Beaches and theme parks. Tell the rental company if you plan to end the hire there, and expect tolls on the way south.
Car hire in Brisbane
You can get around central Brisbane without a car: TransLink's go card and contactless bank cards work across buses, trains, ferries and trams, and Airtrain takes about 20 minutes from the airport. A hire car earns its keep on trips out of town: the Gold Coast is about 66 km from the centre, the Sunshine Coast about 100 km and Toowoomba about 132 km. Seven Queensland toll roads sit around the city, and most hire cars are tagged, so ask how tolls are billed.
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Brisbane at a glance
- Public transport
- go card (bus, train, ferry, tram) or contactless debit/credit card; a go explore card is sold to visitors
- Airport to city
- Airtrain takes about 20 minutes to Brisbane City
- Toll roads
- Seven in Queensland: AirportlinkM7, Clem7, Gateway Motorway, Go Between Bridge, Legacy Way, Logan Motorway, Toowoomba Bypass
- Gold Coast
- Roads south from Brisbane Airport towards the Gold Coast are mostly tolled
- Sunshine Coast
- About an hour's drive north of Brisbane
- Avis CBD depot
- 53 Albert Street; Mon to Fri 8 am to 5 pm, Sat and Sun 8 am to 2 pm
Compare cars at Brisbane city
Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Before you book, open the offer and check where that company's desk or depot is, the bond, and what the agreement says about the roads you plan to drive.
Preparing live car hire search
Picking up a car in Brisbane city
We could only confirm one company's CBD depot from its own website. Check pick-up addresses and hours on your booking rather than assuming a CBD desk.
| Company | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Avis | Local depotBrisbane Downtown, 53 Albert Street; closes at 5 pm weekdays and 2 pm weekends | Brisbane Downtown, 53 Albert Street; closes at 5 pm weekdays and 2 pm weekends |
Collecting the car
- 1
Check the opening hours on your booking. The Avis city depot, for example, closes at 5 pm on weekdays and 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
- 2
If you are flying in, Airtrain to the city takes about 20 minutes, so you can use the train first and collect a car only when you leave town. See the airport page for terminal locations.
- 3
Ask how tolls are handled before you drive away. Most rental companies fit an electronic tag and charge the toll plus a service fee.
- 4
Cruise passengers: the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal is at Pinkenba. Check the transfer to your chosen depot before booking.
Returning a car in Brisbane city
- 1
Check the depot's closing time on your booking; the Avis CBD depot closes at 5 pm on weekdays and 2 pm on weekends.
- 2
Expect tolls to be billed to you afterwards if you used tolled roads, under your rental company's toll arrangement for rental cars.
Drives from Brisbane city
Distances are approximate and measured along the road.
Sunshine Coast
About an hour's drive north of Brisbane
Beach towns, with Sunshine Coast Airport at Marcoola as the main gateway.
Tamborine Mountain
About 80 km from Brisbane
A rainforest plateau in the Scenic Rim, reached through Beenleigh or from the Pacific Highway via the Oxenford-Tamborine Road.
Toowoomba
An inland day trip. The Toowoomba Bypass is tolled, with its toll point at Cranley.
For a trip focused on Toowoomba rather than Brisbane, a Wellcamp Airport collection can avoid holding a city car before you leave.
Guides for trips from Brisbane city
Day Trips from Brisbane by CarCompare Brisbane day trips by car to Ipswich, Caloundra, Toowoomba, Mount Mee and Queen Mary Falls, with drive times and a note on Moreton Island vehicle rules.Brisbane tolls in a hire carWhich Brisbane drives use toll roads, how to calculate each motorway trip and what to ask about your rental car’s tag, Linkt billing and company charges.Outback Queensland road trip in a hire carBrisbane to Longreach is about 1,180 km on sealed roadsStradbroke and Moreton Island car ferry with a hire carCan you take a hire car to Stradbroke or Moreton Island? How the SeaLink car ferry and Micat barge work, 4WD permits and what Hertz and Avis terms say.Brisbane to Cairns drivePlan Brisbane to Cairns or the reverse on the Bruce Highway: long driving legs, one-way return quotes, kilometre limits, road conditions and airport pickups.
Driving around Brisbane city
Do you need a car in Brisbane?
For the centre and inner suburbs, probably not: the go card works on bus, train, ferry and tram, and contactless debit or credit cards can be used too. Hire a car when you want the coasts, the hinterland or Toowoomba.
Toll roads
Queensland toll roads include AirportlinkM7, Clem7, Gateway Motorway, Go Between Bridge, Legacy Way, Logan Motorway and the Toowoomba Bypass. Linkt passes cover any toll road in Queensland, but a hire car normally already has a tag arrangement.
Company tags and service fees
Most rental companies at Brisbane Airport fit an electronic tag and charge the toll plus a service fee, using the same method used to pay for the hire vehicle.
Gateway Motorway
The Gateway Motorway joins the Pacific and Bruce Highways so traffic can bypass the Brisbane CBD, and Moreton Drive (Airport) is a listed toll point.
Brisbane car hire questions
Rental terms differ by company. Where an answer depends on your agreement, we say so.
Do you need a car in Brisbane?
Not for the city centre. Buses, trains, ferries and trams take the go card or a contactless bank card, and Airtrain reaches the airport in about 20 minutes. You need a car mainly for day trips to the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, hinterland and Toowoomba.
Is there car hire at the Brisbane cruise terminal?
The terminal, opened in 2021, is at Pinkenba. Plan how you will reach your chosen depot from the terminal.
Where is a car hire depot in Brisbane CBD?
Avis has a Brisbane Downtown depot at 53 Albert Street, open Monday to Friday 8 am to 5 pm and weekends 8 am to 2 pm. Other brands' CBD depots and hours show in the search results.
How do tolls work in a Brisbane hire car?
Most rental companies fit an electronic tag, and the toll plus a service fee is charged to you afterwards. Seven Queensland roads are tolled, including Clem7, Legacy Way and the Gateway Motorway.
Can I drive in Queensland on an overseas licence?
Yes. If it is not in English, carry an approved English translation. An international driving permit can be carried instead. Keep your original licence with you.
Nearby and often combined
Compare Brisbane city car hire
Search live prices in Australian dollars, then check the pickup point and conditions on the offer.