Gold Coast Light Rail Extension Opens on Sunday

Transport

Friday, 7 August 2026, 7:04 am

Friday, 7 August 2026, 7:19 am

The light rail will now go from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads.

In short:

Trams will start running on Sunday, almost four years after work began.

The new part of the light rail is 6.7 kilometers long and connects Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads.

Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said tram fares will still be 50 cents.

The Gold Coast light rail extension will open to passengers on Sunday.

The new 6.7-kilometer part of the light rail will have eight new stops.

Building the light rail cost $1.55 billion, more than the $709 million planned.

The government wants to reduce traffic and make it easier to get around before the 2032 Olympics.

Minister Brent Mickelberg said the high cost was due to problems with workers.

The minister said the project did not stick to its budget, but it is now finished.

The Gold Coast needs more public transport, and this is an important step.

Brent Mickelberg said leaving lines open could be expensive and dangerous.

The 50-cent fare will make it cheaper for people to use public transport.

The new light rail will help people get to popular places more easily.

The first tram will leave Burleigh Heads and Broadbeach at 6 am on Sunday.

Relief for small businesses

The light rail will help businesses on the Gold Coast.

Many businesses have struggled while the light rail was being built.

The previous government said the light rail would be ready by mid-2025.

Some business owners said their income had decreased a lot during construction.

Some businesses are not sure if they will survive the construction.

The minister said he knows people are frustrated with how long it took.

A local politician said the end of construction is a relief for residents.

People are looking forward to using the new light rail to support local businesses.

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