so confirm the price before counting on it.
Changing terminals: take the free bus, not the train: Airtrain charges AUD 5.00 for the transfer between the International and Domestic stations and puts the ride at 5 minutes. Brisbane Airport runs a complimentary Terminal Transfer Bus over the same gap, about every 10 minutes, journey time about 5 minutes. Look for the orange Terminal Transfer Bus stops outside the Domestic Terminal at the Qantas and Virgin ends; at the International Terminal it collects from Level 2 and drops off at Level 4. Unless you are already holding an Airtrain ticket, there is no reason to pay for that hop.
The cheap way into town, and its catch: You can reach the city for the 50 cent Translink fare, but not from the terminal door. Take the airport’s complimentary Skygate Loop bus to Skygate, about 5 minutes from the Domestic Terminal and about 15 minutes from the International Terminal via the Domestic, then Translink route 590 to Toombul Interchange and the suburban rail network. Route 590 runs seven days a week and takes no cash, so you need a go card or a contactless card, and one fare covers the whole journey if you tap on and off for each leg. The catch on the day of collection: Airtrain states its own services are not affected by the ongoing Queensland Rail union-protected industrial action, but that the wider Queensland Rail network is running on a modified schedule. This route rides that network. Check the journey planner before you commit to it with a report time behind you.
Free showers and 24 hour lockers in both terminals: Brisbane Airport has shower facilities in both terminals and they are free of charge, but you bring your own towel and shower products. In the International Terminal they are on Level 2 in the arrivals hall and on Level 3 after security and passport control; in the Domestic Terminal they are in the central terminal area on Level 2 near Gate 36, and in the central terminal satellite near Gate 26. Self-service baggage storage sits at both terminals and at the Skygate Centre, available around the clock, in locker sizes from a backpack up to strollers and musical instruments.
Connectivity: Free Wi-Fi covers all areas of both the International and the Domestic Terminal. Select ‘BNE Free Wi-Fi’ from the available networks. If you cannot find a signal you may be inside an airline lounge, which often runs its own service. The transport authority states the Airtrain fleet carries Wi-Fi on board, along with air conditioning, luggage space and restrooms, so the 20 minute ride is usable time.
Emergency Numbers for Brisbane, BNE Airport, and Australia
👉 Swipe sideways if the numbers do not fit
| Emergency (police, fire, ambulance) | 000 |
| TTY Emergency Service (deaf, or hearing or speech impaired) | 106 |
| Policelink, non-emergency police contact (Queensland) | 13 14 44 |
| 13 HEALTH, 24/7 health advice from a registered nurse (Queensland) | 13 43 25 84 |
| 1300 MH CALL, mental health telephone triage (Queensland) | 1300 642 255 |
| Australia country code (calling from abroad) | +61 |
Save these before you fly; numbers work from any phone.
How do I get from Brisbane Airport to the city?
Take the Airtrain from the station directly in front of your terminal. Both the Domestic and the International Terminal have their own station, and the ride to Brisbane City takes 20 minutes, with trains every 15 minutes at peak times and every 30 minutes off peak. An adult one way is AUD 23.30 to any Brisbane City station, which means Eagle Junction, Wooloowin, Albion, Bowen Hills, Fortitude Valley, Central, Roma Street or South Brisbane. From the Domestic Terminal walk out the front and take the Skywalk across to the station; from the International Terminal take the travelator or lift to Level 3 and follow the signs.
Does the 50 cent fare apply to the Brisbane Airport train?
No. Queensland’s 50 cent flat fare covers all Translink services, but Airtrain is a non-Translink operator. The transport authority states that you can use your go card on Airtrain services but you will be charged Airtrain fares, which is AUD 23.30 for an adult to any Brisbane City station. Travelling past the city stations costs AUD 23.80. Translink states the 50 cent flat rate does not apply to Airtrain services. The only way to reach the city for 50 cents is the airport’s free Skygate Loop bus followed by Translink route 590 to Toombul Interchange.
What time is the first and last train from Brisbane Airport?
The first train departs the airport at 5:04am on weekdays and 6:04am on weekends and public holidays, and the last train departs at 10:04pm. Outside those hours the options are a taxi or a rideshare, both available at ranks and pick up areas outside each terminal, with taxis running 24/7.
How much is a taxi from Brisbane Airport to the city?
The airport states passengers can expect to pay AUD 67 to AUD 82 one way to Brisbane City, and that outside peak periods it is approximately a 20 minute drive. A fee of AUD 4.86 is added to any fare collected from the airport, and toll road fees are extra and are the passenger’s responsibility. The same AUD 4.86 airport fee applies to rideshare trips from the airport. Brisbane has two taxi companies, 13cabs on 13 22 27 and Black & White Cabs on 133 222.
Is tap water safe to drink in Brisbane?
Yes. Urban Utilities, the water retailer for Brisbane, states it is committed to delivering drinking water meeting the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and complying with the Public Health Act 2005, and that South East Queensland has some of the highest quality drinking water in the world. Seqwater, the Queensland Government bulk supplier, states it provides a safe, high-quality water supply verified by extensive monitoring against the same guidelines.
Spotted a change? Tell us and we fix it for the next crew.
Crew Discounts in Brisbane: verified car rental and hotel rates for airline staff sit right below this guide. Bookmark this page before you head over to the Airtrain platform. Next Brisbane rotation you start on the rates instead of from scratch.
