Brisbane’s Metro bus service will officially start on January 28, after a one-month trial in October.
The Brisbane City Council website shows the high-capacity, high-frequency public bus rapid transit system would begin servicing the M2 route between the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and The University of Queensland on the Tuesday after Australia Day.
“Metro services will integrate seamlessly into busway operations as part of a now-finalised Brisbane’s New Bus Network, which primarily includes changes to the inner city and south-eastern corridor,” it stated.
Council said there would be a phased roll out of the full Metro network, which at the moment boasts 26 metro buses.
It said from January 28 the M2 service would replace the buses on the current Route 66, with increased seats.
The launch would coincide with “the early implementation of nine Brisbane New Bus Network routes”.
“Brisbane residents and visitors will get high-frequency, high-capacity services to universities and key city locations on the M2 route (and) improved school access with district services in time for the school year.”
Council said in the second quarter of 2025, it would roll out the “biggest bus network change in a decade” with the implementation of the new Bus Network as metros are launched on the M1 route (Route 111 and Route 160) alongside the M2 route.
“Brisbane residents and visitors will experience a world-class bus rapid transit network with turn-up-and-go metro services every 5 minutes at peak times and 24 hours on weekends.”
It said the implementation of the new Bus Network would involve changes to existing services and meant patrons may have to change their usual travel patterns.
Council said in the third quarter of 2025, construction of the Adelaide Street bus tunnel would be complete, providing passengers with a dedicated connection between the Inner North and South East busways for metros and buses, to alleviate bottlenecks in the CBD and free up the network.
In said from late 2025 the Bus Network would be evolved in the north, east and west including a Southern Metro to Springwood, Eastern Metro to Capalaba, Northern Metro to Carseldine and a metro to Brisbane Airport subject to funding and approvals.
Learn more on the Brisbane City Council website.
