This has now finished. The details below applied up to Monday 19 October 2026 and are kept as a record. For current information, see our Gold Coast public transport guide.
At a glance
- When
- From the first service on Saturday 17 October to the last service on Sunday 18 October 2026
- Where
- Gold Coast line between Beenleigh and Varsity Lakes
- What’s affected
- Nine stations on the T5 Varsity Lakes line, from Beenleigh to Varsity Lakes
- Alternative
- Timetabled railbuses. Bikes and e-scooters are not allowed on them
- Fares
- Normal fares and conditions apply
- Back to normal
- With the first train on Monday 19 October
- Official notice
- Translink
There are no Gold Coast line trains between Beenleigh and Varsity Lakes from the first service on Saturday 17 October until the last service on Sunday 18 October. Translink is running timetabled railbuses between the two stations instead, and normal train services return with the first train on Monday 19 October.
The closure is for European Train Control System (ETCS) works, according to Translink’s service notice. It covers every station on the Gold Coast end of the line, so anyone heading to or from the coast by rail that weekend will spend part of the trip on a bus.
Which stations are affected?
Translink lists nine stations on the Gold Coast line as affected:
| Affected stations (Gold Coast line) |
|---|
| Beenleigh |
| Ormeau |
| Pimpama |
| Coomera |
| Hope Island |
| Helensvale |
| Nerang |
| Robina |
| Varsity Lakes |
The affected service is the T5 Varsity Lakes line. The railbuses start at Beenleigh, and the notice does not list any stations north of Beenleigh, so a trip from Brisbane to the Gold Coast that weekend means taking a train to Beenleigh and changing to a railbus there. Check the journey planner for the exact connection.
How do the railbuses work?
The railbuses run to a timetable rather than turning up on demand, and they leave from fixed bus stops. Translink’s rail replacement bus stop page shows where to catch them, or you can look for signs at your train station. Translink asks passengers to allow extra travel time when catching a railbus, but it does not publish a set number of extra minutes for this closure, so check the journey planner for your trip.
Two things are not allowed on railbuses: bikes and e-scooters. If you normally ride to the station and take your bike on the train, plan another way to cover that stretch for the weekend.
Translink also suggests checking whether a regular bus, tram or ferry would get you there faster than the railbus. On the Gold Coast, the G:link tram connects with the rail line at Helensvale.
What does it cost?
Normal fares and conditions apply. Translink’s general track works advice says to touch on at your train station or on board selected railbus services, and to touch off when you reach your destination. You can also buy a paper ticket at the station before you board.
Where there are no readers at all, such as when a whole station is closed, you may board the railbus without a valid ticket. In that case, be ready to touch on or buy a ticket if you transfer to another service afterwards.
Sunday night: the tram is also replaced near Helensvale
If you are travelling on the evening of Sunday 18 October, there is a second change to plan around. Buses replace trams between Helensvale and Gold Coast University Hospital stations from 7:30pm to the last service each night on Sunday 11 to Thursday 15 October and Sunday 18 to Thursday 22 October. Translink says this is due to Coomera Connector (Stage 1) construction works.
The affected tram stations are Helensvale, Parkwood, Parkwood East and Gold Coast University Hospital. That means a Sunday-night trip from Brisbane to Southport could involve a railbus to Helensvale and then a tram replacement bus as far as Gold Coast University Hospital before you reach a running tram. Normal tram services resume from the first service each morning. Our article on the G:link evening tram closures lists the replacement bus stops.
More closures coming later in October
Translink has also scheduled late night track closures on Monday 26 October and Tuesday 27 October, from 9:30pm until the last service each night. These are in inner Brisbane rather than on the coast. Gold Coast line trains will run express between Altandi and Roma Street via the Tennyson loop, so Gold Coast passengers will not stop at South Brisbane, South Bank or Boggo Road on those nights. The works are general track maintenance.
Translink publishes track closure notices about two months ahead on its service updates page, which is the place to check before any weekend trip by rail.
Need help?
For help with station access, contact Queensland Rail during business hours on 13 16 17. For general information outside those hours, call Translink’s contact centre on 13 12 30.
More guides: Gold Coast public transport guide
Sources
- Translink — Weekend track closure, Gold Coast line (Saturday 17 to Sunday 18 October) (checked 12 October 2026)
- Translink — About track works
- Translink — October evening tram closures, Helensvale to Gold Coast University Hospital
- Translink — Late night track closures, Beenleigh, Cleveland and Gold Coast lines
Featured image: Queensland Rail train at Hope Island station (photo: John Robert McPherson / CC0)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Translink or Queensland Rail. Check the official notices above before you travel, as times can change.