Gold Coast public transport commuters are set to save plenty with 50-cent fares kicking in.
The state government announced the cost-of-living initiative earlier this year with the $150 million measure starting on Monday.
The initiative will last for six months across the state.
It means fares on trains, buses, trams and ferries will cost 50 cents no matter how far people travel, while the cost of using Air Train has been cut in half.
Gold Coasters who travel by train to Brisbane each day will see their weekly spend slashed from around $100 to just $5 a week.
Over the course of the six-month trial, they will save around $2550.
“It’s always struck me that we charge the people who travel the furthest the most, when those are likely the people who can least afford it,” Premier Steven Mile said.
“And, those are the long distance travellers that we want to get off our busy roads, like the M1 and Bruce Highway.
“It’s my hope that because of my government’s nation-leading 50-cent fares we can recover to those pre-COVID patronage levels, while also reducing congestion and creating some new travel habits.”
The state government and Translink will be closely monitoring public transport use over the next six months.
Use of trains, buses and trams is currently around 87 per cent of pre-COVID levels with officials hoping 50-cent fares will boost that number.
