As part of the Queensland Government’s ongoing efforts on the cost of living crisis, ticket prices on Brisbane’s AirTrain service has been halved for a six month period commencing Monday August 5th. For go card users, the new ticket price is $10.95 and paper tickets are $11.00 (start point is Central station, end point is Brisbane Domestic Airport station). This announcement fixes an anomoly from the fare trial initial announcement that excluded AirTrain services.

While welcome, there are underlying interrelated, yet seperate, issues that the government, post-election, requires to address:

• Service Agreement: The AirTrain is a privately run service operating since 2001 under a generous 35 year concession granted by the Borbidge government in 1996. As part of this concession, the train service is the only public transport option available for airport staff, passengers and visitors. The line is a single track with island platforms servicing both the International and Domestic Terminals.
• 2032 Summer Olympics: With Brisbane hosting the 2032 Summer Olympics, the service agreement serves as a bottleneck for visitors accessing the airport. With only line has only one track, increased services will be constrained on the line itself and the broader suburban CityTrain network.
• Infrastructure: The biggest constraint is the AirTrain line is only a single track with access near Eagle Junction station, limiting services to 15 minute schedule. Related to this is an inability for passengers from the Sunshine Coast to directly access the airport, instead relying on transferring at Eagle Junction station – this constraint will increase with the construction of the (currently proposed) Maroochydore line.

In short, while good public policy aimed at increasing public transport use, the trial smells of ‘policy on the run’ in an desperate electioneering attempt by the current ALP government eager to retain government post October 2024 election.

Ministerial Media Statements.

• Saturday 1 June 2024. Half price train tickets to Brisbane Airport. Joint statement by Steven Miles (Premier), Cameron Dick (Deputy Premier, Treasurer and Minsiter for Trade and Industry), and Bart Mellish (Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Minister for Digital Services). Accessed Sunday 2 June 2024.

Corporate Websites.

• Brisbane AirTrain. Accessed Sunday 2 June 2024.

General Information.

• A new rail line for South East Queensland. Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads Projects. Accessed 2 June 2024.
• Airport railway line. Wikipedia. Accessed 2 June 2024
• Marooydore railway line. Wikipedia. Accessed 2 June 2024