How To Reach Gold Coast

A coastal city located in the state of Queensland in Australia, Gold Coast is best known for being a Surfer’s Paradise. A youthful and lively city, Gold Coast attracts adventure junkies and beach lovers alike, giving them adrenaline spikes as well as lavish relaxation. Being a popular tourist destination in Australia, it is well connected to other major cities in the island country as well as some foreign nations. The best way to get to Gold Coast is by flying in or driving up by yourself, though buses are available too. Trains are a hassle when traveling to Gold Coast, and since the fare is almost the same as flights, best avoided. 

The Gold Coast Airport, also known as the Coolangatta Airport has connections to most parts of the world. The most interesting thing about this airport would be the fact that it is situated on the border of New South Wales and Queensland. Which means that while you enter the airport from Queensland, you take off from New South Wales. Located 30 mins away from Surfer's Paradise, the airport has two bus routes connecting it to the main city. There is also the Gold Coast SkyBus service which can drop you off at your hotel. 

Gold Coast does not have its own rail station. However, Brisbane’s Roma Street and Central Stations connect to the closest rail stations to Gold coast, namely, Helensvale or Robina. Following this, passengers can take a shuttle to Gold Coast. The absence of interstate trains in Gold Coast is due to the difference of the railway gauge between Queensland and other states. Trains do ply from Sydney, but they terminate at Murwillumbah, located 30 mins south of Coolangatta.

Train travel is more of a hassle in this region. The fares are almost the same as flights thereby making it a better option to fly into this beautiful city.

There are a number of bus services connecting Brisbane to Gold Coast. These buses will generally take an hour to an hour and a half to ply from one city to another. The Sydney Express Coach, however, takes about 14 hours to reach Gold Coast. The excellent roadways connect Gold Coast to many of the major cities in Australia. However, keeping in mind the long journey, we’d suggest taking a flight if the drive is too long. If you do prefer to drive and have an international driving licence, you could rent a car and drive yourself to Gold Coast.

Gold Coast has a well connected public transport system. The most convenient way to travel within the city would be via the GLink tram service which is connected to even the most remote parts of the city. Trams run at a frequency of 7.5 mins during the day and 15 mins during the nights on all weekdays. On weekends, the daytime frequency for the trams is 10 minutes. The trams will also allow you to carry your surfboard.

Buses run round the clock with a higher frequency during the daytime. Travellers can purchase a Go Card to avail the tram and bus services. Taxis and bikes can also be used to commute within the city.