Project Benefits

Cross River Rail is a critical public transport infrastructure project which will improve our quality of life, help our economy keep growing, generate thousands of jobs, and activate urban development across the whole region.

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Economic Growth

Cross River Rail is one of Queensland’s most important job generating projects, supporting economic growth and employment for Queenslanders for years to come. Cross River Rail will also stimulate urban renewal across the whole of the SEQ rail network area.

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Unlocking the Bottleneck

Our rail network is already nearing capacity constrained by a single river crossing and four Brisbane stations in the CBD, which limits the possible number of trains. The project will unlock a bottleneck at the core of our transport network and it will transform the way we travel across the whole of South East Queensland.

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A better commute

The population in South East Queensland is forecast to grow from 3.5 million today to 4.9 million in 2036. While over 80 per cent of that growth is occurring outside the Brisbane local government area, in the same time period 45 per cent of SEQ jobs growth will be concentrated inside the Brisbane metropolitan area.

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Transport Integration

Cross River Rail will provide a more reliable transport network with greater capacity to allow more services to run more and it will also provide the capacity to support other rail network growth projects, such as building new rail connections to the Sunshine Coast, Ripley, and Flagstone.

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Map showing the regions in South East Queensland

Benefits for SEQ

Cross River Rail is a critical public transport infrastructure project which will improve our quality of life, help our economy keep growing, generate thousands of jobs, and activate urban development across the whole region.

Learn More

South East Queensland Benefits

Economic Growth

Cross River Rail is a critical public transport infrastructure project and will be one of Queensland’s most important job generating projects, supporting economic growth and employment for Queenslanders for years to come.

During its construction the project will provide an average of 1500 jobs per year, including 450 apprentices and traineeship opportunities.

The Cross River Rail Business Case, released in August 2017, shows the benefits of the project are expected to exceed cost by $1.9 billion, and that for every dollar invested, the project will return $1.41 in benefits for Queenslanders.

Revitalising precincts around the new underground stations at Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street, Roma Street and the year-round upgraded station at Exhibition, Cross River Rail will unlock decades of urban and commercial development opportunities.

Unlocking the Bottleneck

The project will unlock a bottleneck at the core of our transport network and it will transform the way we travel across the whole of South East Queensland by integrating with new roads and new bus services to enable a turn-up-and-go public transport system.

Our rail network is already nearing capacity constrained by a single river crossing and four Brisbane stations in the CBD, which limits the possible number of trains.

Cross River Rail will unlock this bottleneck delivering a second river crossing increasing the network capacity needed to enable a world-class public transport system for South East Queensland.

Better transport for a growing population

The population in South East Queensland is forecast to grow from 3.5 million today to 4.9 million in 2036.

While over 80 per cent of that growth is occurring outside the Brisbane local government area, in the same time period 45 per cent of SEQ jobs growth will be concentrated inside the Brisbane metropolitan area.

Better transport connectivity is crucial to connect these high-growth residential and employment areas. That is why investment in Cross River Rail is critical to underpin the whole of our region’s continued growth and prosperity.

Transport Integration

Cross River Rail will provide a more reliable transport network with greater capacity to allow more services to run more often.

Cross River Rail will also provide the capacity to support other rail network growth projects, such as building new rail connections to the Sunshine Coast, Ripley, and Flagstone.

It will connect with new roads, and new busways, as well as the Brisbane City Council’s Brisbane Metro at Boggo Road and Roma Street interchanges.

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services providing greater connectivity to other public transport, Cross River Rail also encourages road users to use the train instead, helping to ease congestion pressure on major arterial roads.

Benefits for SEQ

Cross River Rail is a critical public transport infrastructure project which will improve our quality of life, help our economy keep growing, generate thousands of jobs, and activate urban development across the whole region.

Cross River Rail is the key to unlocking other network growth projects, because it maximises their productivity and efficiency.

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services providing greater connectivity to other public transport, Cross River Rail also encourages road users to use the train instead, helping to ease congestion pressure on major arterial roads.

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Sunshine Coast

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services, Cross River Rail could mean for the Sunshine Coast:

a train leaving for Brisbane every 15 minutes on average in the morning peak on the Nambour line north of Caboolture, with capacity for an extra 450 seats
access by rail for the first time to Albert Street in the CBD, and The Gabba as well as year-round access to the RNA precinct
fewer road users on major arterial roads such as the Bruce Highway, as 47,000 road users across South East Queensland choose rail instead, by 2036
better connectivity with other public transport networks means more opportunity for local jobs, education, and business growth
extra capacity on the network to support other rail network growth projects, such as the duplication of the Sunshine Coast line between Beerburrum and Nambour.

Somerset

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services, Cross River Rail could mean for Somerset:

a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average in the morning peak from Ipswich Station with capacity for an extra 1800 seats
a train leaving for Brisbane every 15 minutes on average during the morning peak on the Ipswich Rosewood line (from Rosewood station) with capacity for an extra 900 seats
a train leaving every 5 minutes on average from Caboolture station during the morning peak with capacity for an extra 1800 seats
a train leaving every 15 minutes on average in the morning peak for Brisbane on the Nambour line north of Caboolture, with capacity for an extra 450 seats
fewer road users on major arterial roads, such as the Ipswich Motorway, as 47,000 road users across South East Queensland choose rail instead, by 2036
better connectivity with other public transport networks
access by rail for the first time to Albert Street in the CBD, and The Gabba as well as year-round access to the RNA precinct.

Moreton Bay

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services, Cross River Rail could mean for Moreton Bay:

a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average in the morning peak on the Caboolture line, with capacity for an extra 1800 seats
a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average in the morning peak on the Redcliffe Peninsula line, with capacity for an extra 1800 seats
a train leaving for Brisbane every 7.5 minutes on average in the morning peak on the Ferny Grove line
fewer road users on major arterial roads such as the Bruce Highway, as 47,000 road users across South East Queensland choose rail instead, by 2036
better connectivity with other public transport networks means more opportunity for local jobs, education, and business growth
access by rail for the first time to Albert Street in the CBD, and The Gabba as well as year-round access to the RNA precinct.

Lockyer Valley

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services, Cross River Rail could mean for the Lockyer Valley:

a train leaving for Brisbane every 15 minutes on average during the morning peak on the Ipswich Rosewood line (from Rosewood station) with capacity for an extra 900 seats
a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average in the morning peak on the Ipswich line (from Ipswich station) with capacity for an extra 1800 seats
fewer road users on major arterial roads, such as the Ipswich Motorway, as 47,000 road users across South East Queensland choose rail instead, by 2036
better connectivity with other public transport networks
access by rail for the first time to Albert Street in the CBD, and The Gabba as well as year-round access to the RNA precinct.

Ipswich

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services, Cross River Rail could mean for Ipswich:

a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average during the morning peak on the Ipswich line (from Ipswich station), with capacity for an extra 1800 seats
a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average on the Springfield line with capacity for an extra 1800 seats
a train leaving for Brisbane every 15 minutes on average during the morning peak on the Ipswich Rosewood line (from Rosewood station) with capacity for an extra 900 seats
fewer road users on the Ipswich Motorway and Centenary Highway, as 47,000 people across South East Queensland choose rail instead, by 2036
access by rail for the first time to Albert Street in the CBD, and The Gabba as well as year-round access to the RNA precinct
extra capacity on the network to support other rail network growth projects, such as proposed rail extensions to Ripley and Redbank Plains.

Brisbane

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services, Cross River Rail could mean:

More trains, more often across all lines travelling into the CBD in the morning peak
capacity for almost 18,000 additional seats into Brisbane across all lines in the morning peak
integration with bus services to enable a turn-up-and-go transport network
better transport options with five new inner-city train stations, including access by rail for the first time to Albert Street in the CBD and The Gabba as well as year-round access to the RNA precinct
fewer road users on key feeder roads into Brisbane, as 47,000 road users across South East Queensland choose rail instead, by 2036.

Redlands

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services, Cross River Rail could mean for Redlands:

a train leaving every 5.5 minutes on average to Brisbane on the Cleveland line (from Manly station) in the morning peak with capacity for an extra 1800 seats
a train leaving every 15 minutes on average to Brisbane on the Cleveland line (from Cleveland station) with capacity for an extra 450 seats
fewer road users on Old Cleveland and Wynnum Roads, as 47,000 people across South East Queensland choose rail instead, by 2036
access by rail for the first time to Albert Street in the CBD, as well as The Gabba and year-round access to the RNA precinct
better connectivity with other public transport networks
easier travel from Brisbane for visitors to Redlands and Moreton Bay Islands
extra capacity on the network to support other rail network growth projects, such as line enhancements between Manly and Cleveland.

Logan

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services, Cross River Rail could mean for Logan:

a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average in the morning peak on the Gold Coast line with capacity for an extra 3150 seats into Brisbane
a train leaving for Brisbane every 6 minutes on average in the morning peak on the Beenleigh line (from Loganlea station), with capacity for an extra 2700 extra seats
a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average during the morning peak on the Springfield line with capacity for an extra 1800 seats
fewer road users on the Pacific Motorway and Kingston Road, as 47,000 people across SEQ choose rail instead, by 2036
access by rail for the first time to Albert Street in the CBD, and The Gabba as well as year-round access to the RNA precinct
better connectivity with other public transport networks
extra capacity on the network to support other rail network growth projects, such as the proposed rail extension to Flagstone.

Gold Coast

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services, Cross River Rail could mean for the Gold Coast:

a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average in the morning peak on the Gold Coast line with capacity for an extra 3150 seats
a train leaving for Brisbane every 15 minutes on average in the morning peak on the Beenleigh line (from Beenleigh station)
fewer road users on the Pacific Motorway, as 47,000 people across SEQ will choose rail instead, by 2036
better connectivity with other public transport networks, including Gold Coast Light Rail
access by rail for the first time to Albert Street in the CBD, and The Gabba as well as year-round access to the RNA precinct.

Scenic Rim

With increased capacity for more frequent rail services, Cross River Rail could mean for the Scenic Rim:

a train leaving for Brisbane every 15 minutes on average during the morning peak on the Ipswich Rosewood line (from Rosewood station) with capacity for an extra 900 seats
a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average in the morning peak from Ipswich Station with capacity for an extra 1800 seats
a train leaving for Brisbane every 6 minutes on average in the morning peak on the Beenleigh line (from Loganlea station), with capacity for an extra 2700 extra seats into Brisbane
a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average during the morning peak on the Springfield line with capacity for an extra 1800 seats
a train leaving for Brisbane every 5 minutes on average during the morning peak on the Gold Coast line with capacity for an extra 3150 seats
fewer road users on the Ipswich Motorway, Brisbane Road and the Pacific Motorway, as 47,000 people across SEQ choose rail instead, by 2036
access by rail for the first time to Albert Street in the CBD, as well as The Gabba and year-round access to the RNA precinct
better connectivity with other public transport networks
extra capacity on the network to support other rail network growth projects, such as the proposed rail extension to Flagstone.