Riverfire is crowded on a good year. In 2026, Brisbane’s favourite last-minute transport plan — “we’ll just jump on a CityCat” — isn’t an option.

Translink has confirmed there’ll be no Brisbane River ferry services on Saturday 5 September, thanks to 24-hour industrial action. No CityCats, no CityHopper, no last-minute river crossing to bail out a loose plan.

Around 27,000 people caught a ferry to last year’s Riverfire. This year, close to half a million people are expected around the river precincts, with zero boats running. The good news: extra buses and trains are laid on, and the trip home is free from selected stations after the fireworks. You just need a better plan than “we’ll figure it out”.

Riverfire transport in one minute

First things first: CityCats are off the table

Ferry workers are set to walk off the job from 4am Saturday, as part of an ongoing pay dispute with RiverCity Ferries. Translink’s advice is blunt: no Brisbane River ferry services are expected to run all day.

Don’t turn up at a ferry terminal hoping something will magically appear, and don’t pick a viewing spot that only works if there’s a ferry waiting afterwards. If you’re staying near a terminal, find your nearest train or busway station now… not at 9pm when the fireworks finish.

Choose your side of the river before you leave

This is the call that will make or break your night. Pick your viewing spot first, then choose a station on the same side of the river. Several bridges shut down before and during the fireworks, so a casual last-minute crossing might not be possible.

Victoria Bridge: Pedestrian-only from 6pm to 10pm, but closed to everyone (pedestrians included) during the fireworks from 6:45pm to 7:30pm.

Goodwill Bridge: Closed to pedestrians and cyclists from 4pm to 8pm.

Neville Bonner Bridge: Restricted from 9am, fully closed from 4pm to 10pm, and off-limits to cyclists all day.

Story Bridge: All traffic lanes close from 6:30pm to 8pm… don’t treat it as your backup route.

Simple version: watching from South Bank? Plan to leave from South Bank. Watching from the CBD? Stay on the city side until the closures lift.

The easiest way in

Train

For most people, the train is the easiest option: South Bank or South Brisbane stations for South Bank viewing spots; Central or Roma Street for the CBD and City Botanic Gardens; Fortitude Valley for Howard Smith Wharves or Wilson Outlook. Driving part-way? Use a suburban park ’n’ ride and leave the car well outside the inner city.

Normal fares apply on the way in… currently 50 cents per Translink journey (Airtrain excluded). Tap on or grab a ticket as usual.

Bus

Extra inbound buses start from about 3pm on the M1, 130, 222, 333, 444 and 555. A special RF5 shuttle also runs every 30 minutes from Loganholme via Slacks Creek, Springwood and Rochedale to South Bank and Cultural Centre, between 3:05pm and 5:35pm.

These extra services might not show up in live tracking or the journey planner… a missing bus icon doesn’t mean it’s been cancelled. Check the dedicated Riverfire page, and follow directions from staff at major stations.

Best approach by viewing area

The bit most likely to catch you out: getting home

Travel home is free on bus and train from selected inner-city stations, between 7:30pm and 9:30pm. For trains: South Bank, South Brisbane, Roma Street and Central. For buses: Cultural Centre, King George Square, Mater Hill, Queen Street, Roma Street, South Bank, Woolloongabba, Buranda and Griffith University.

Extra trains run roughly every 15 minutes between 7:35pm and 9:05pm on most lines — the Doomben, Sunshine Coast, Rosewood and Airport lines are the exceptions, though some have extra departures listed separately. Check your line before you go.

There’s also a big bus change after the show: until 9pm, most buses leaving Brisbane City skip Cultural Centre, South Bank and Mater Hill altogether. High-frequency M1, M2 and 555 services, plus event shuttles, connect those stations via transfer points including Woolloongabba, Buranda, Griffith University and Boggo Road.

Our tip: settle on your exit station before the fireworks start, screenshot the route, and expect a slow shuffle through the crowds. If your usual bus doesn’t show up at South Bank, look for the event shuttle or cross-city connection Translink has mapped to your route.

Thinking of driving? Read this first

Road closures hit the CBD, South Brisbane, Fortitude Valley and Kangaroo Point, with most restrictions starting around 4pm and running until 9:30pm or 11pm. Parking will be scarce, exits will be slow, and several car parks have changed access arrangements for the night.

If you must drive, park outside the main event precinct and finish the trip by train or bus. The Clem7 is toll-free from 6:30pm to 8pm, which might help through-traffic dodge the closed Story Bridge… though it won’t do much for inner-city parking.

South Bank car park access changes throughout the afternoon. QPAC, Queensland Museum and State Library parking can only be reached via Stanley Place. Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre parking stays accessible from Merivale Street. Check the official closure map before you commit to any car park.

Rideshare and taxi tips

Don’t drop your pickup pin on the riverfront and hope for the best. Pickup and drop-off points will shift around the closures, so go with whatever location your provider’s app shows you, and be ready to walk away from the busiest part of the precinct.

In South Bank, the Grey Street taxi ranks near QPAC and the Mantra will be closed for pickups — head instead to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre rank on Glenelg and Merivale Streets, which runs all day. In the city, the George Street rank opposite Treasury shifts at 4pm to the stretch between Elizabeth and Charlotte Streets.

Walking, bikes and e-scooters

Walking is still one of the best ways to cover the last stretch — as long as your route respects the bridge closures. Don’t build a plan around crossing between 6:45pm and 7:30pm, when Victoria Bridge shuts, and its neighbours are largely out of action too.

Cyclists, check the closure map closely. Goodwill Bridge closes from 4pm to 8pm, Neville Bonner Bridge is off-limits to bikes all day, and the Victoria Bridge bike lane closes from 4pm. E-scooter and e-bike geofencing zones will also expand, restricting where you can ride or park.

Going with kids or someone with access requirements?

South Bank is fenced off for public safety and will close once it hits capacity, so families should get there earlier than they think they need to. Fireworks kick off at 7pm, entertainment starts at 4pm, and the RAAF flying displays are expected between 4:45pm and 5:30pm.

Brisbane Festival runs a free accessible viewing area at Kangaroo Point Cliffs for people with access requirements and their companions — capacity is limited, and bookings are required. With ferries out of action, allow extra time for an accessible bus, train or taxi trip, and lock in your drop-off route before Saturday.

Travelling with a pram? Drivers may ask you to fold it on a crowded service, or if the wheelchair space is needed. Pack light, and know in advance which adult is managing the pram while the other manages the kids through the station.

The BOB Riverfire exit plan

The bottom line

Riverfire without CityCats will be busier and less forgiving, but it doesn’t have to be a transport disaster. Catch the train or one of the extra buses, pick your side of the river early, and treat the trip home as part of the plan… not something you work out after the last firework goes off.