Ferries from South Bank ferry terminal

South Bank ferry terminal is one of the most-used stops on Brisbane's river ferry network, sitting right at the edge of the South Bank Parklands on the south side of the Brisbane River. It puts you a few steps from the Streets Beach lagoon, the Queensland Cultural Centre (GOMA, the State Library and Queensland Museum) and the Wheel of Brisbane, which is why it is a favourite jump-on point for both commuters and visitors.

Which boats stop here

Services are run by Brisbane City Council under the Translink network. Two things call at South Bank: the fast blue-and-white CityCat catamarans that run the length of the river between the University of Queensland (St Lucia) and Northshore Hamilton, and the free CityHopper (the little red inner-city ferry) that loops between North Quay, South Bank, Maritime Museum, Thornton Street/Kangaroo Point, Eagle Street Pier, Holman Street, Dockside and Sydney Street in New Farm. From South Bank you are one short hop across the water to North Quay and the CBD, and an easy ride to QUT Gardens Point.

Fares and tickets

Fares are part of the Translink system, so the same ticket works across ferries, buses and trains. You can tap on and off with a go card, a paper ticket, or — since smart ticketing arrived on the river — a contactless Visa, Mastercard or Amex card or a phone/watch. Queensland's flat 50-cent public-transport fare currently applies to every ferry journey regardless of distance, which makes a CityCat run one of the best-value sightseeing trips in the city. The free CityHopper needs no ticket at all.

Practical notes: CityCats run from early morning until late (around midnight) with extended hours on weekends, and boats can fill on sunny afternoons and event days at South Bank, so let a full one go rather than crowd the gangway. The terminal is step-free and well signed, and the parklands, food and cultural venues on the doorstep make it as much a destination as a transit stop.