Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

GETTING AROUND 221
Note that Day Rover and Off-Peak Saver passes can’t be used on tour buses
like City Sights (see “River Cruises & Other Organized Tours” later in this
chapter).
If you see peak-hour buses displaying a full-fare-only sign, that does not mean
you cannot travel on them with a discounted ticket or pass. It just means you
cannot purchase a ticket or pass on the bus; you will have to purchase your ticket
or pass from a ticket agent before boarding the bus.
The excellent City Sights bus tour entitles you to unlimited travel on buses,
ferries, and CityCats for the day, and at the same time gets you around to 19
points of interest (see “River Cruises & Other Organized Tours” later in this
chapter for details).
BY BUS Buses operate from around 5am to 11pm weekdays, with fewer services
on weekends. On Sunday many routes stop around 5pm. Most buses depart
from City Hall at King George Square, from Adelaide or Ann streets. Weekdays,
you can get around the city center on the free Downtown Loop bus service. The
Loop’s distinctive red buses run on two routes stopping at convenient places
including Central Station, Queen Street Mall, City Botanic Gardens, Riverside
Centre, and King George Square. Look for the red bus stops. It runs every 10
minutes from 7am to 5:50pm Monday through Friday.
BY FERRY Ferries run from around 6am to 10:30pm daily. The fast CityCat
ferries run to many places of interest, including South Bank and the Queensland
Cultural Centre; the restaurants and Sunday markets at the Riverside Centre;
and New Farm Park, not far from the cafes of Merthyr Street. They run every
half-hour between Queensland University, approximately 9km (5 1 ⁄2 miles) along
the river to the south, and Brett’s Wharf, about 9km (5 1 ⁄2 miles) to the north.
Slower but more frequent Inner City and Cross-River ferries stop at a few more
points, including the south end of South Bank Parklands, Kangaroo Point, and
Edward Street right outside the City Botanic Gardens.
Even with a transit pass, you can’t travel on ferries for more than 2 consecutive
hours at a time. You are free to do another 2 hours later in the day if you
wish. Two hours on the CityCat takes you the entire length of its run.
BY TRAIN Brisbane’s suburban rail network is fast, quiet, safe, and clean.
Trains run from around 5am to midnight, stopping at about 11pm on Sundays.
All trains leave Central Station, between Turbot and Ann streets at Edward
Street.
BY TAXI Call Yellow Cabs (& 13 19 24 in Australia) and Black and White
Taxis (& 13 10 08 in Australia). There are major taxi ranks at each end of the
Queen Street Mall, on Edward Street and George Street (outside the Treasury
Casino).
BY CAR Brisbane’s grid of one-way streets can be confusing, so plan your
route before you set off. Brisbane’s biggest parking lot is at the Myer Centre
(enter from Elizabeth St.) and is open 24 hours (& 07/3229 1699). Most hotels
and motels have free parking for guests.
Avis (& 13 63 33 or 07/3221 2900), Budget (& 1300/362 848 in Australia,
or 07/3220 0699), and Hertz (& 13 30 39 or 07/3221 6166) all have outlets
in the city center. Thrifty (& 1300/367 227) is on the edge of the city center
at 49 Barry Parade, Fortitude Valley.