This "50 cent" campaign is being implemented by Translink, the public transport service operated by the Queensland state government. It applies not only to buses and trains, but also to ferries, light rail (trams), and all other means of public transport operated by Translink, except the airport train. Although the train to Brisbane Airport is not included, the fare from Gold Coast City to Brisbane Airport has also been reduced from around $35 one way to about $12, which is also a big saving.
The campaign was originally intended to run for a limited period of 5 months, but public transport usage has exceeded pre-COVID levels by a large margin, so they have announced that it will continue. An aspect of the campaign that is attracting attention is the unexpected increase in use particularly in the outlying regions of Mackay, Cairns, and the Whitsunday Islands in northern Queensland, rather than in the urban centers of Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
I myself mostly travel by car, and for a long time I didn’t even have a Go Card (like Japan’s Suica card), but I got one recently, and then I had something to do in Brisbane, so this time I decided to take the opportunity and go by train. You can buy these Go Cards at a kiosk at the airport and so on, and once you’ve bought one you can recharge it and use it again and again.
It usually costs about $22 (about 2,200 yen) one way from Robina Station on the Gold Coast to Brisbane Central Station, and the journey takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes, which is a bit of a distance. But the campaign is making it very economical, $1, for the round trip.
Unfortunately, it was raining that day, but Brisbane has its appeal, like the stylish restaurants and tourist spots here and there along the Brisbane River as well as the sight of ferries coming and going. The campaign also means you can ride the high-speed CityCat ferry for 50 cents, so I highly recommend that you try it out on a sunny day.
As well as taking the train, I’m also taking local buses. The other day I took a bus when I went out to dinner with a friend. I got on at a bus stop near my house and there was a bus stop right in front of the restaurant, which made it very easy to get there. Plus, there are lots of buses, which makes it very handy. Because I didn’t have to drive, it was also nice that I could enjoy a drink without worrying about it. Nowadays gasoline prices are skyrocketing, and you can hardly buy anything for 50 cents, so I am really grateful to be able to get to Brisbane for 50 cents each way.
While it's a great saving for sightseers, it’s also providing big savings every day for people who use public transport to commute to work or school. Wouldn’t it be good if this campaign continued and public transport use became even more prevalent in car-loving Queensland?
A ticket gate: your balance is displayed when you tap your card.
If you don’t have a Go Card, you can use your credit card.
