At a glance
- Plan a trip
- Open the journey planner from the Explore tab, tap the Start and Destination fields and type a place
- Real-time
- Shown as +/- minutes next to the scheduled time. Red means a service is not running to schedule, and +0 means on time
- Disruptions
- Shown as messages in the app. They are not sent as push notifications, so save a trip in My Trips to get alerts
- Departures
- Nearby stops show on the Explore screen. Tap Show stations to look up any stop
- Replaces
- The older MyTranslink app
- Help
- Translink 13 12 30
To check a G:link or bus time on the Gold Coast, open the Translink app, use the journey planner on the Explore tab or look up a stop under Departures, and read the real-time figure next to each scheduled time. It shows +/- minutes, and red means the service is not running to schedule.
This guide uses Translink’s own description of the app and its website, checked on Thursday 22 October 2026. Translink says the app replaces the MyTranslink app and was first available as an early release version in August 2024.
What does the Explore screen show?
According to Translink’s app features page, the Explore screen displays the key features in one place. From there you can plan a journey, see upcoming departures at nearby stops and open the map. When you first download the app, it shows a quick tutorial, which you can find again under More, then Tutorial.
The app asks for consent to send notifications and to access your device location. If you allow location access, you can plan journeys from your current location and see stops nearby. You can change this under More, Settings, then Edit permissions.
How do I plan a journey?
- Open the journey planner from the Explore tab.
- Tap the Start and Destination fields and type a location.
- Tap the + icon if you want to add another stop to the journey.
- Choose the travel mode, the number of transfers and whether you want to avoid long walks.
- Read the quick summary of each option, which shows the duration and any disruption information.
From the journey details screen you can share your journey with someone else or add it to your calendar. If you need to change trains, trams and buses on one trip, our guide to Translink transfer rules explains how the fare works.
How do I read the real-time times?
Translink says real-time is displayed as +/- minutes next to the scheduled time. Red indicates that a service is not running to schedule, which could mean it is early or late, and +0 means the service is running on time. The live map shows trips in progress so you can follow your journey in real time.
The Translink website has the same kind of information. Its L1 Helensvale / Burleigh Heads timetable lets you pick a date and shows the next five trips with a departure time at each station, along with a current status box that links to service notices. A stop page such as Broadbeach South station lists the services departing in the next 90 minutes, including drop-off only services.
How do I find a stop’s departures?
You can see a preview of upcoming departures from nearby stops on the Explore screen. To find departures from other stops, tap the Show stations button and search for any stop, and you can choose to see results by stops you have recently viewed or by stops near your current location. Tap the star icon to add a stop to your favourites. The Arrivals tab shows services that are drop-off only, such as the last stop at Helensvale on the G:link, where you cannot board a tram to travel in the same direction.
How do I get alerts about delays and closures?
Service disruptions appear in the app as messages, and you can tap a message for more information. Translink says service notices are not sent as push notifications. To get alerts about delays and disruptions for a specific journey, save a trip in My Trips. You can save one trip, recurring trips, or a window of time to see journey options for a regular commute, and you can set your notification preferences.
Live navigation gives step-by-step guidance, and its update notifications are pushed even when the app is in the background. For planned works, see our guides to the November evening tram closures and the bus stop closures.
What else is in the app?
The More tab lets you personalise settings, and it has a link to the route timetables on the Translink website and a link to manage your go card account. Translink says it follows the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld) when managing personal information, and the app is free to download from the App Store and Google Play. For help, call Translink’s contact centre on 13 12 30.
More guides: Gold Coast public transport guide
Sources
- Translink — Translink app (checked 22 October 2026)
- Translink — Translink app features
- Translink — L1 Helensvale / Burleigh Heads timetable
Featured image: looking south along the light rail towards Broadbeach South tram stop (photo: Philip Mallis / CC BY-SA 2.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Translink. Check Translink’s pages for the latest app features, as they can change.