Brisbane Metro will begin permanent operations from January

The dates for Brisbane Metro to kick off permanent operations have been revealed and will start with services on the city’s most in-demand bus route.

The Brisbane Metro. Picture: Richard Walker

Brisbane Metro will begin permanent operations from January, starting with services on the city’s most in-demand bus route.

The state government and Brisbane City Council have reached a landmark agreement to rollout its first two fully electric bus rapid transit services – a $1.55bn project.

The agreement follows the four-week trial of services on the 169 route.

From January 28, bus route 66 will become the permanent “M2” Brisbane Metro service, running at five-minute peak frequencies between the RBWH and UQ Lakes.

The move will increase the route’s capacity by up to 3.4 million seats a year, addressing overcrowding on the most popular bus route.

New school services will also be introduced as part of the first stage of Brisbane’s new bus network, including nine new school routes and 17 services with route changes.

In the second quarter of 2025, Brisbane Metro will replace route 111 and 160 bus services, becoming the permanent “M1” service, running at five-minute frequencies between Eight Mile Plains and Roma St.

The second stage of Brisbane’s new bus network will also commence, including five new bus routes, four new all-day services, 12 combined bus routes, three divided routes and capacity for an extra 55,000 students to UQ, QUT and Griffith universities.

In the third quarter of 2025, Brisbane Metro services will switch from the existing Queen Street Mall tunnel to the Adelaide Street tunnel, allowing Metro service frequency to increase from five to three minutes once the fleet order is complete.

Tunnel excavation is now complete, with major surface works under way on North Quay to create a new portal into the tunnel.

The council says it has received 32 Brisbane Metro vehicles, with the remainder of the fleet expected to be progressively delivered over the coming months.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane Metro would be the biggest improvement to bus services in generations.

Brisbane residents on board Brisbane Metro during testing from UQ Lakes Station, St Lucia to Eight Mile Plains electric bus depot in October 2024 – Picture: Richard Walker

“Brisbane Metro will ensure our city makes the step change from public transport to mass transit by delivering more services to where they are needed more often,” he said.

“Our plan to expand … to more areas will be critical as the city continues to grow quickly.”

Chair of transport Cr Ryan Murphy said Brisbane buses carried two-thirds of public transport trips in the city and Brisbane Metro had the potential to double the capacity of the council bus network.

“We need mass transit travel in Brisbane to help people travel easily and conveniently across our city as more people move here,” he said.

Premier David Crisafulli said Brisbane Metro would deliver more reliable services to more Queenslanders at an affordable price with 50c fares.

Proposed Metro extensions to Carseldine, Springwood, Capalaba and the airport are still subject to the federal government approving the use of $50m for rapid business cases.

Originally published as Brisbane Metro will begin permanent operations from January