G:link

Stage 1

In 2009, the Queensland Government committed $464 million to the Gold Coast Rapid Transit (GCRT) project, supplementing $365 million committed by the Federal Government and $120 million provided by Gold Coast City Council.^[5]

In June 2011, the GoldLinq consortium comprising Bombardier Transportation, Downer EDI, Keolis, McConnell Dowell and Plenary Group was awarded the contract to build and operate the Gold Coast light rail line for 18 years under a Public Private Partnership.^[6][7][8]

In August 2012, the cost of the initial 13 km (8.1 mi) section was estimated at $1.6 billion.^[9] Construction began on the Gold Coast University Hospital station shell in July 2010.^[10] In late 2010, early roadworks began in Broadbeach and Southport.^[11]

By November 2013, much of the work was complete with the southern section at Broadbeach being the only section of trackwork to be completed. Testing commenced on the northern section of the line in October 2013. The line opened on 20 July 2014, with a free travel day, before normal operations began on 21 July.^[12][13][14]

The system had a significant impact on property both directly and indirectly in the corridor. A total of $170 million was allocated for property resumptions. The Queens Park Tennis Club and Southport Croquet Club were both relocated.^[15]

Stage 2

After the successful opening and operations of Stage 1, the Queensland Government announced in February 2016 plans to extend the light rail line from the University Hospital to the Helensvale railway station, providing a connection with the Gold Coast railway line that connects the city with Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland. Financial commitment from the state and federal governments needed to progress with the extension was finalised in late 2016. The new extension includes 7.3 km (4.5 mi) tracks and 3 new light rail stations, with Helensvale being the new northern terminus for the line. Construction commenced in 2016^[16] with plans to be completed in time for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April 2018. Construction finished early, ahead of schedule with passenger services commencing in December 2017.

Stage 3

The Queensland Government, in conjunction with the Gold Coast City Council and the federal government, announced the plan to extend the light rail line 6.4 km (4.0 mi) south, from the existing Broadbeach South station to Burleigh Heads back in 2018 with the original completion date to be in 2024. Due to funding disputes among the three levels of government, the COVID-19 pandemic along with rising construction costs in recent years, the project kept getting delayed. In February 2020, three parties were short-listed to build the extension:^[17]

• a CPB Contractors / Seymour Whyte joint venture
• a Fulton Hogan / UGL Rail joint venture
• John Holland

It was announced in October 2020 that John Holland had won the contract,^[18] with the state government releasing a statement in 2021 saying that the agreement will see the construction consortium undertake detailed construction planning and start establishing a site presence along the 6.7-kilometre (4.2 mi) corridor.^[1]

In July 2022 construction formally started with water, sewerage and gas infrastructure upgrades and relocation on the Gold Coast Highway between Broadbeach and Nobby Beach.^[3] Major construction including earthworks and construction of the tracks commenced in 2023, with the project now expected to be operational by mid-2026.^[19]

Stations

Twenty-six of the stations are street-level open-air structures featuring passenger canopies, and one is underground. Eleven stations have side platforms and sixteen have an island platform. Nine stations offer transfers to Translink bus services. Park & ride facilities are also available at Helensvale and Parkwood stations: during the construction of Stage 2, 1000 car park spaces were built at the new Parkwood station, while 400 new car park spaces were built at Helensvale, in addition to the 877 existing spaces there.^[32]

Key

	Transfer station to Translink bus services
	Transfer station to Translink bus services and to the Gold Coast railway line

More information Station, Image ...

Station	Image	Suburb	Opened	Grade	Platform layout	Time[a][33]	Refs.
Helensvale		Helensvale	17 December 2017	Street-level	Island	0	[34]
Parkwood		Parkwood	17 December 2017	Street-level	Side	4	[35]
Parkwood East		Parkwood	17 December 2017	Street-level	Island	7	[36]
Gold Coast University Hospital		Southport	20 July 2014	Underground	Side	11	[37]
Griffith University		Southport	20 July 2014	Street-level	Side	13	[38]
Queen Street		Southport	20 July 2014	Street-level	Island	16	[39]
Nerang Street		Southport	20 July 2014	Street-level	Side	19	[40]
Southport		Southport	20 July 2014	Street-level	Side	21	[41]
Southport South		Southport	20 July 2014	Street-level	Island	23	[42]
Broadwater Parklands		Southport	20 July 2014	Street-level	Island	24	[43]
Main Beach		Main Beach	20 July 2014	Street-level	Island	26	[44]
Surfers Paradise North		Surfers Paradise	20 July 2014	Street-level	Side	29	[45]
Cypress Avenue		Surfers Paradise	20 July 2014	Street-level	Side	31	[46]
Cavill Avenue		Surfers Paradise	20 July 2014	Street-level	Side	34	[47]
Surfers Paradise		Surfers Paradise	20 July 2014	Street-level	Side	36	[48]
Northcliffe		Surfers Paradise	20 July 2014	Street-level	Side	38	[49]
Florida Gardens		Surfers Paradise	20 July 2014	Street-level	Island	40	[50]
Broadbeach North		Broadbeach	20 July 2014	Street-level	Island	42	[51]
Broadbeach South		Broadbeach	20 July 2014	Street-level	Side	45	[52]
Mermaid Beach		Mermaid Beach	Mid-2026	Street-level	Island		[53]
Mermaid Beach South		Mermaid Beach	Mid-2026	Street-level	Island		[53]
Nobby Beach		Mermaid Beach	Mid-2026	Street-level	Island		[53]
Miami North		Miami	Mid-2026	Street-level	Island		[53]
Miami		Miami	Mid-2026	Street-level	Island		[53]
Christine Avenue		Miami	Mid-2026	Street-level	Island		[53]
Second Avenue Burleigh		Burleigh Heads	Mid-2026	Street-level	Island		[53]
Burleigh Heads		Burleigh Heads	Mid-2026	Street-level	Island		[53]

Close

Patronage

Over 1.74 million passengers used the Gold Coast Light Rail in its first 100 days after opening. More than five million paid trips were made in the first nine months of operation.^[58] 6.6 million passengers were carried on the line in its first year, and total public transport users on the Gold Coast - across buses and trams - increased by 25 per cent.^[59][60] In February 2016 the Queensland Government announced the ten million passenger milestone had been reached and noted that Cavill Avenue was the busiest station with 4,729 boardings a day.^[61]

The following table lists patronage figures for the network during the corresponding financial year. Australia's financial years start on 1 July and end on 30 June. Major events that affected the number of journeys made or how patronage is measured are included as notes.

Cancelled Stage 4 extension

The Gold Coast City Transport Strategy 2031 supports a future expansion to Coolangatta via the Gold Coast Airport.^[83] The 14 km (8.7 mi) extension of the light rail line from Burleigh Heads station would continue south along the Gold Coast Highway, passing through the southern suburbs of Palm Beach and Tugun and connecting the city's international airport with the light rail. A potential light rail corridor has also been identified from the Airport to Coolangatta and will be preserved for possible future expansion.^[84] In August 2020, funding was provided to formulate a business case for the extension.^[85] Since 2021, community consultation and preliminary works for stage 4 had begun.^[9] Public consultation ended in May 2025.^[86]

On 1 September 2025, the Crisafulli state government announced the cancellation of the stage 4 extension.^[87][88]