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

Trial period extended

The South Brisbane Bus Loop trial (initially 12 months) will be extended for an additional six months, to mid-2024.

South Brisbane free loop bus stop

As part of an 18-month trial, you can now catch the South Brisbane Bus Loop (route 86) which has been delivered as part of the Brisbane Metro Project construction plan. The service is provided for residents, students, and workers at West End and South Brisbane, including servicing the South Bank precinct especially during the period of disruption to the traffic environment.

The South Brisbane Loop operates anticlockwise approximately every 10-12 minutes, servicing parts of South Brisbane and West End (the bus starts and finishes at Stanley Street at Gallery of Modern Art).

Following customer feedback, the operating hours from 18 September 2023 are:

  • weekdays: from 7am to 9.09pm (last service departs at 9.09pm)
  • Saturdays: from 8am to 9.09pm (last service departs at 9.09pm)
  • Sundays: from 8am to 9pm (last service departs at 9pm).

Popular stops along the route are:

  • GOMA-Gallery of Modern Art
  • Queensland Theatre
  • Davies Park
  • Brisbane Back Packers Resort
  • Brisbane State High School
  • South Bank
  • South Brisbane Station.

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.

Last updated:

Brisbane City Council acknowledges this Country and its Traditional Custodians. We pay our respects to the Elders, those who have passed into the dreaming; those here today; those of tomorrow.