Tag: Brisbane Metro

Adelaide Street Tunnel Set to Open for Brisbane Metro and Buses

Brisbane’s transport network is about to gain a new underground link, with the Adelaide Street tunnel set to open for metro and bus operations from 29 September.

Read: Works Progressing Well on Adelaide Street for Brisbane Metro

The 225-metre tunnel runs beneath Adelaide Street, creating a direct connection between the South East Busway and the Inner Northern Busway. Once fully operational, Adelaide Street tunnel is expected to carry more than 1,390 buses and Bus Rapid Transit vehicles each day, significantly reducing surface-level congestion and improving travel times through the city.

Adelaide Street tunnel
Photo credit: BCC/Facebook

Construction of the new tunnel has involved extensive testing to ensure readiness for daily services. A major systems trial in June included activation of smart transport technology, checks on lighting and ventilation, and integration of the tunnel’s public announcement system with the wider network. These measures are designed to deliver safer, more efficient journeys for passengers.

By diverting services underground, the new link is also expected to ease pressure on key city streets such as George Street and Turbot Street, where more than 1,000 weekly outbound trips will be removed from the road network.

Ahead of its official launch later this month, the public will have a chance to explore the tunnel during a community open day on Wednesday, 24 September. Visitors can register for one of several 20-minute sessions between 10:30 am and 2:00 pm, with entry via Reddacliff Place. The event will feature live music from a local string ensemble and the nearby Wednesday markets, making for a festive celebration of the milestone.

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The Adelaide Street tunnel represents a major upgrade for Brisbane’s mass transit system, providing the foundations for faster and more reliable connections as the city continues to grow.

Published 5-September-2025

Works Progressing Well on Adelaide Street for Brisbane Metro

Major progress has been made on the new Brisbane Metro tunnel, with crews excavating 10 metres along Adelaide Street in the past week alone. 

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The $1.7 billion project, slated for completion in 2024, will include a 213 metre tunnel connecting the inner-city to the new underground King George Square station. The tunnel aims to alleviate congestion by diverting up to one third of the 385 buses currently crowding CBD streets underground instead.

Workers have been excavating the tunnel, located 3.3 to 6.4 metres below Adelaide Street, since project commencement in February this year. The tunnelling is taking place through soft rock and is on schedule despite some minor initial setbacks. 

Adelaide Street
Key pedestrian, public transport and traffic changes from mid-February 2023 to late 2023 for Adelaide St (Photo credit: www.brisbane.qld.gov.au) 

The tunnel will join the Southeast Busway with the Inner Northern Busway past Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital, improving connections across Brisbane’s public transport network. City officials say the project will significantly modernise the city’s ageing infrastructure.

Adelaide Street Works

Adelaide Street
‘Adelaide Street Vision’ (Photo credit: Brisbane City Council)

The Adelaide Street tunnel is just one part of major Brisbane Metro construction underway in the Inner City North area. Other key projects include the new King George Square CBD station, Victoria Bridge upgrades, and track integration work on North Quay and William Street.

The Brisbane Metro is the centrepiece of the Brisbane City Council’s plan to upgrade transit infrastructure over the next two decades. 

In mid-February 2023, construction began on revitalisation efforts along Adelaide Street between George Street and Edward Street in Brisbane. The project, called the Adelaide Street Vision, is being undertaken by Brisbane Move on behalf of Brisbane City Council. 

Works include upgrades to footpaths, bus stops, landscaping, street furniture, lighting and relocating underground services. The project timeline runs until late 2024. 

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Construction is taking place during overnight hours from Sunday through Thursday in three phases in order to limit impacts on businesses, pedestrians, and public transport users along Adelaide Street.

Published 11-November-2023