How to Take a Bus in Brisbane

Plan your trip. Translink manage all public transport in South East Queensland, and have information of routes, timetables, and service updates, as well as a journey planner on their website.^[1] You can also call for information from Translink on their call number 13 12 30, and can find printed timetables at places like libraries.

• You will need to find out where the bus stop is, what bus routes you can take to your destination, what times the buses come, and how much money you will need in cash or on your GO card.

Arrive at the bus stop no later than five minutes before the bus is timetabled to arrive. While at the stop, watch the road approaching the bus stop and look out for your bus arriving. Buses will have signs and numbers displaying where they are going such as 370 City via Valley to help you determine if the bus approaching is your bus. If you are not paying attention, do not assume that the bus driver will see you at the bus stop and stop for you. Many bus stops are serviced by multiple routes, and a driver will not automatically assume that you want their bus and drive past without picking you up.

Hail the bus when it arrives at your stop. To hail the bus, stand next to the road at the bus stop sign, and extend your arm upwards, as if making a stop gesture, while looking at the bus. When the bus starts indicating to pull into the stop, move back from the road for your safety. If it is dark, try standing in light to help make yourself seen, or use a light such as your phone's screen or flashlight to help attract the driver's attention.

• Once the bus has pulled up at the stop, and the doors open, check to see if anyone on the bus is moving to get off the bus and let them off first, before stepping onto the bus yourself.

Either pay the appropriate fare, show the driver a ticket you have already purchased, or touch your GO card.

• If paying by cash, have your cash ready, and any concession cards, and tell the driver you would like a ticket, where you are going, and show them your concession cards, and the driver will print you a ticket. Prepaid services however do not sell tickets, so you will either have to have already bought a ticket elsewhere, or use a GO card.
• If using a ticket you already have, show it to the driver so he can inspect it. The ticket will have on it what zones it can be used in, the date it to be used on, and the time it expires. If your ticket has expired, or you are not traveling in the zones on the ticket, you will need to purchase another ticket.
• If using a GO card,^[2] touch the card to the circular pad on the card readers on either side of the door as you enter. There will be an audible beeping, a pair of green, orange, or red lights will flash, and a small screen will display a message. When it beeps flashes green or orange, it will display your current card balance. Your card has been read, and you can remove your card from the reader. If it beeps and flashes red, it may display several different messages. It may mean your card has not read properly because you did not hold it to the reader for long enough, or there was interference from another card or a mobile phone. It could also mean that the card has expired, been cancelled, or does not have enough credit on it to pay for your journey.^[3]

Take a seat on the bus. If it is crowded and you have to stand, hang onto one of the grab rails or handles to secure yourself as the bus can move around on bumpy roads, or stop quickly in certain circumstances.

• If you are disabled, pregnant, or elderly, and there are no seats available, you can request other passengers stand to let you sit. There are designated priority seating areas for disabled, pregnant, and elderly passengers, where passengers have to stand for these people. There is also space on buses for two wheelchairs or prams where seats can be folded up to make room.

Press the bell when the bus is approaching your stop to signal you want to get off there. If you press the bell too late however, the bus may not have time to stop safely and will set you down at the next stop instead.