Major Rail Closures and Coastal Lane Restrictions This Saturday

Significant Disruptions for Saturday Commuters

Gold Coast residents and weekend visitors should prepare for a challenging travel day this Saturday, 28 February 2026. A combination of major rail maintenance and ongoing infrastructure projects will lead to significant delays, particularly for those traveling between the Gold Coast and Brisbane or navigating the central coastal corridor.

Translink Rail Alert: Track Closures and Replacement Buses

The most critical update for today involves the Gold Coast and Beenleigh rail lines. Translink has confirmed a major weekend track closure affecting the inner city and southern lines starting this morning. All train services between the Gold Coast and Brisbane are impacted by track work occurring between Banoon and Bowen Hills stations.

Commuters heading toward the Brisbane CBD or the Airport will need to transfer to rail replacement buses at Banoon station. These buses will ferry passengers to Roma Street, where connecting train services will resume. Travelers are advised to allow at least 45 to 60 minutes of additional travel time. This shutdown also affects the Brisbane Airtrain, so travelers heading to the terminal should plan for a multi-stage journey involving both bus and rail transfers.

Gold Coast Highway and Light Rail Stage 3 Bottlenecks

Motorists using the coastal corridor will continue to face heavy congestion due to the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 (GCLR3) construction. The following conditions remain in place today:

• Miami to Burleigh Heads: The Gold Coast Highway is reduced to a single lane in both directions between Dawn Parade and West Burleigh Road.
• Burleigh Heads Northbound: A dedicated construction zone is active between Tweed Street and West Burleigh Road, restricting traffic to a single northbound lane.
• Speed Restrictions: A strictly enforced 40km/h speed limit applies throughout the work zones for the safety of crews performing rail placement and track slab installation.

Drivers are encouraged to use the Pacific Motorway (M1) as an alternative, which is currently seeing steady flow following the successful completion of the Varsity Lakes to Tugun widening project late last year.

Northern Suburbs and Smith Street Motorway

In the northern Gold Coast, the eastbound access ramp to Smith Street from the Smith Street Motorway at Arundel remains closed due to planned roadworks. Local detours are in place, and motorists are advised to use Napper Road or Captain Cook Drive to avoid the intersection. Additionally, G:link passengers should note that scheduled maintenance is set to begin at 7:30 PM tonight, which may lead to reduced frequency and service interruptions on the tram network until tomorrow evening.

Hinterland Road Closures

Travelers heading into the Scenic Rim or Gold Coast Hinterland should be aware that Barney View Road and Duck Creek Road remain closed to through traffic due to significant pavement damage and hazardous surface conditions. Local access only is permitted in these areas.