At a glance
- Price
- $1.50 per day for unlimited travel, as of October 2026. Children aged 4 and under travel free
- Covers
- Translink buses and trams on the Gold Coast, and Translink buses on the Sunshine Coast
- Does not cover
- Queensland Rail trains, Brisbane buses and ferries, Hinterland services and the tourist and theme park shuttles
- How it works
- Load up to eight day passes and use them on days that do not have to be consecutive. Each pass runs until 3am the next day
- Where to buy
- Selected Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast retailers, and The Hub Convenience Store at Gold Coast Airport
- Refunds
- Not available. The card expires one year after purchase
The go explore card is still sold. It gives a visitor unlimited travel on Translink buses and trams on the Gold Coast for $1.50 per day, which matters because the standard fare is now 50 cents per journey. That makes the pass cheaper only if you make four or more separate journeys in a day.
The figures below are from Translink’s go explore pages, checked on Thursday 22 October 2026. For the standard fare, see our G:link fares guide.
Is go explore still sold on the Gold Coast?
Yes. Translink’s go explore page says the card offers tourists and visitors unlimited travel for $1.50 per day, and that you can reload up to eight day passes on the card. Translink describes it as an electronic ticket for the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, similar to a go card.
Does go explore beat the 50 cent fare?
Under Translink’s transfer rules, trips combined within 1 hour count as one journey and one 50 cent fare. The table compares a day of pay-as-you-go travel with a $1.50 day pass, using those two prices as of October 2026.
| Separate journeys in a day | Pay as you go | Compared with a $1.50 day pass |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 fares of 50 cents | Pay as you go costs less |
| 3 | 3 fares of 50 cents | The same price |
| 4 | 4 fares of 50 cents | The day pass costs less |
| 6 | 6 fares of 50 cents | The day pass costs less |
The pass breaks even at three journeys and costs less from the fourth. A journey can include a bus and a tram, so a bus to the tram in the morning and the same trip back in the evening is two journeys, not four. Our guide to Translink transfer rules explains what counts as one journey. These numbers are our comparison of Translink’s two prices, and the go explore pages do not give a break-even figure.
Where does the card work?
Translink’s go explore fast facts say you can use it on Translink bus and tram services on the Gold Coast and Translink bus services on the Sunshine Coast. You cannot use it on:
- Sunshine Coast Hinterland services
- train services run by Queensland Rail
- any Translink bus or ferry services in Brisbane
- Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle services or theme park shuttle services with hotel pick up, operated by Surfside Bus Lines
That matters on the Gold Coast, because the Gold Coast line train to Brisbane is a Queensland Rail service and is not covered. The G:link tram and Translink buses, including the route 777 bus from Gold Coast Airport to Burleigh Heads, are covered. Our airport to Surfers Paradise guide explains that route. The privately run Hopo ferry is a separate service, and its pages say a go card cannot be used on it.
How do I buy and load the card?
Translink says you can buy a go explore card from selected retailers on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, and from Gold Coast Airport, where the fast facts name The Hub Convenience Store. You load up to eight day passes at a time, and you can reload extra passes at selected retailers and fare machines. The pages we read do not give a price for the card itself.
How does a day pass work?
- Tap your card flat to the reader each time you board and each time you get off. Readers are on buses and on tram platforms.
- Your day pass is activated the first time you tap onto a bus or at a tram station that day.
- Each day’s pass gives unlimited travel until 3am the next day.
- You do not need to use the passes on consecutive days.
- The number of cards used for a trip must equal the number of people travelling.
Translink’s conditions of use also say the card is valid for one year from the date of purchase, that all reloads and travel must be completed before it expires, and that refunds are not permitted. If the card is faulty because of a manufacturing defect, call Translink on 13 12 30.
Who should skip go explore?
If you plan one or two journeys a day, a contactless Visa or Mastercard, including a phone wallet, costs 50 cents a journey with no card to buy. If you plan to use Queensland Rail trains or Brisbane services, the card does not cover them, so see our guide to Gold Coast to Brisbane by train. For the Gold Coast 500 on 23 to 25 October, a valid event ticket gives free travel on the date printed on the ticket, so you do not need the card for the race. See our guide to free public transport with a Gold Coast 500 ticket.
Where can I check before I buy?
Translink’s go explore pages and conditions of use list the rules, and its contact centre is on 13 12 30. Translink may change the terms and conditions, and it describes the 50 cent fare as applying “during this time”, so check both prices before you rely on the comparison.
More guides: Gold Coast public transport guide
Sources
- Translink — go explore (checked 22 October 2026)
- Translink — go explore fast facts
- Translink — go explore card conditions of use
- Translink — 50 cent fares
- Translink — Transferring between services
- Translink — Event transport: Supercars Gold Coast 500
Featured image: Surfers Paradise light rail station with the Q1 building, June 2026 (photo: Totallynotarandomalt69 / CC BY 4.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Translink or Queensland Rail. Check Translink’s pages before you buy, as prices and conditions can change.