Airtrain (also known as the Airport railway line) is the privately owned commuter railway line that extends 13.0 km (8.1 mi) northeast from

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

(15.9 km from

Central station Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...

by rail), the state capital of

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

, to Brisbane Airport (BNE) at both its separate International and Domestic terminals. It was opened in 2001. The line is carried on an elevated

prestressed concrete Prestressed concrete is a form of concrete used in construction. It is substantially "prestressed" ( compressed) during production, in a manner that strengthens it against tensile forces which will exist when in service. Post-tensioned concreted i ...

viaduct for its entire 8.5 km (5.3 mi) length after branching off from the

Queensland Rail City network The Queensland Rail Citytrain network, provides urban, suburban and interurban electric passenger railway services in South East Queensland, Australia. History The first railway in Queensland did not run to Brisbane, but ran from Ipswich to ...

Eagle Junction railway station Eagle Junction railway station is located on the North Coast line in Queensland, Australia. It is one of two railway stations serving the Brisbane suburb of Clayfield, the other being Clayfield railway station. North of the station, the Pink ...

Ownership and business

The Airtrain service is a private enterprise. The line is owned and operated by Airtrain Citylink Limited, with financial backing from

Transfield Services Broadspectrum, formerly known as Transfield Services, was an Australian and New Zealand company that provided infrastructure maintenance services. Formerly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, and later owned by Ferrovial, it was the ...

Macquarie Bank Macquarie Group Limited () is an Australian global financial services group. Headquartered and listed in Australia (), Macquarie employs more than 17,000 staff in 33 markets, is the world's largest infrastructure asset manager and Australia's t ...

Colonial First State Colonial First State (CFS), is an Australian wealth management group that provides investment, superannuation and retirement products to individuals and corporate and superannuation fund investors. History The company was established in 1988 ...

and

ABN AMRO ABN or abn may refer to: Companies * ABN AMRO Group, a Dutch bank group * ABN AMRO, sometimes referred to as "ABN" in shorthand, is a Dutch state-owned bank * Algemene Bank Nederland, a now-defunct Dutch bank Radio, news and television organizat ...

. The first service ran on 5 May 2001. Airtrain Citylink has a licence from

Queensland Transport The Department of Transport and Main Roads, known often as TMR, is a department of the Queensland Government, formed in April 2009 with the merger of the Queensland Transport and the Department of Main Roads. The department manages Queensland ...

under a BOOT scheme – build, own, operate and transfer – to build the rail line, to own and operate it, and hand entire infrastructure over to the

Queensland Government The Queensland Government is the democratic administrative authority of the Australian state of Queensland. The Government of Queensland, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy was formed in 1859 as prescribed in its Constitution, as amended f ...

after 35 years when the company will then cease to exist. The line connects seamlessly with the Queensland Rail City network and services use City network

rolling stock The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, freight and passenger cars (or coaches), and non-revenue cars. Passenger vehicles can ...

in a commercial agreement with QR. While City network rolling stock is used, Airtrain does not form part of the

TransLink Translink (or TransLink) may refer to: * TransLink (British Columbia), the public transport operator in Vancouver, Canada * Translink (Northern Ireland) Translink is the brand name of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHCo), a ...

integrated

public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typi ...

scheme, and therefore fares are not subsidised by the government. As a result, travel between the airport and City network stations in the

Brisbane central business district Brisbane City is the central suburb and central business district of Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. It is colloquially referred to as the "Brisbane CBD" or "the city". It is located on a point on the northern bank of the ...

costs $19.80 one way and $37.60 return (as of December 2022; cheaper on-line). Travel on Airtrain services between ordinary City network stations, not involving airport travel, is charged at the normal TransLink rate, including concession (pensioner) rates. In 2008, Brisbane's Airtrain ran an operating profit of $4.8 million, allowing Airtrain to pay dividends of $1.95 to its shareholders. Airtain is not subsidised by the Queensland Government, and its $220 million construction cost was entirely privately financed. This makes it one of a few known profitable public transport systems. In late 2012, U.K. pension fund Universities Superannuation Scheme bought Airtrain for .

Patronage

Initial passenger numbers on the service were well below expectations and the company nearly faced voluntary administration in 2003. However, in May 2005, Airtrain operated at a profit for the first time due to significant passenger growth – 1.12 million passengers in the 2004–2005 financial year, an increase of 40% – and a complex company restructure that cut costs by nearly half. Passenger numbers on the service have also steadily increased, now close to two million passengers each year. In 2008, 6% of visitors to the airport used an Airtrain service. This figure rose to 8% in 2011.

Line guide and services

Commencing at the Domestic Terminal, all services stop at the International Terminal and then all stations though the Brisbane CBD to at least Roma Street. The typical travel time between Domestic Terminal and Brisbane City is approximately 22 minutes (to Central). This travel time results in an average train speed of . Airport line services run every fifteen minutes during the morning and afternoon weekday peak hours, and every half hour during the off-peak. Most services continue as Gold Coast line services. Passengers for/from the Doomben, Caboolture, Shorncliffe and

Redcliffe Peninsula The Redcliffe Peninsula is a peninsula located in the Moreton Bay Region LGA in the northeast of the Brisbane metropolitan area in Queensland, Australia. The area covers the suburbs of Clontarf, Kippa-Ring, Margate, Newport, Redcliffe, ...

lines change at Eagle Junction, Ferny Grove and Nambour and Gympie North lines at Bowen Hills, and all other lines at Central.

Proposed Skygate station

Brisbane Airport Corporation has proposed a new station at its Skygate retail park at the south-western edge of the airport. Discussions have taken place with Airtrain Holdings Limited and the Queensland Government.

Gallery

File:Brisbane Airtrain 02.jpg, A Queensland Rail NGR train at

Domestic Terminal Domestic may refer to: In the home * Anything relating to the human home or family ** A domestic animal, one that has undergone domestication ** A domestic appliance, or home appliance ** A domestic partnership ** Domestic science, sometimes cal ...

File:Brisbane airport Domestic Station.jpg, Connecting concourse between the Domestic Terminals and Station File:Brisbane Airtrain 03.jpg, NGR train travelling between Domestic and International Terminals File:QRIMU109airint.jpg, IMU 109 at International Terminal railway station File:Kedron Brook & Airtrain Brisbane in Nundah 01.JPG, Airtrain line viaduct over the

Kedron Brook The Kedron Brook is a creek that flows through the northern suburbs of Brisbane in the south-east region of Queensland, Australia. Course and features Formed by spring D'Aguilar Range within the southern portion of the D'Aguilar National Park ...

References

External links

AirtrainCitytrainTransLink
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Airport Railway Line, Brisbane Brisbane railway lines Public transport in Queensland

Railway lines opened in 2001 3 ft 6 in gauge railways in Australia 2001 establishments in Australia