City centre free loops

The free City Loop, Spring Hill Loop and South Brisbane Loop bus services provide frequent public transport access within the Brisbane Central Business District (CBD). Services also run between the CBD and Spring Hill areas and through South Brisbane and West End.

City Loop

The City Loop operates in a clockwise (route 40) and anti-clockwise (route 50) direction. The City Loop uses distinctive purple buses and stops at the purple signposted bus stops. Operating hours are:

• route 40 - clockwise - Monday to Friday approximately every 10 minutes between 7am and 6.09pm (last service departs Stop 96A Alice Street near QUT at this time)
• route 50 - anti-clockwise - Monday to Friday approximately every 10 minutes between 7am and 6.03pm (last service departs Parliament Stop 94A Margaret Street near QUT at this time).

Popular stops along the route include:

• Stop 96A Alice Street near QUT
• Botanic Gardens
• Queen Street Mall
• City Hall
• Central Station
• Riverside.

The City Loop service does not operate on a Saturday, Sunday or Public Holidays.

Spring Hill Loop

The free Spring Hill Loop service (route 30) operates between Brisbane City and Spring Hill (the bus starts and finishes at Queen Street Stop 57 near Edward Street).

Operating hours are:

• weekdays: from 6am to 9.15pm (last service departs at 9.15pm)
• Saturdays: from 7.56am to 9.15pm (last service departs at 9.15pm)
• Sundays: from 8am to 6.46pm (last service departs at 6.46pm).

The bus runs on a continuous anticlockwise loop between the CBD and Spring Hill precincts approximately every 10 minutes in peak hours and every 20 minutes off peak.

From 29 May 2023, the service is operated by two electric buses as part of a Translink electric bus trial.

Popular stops along the route include:

• Post Office Square
• Old Windmill Observatory
• St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital
• Brisbane Private Hospital
• Central Station.

South Brisbane Loop

The South Brisbane Bus Loop, also known as Route 86, was introduced as a temporary initiative to mitigate the disruption caused by construction of the Brisbane Metro Project in South Brisbane.

The South Brisbane Bus Loop was intended to improve local connectivity during construction and serve as a complementary option to existing transport services.

Given that Brisbane Metro construction works in South Brisbane are approaching completion, the South Brisbane Loop trial will end from last service on 27 January 2025.

Alternative services to the Route 86 trial, including Route 196, Route 199 and the Blue CityGlider (Route 60) will continue to provide coverage to key areas, such as businesses, schools, retail, and hospitality services in West End, as well as link to ferry terminals and rail stations.

Route map

The Google map below includes the route for the City Loop, Spring Hill Loop and South Brisbane Loop.

View free Loop bus services in a larger map.