Townsville Airport is to get a new bus service to the city CBD city for 50 cents a trip starting from the end of this month.
Route 222 will run every hour from 4am to 11pm, seven days a week (excluding Christmas Day and Good Friday), as of June 29.
Route 222 will stop at key locations including The Strand, the Breakwater ferry terminal and Palmer Street precinct, the government says.
The service will run during the primary hours for the airport’s scheduled flights and worker shifts.
TOWNSVILLE PRESSURE
Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg says the new service is in response to public and pressure for a public transport link to the airport.
“(Townsville MP) Adam Baillie’s advocacy made it clear there is strong community support for a bus to improve access to the airport,” he says.
“That is why (there is) a brand-new airport bus; to plug the missing link between Townsville Airport and the heart of the city.”
Baillie says: the service is needed for a growing population.
“The airport bus has been the missing link to get visitors and locals into the city,” he says.
“Townsville has been crying out for an airport bus for far too long. The new bus will run hourly and it’ll be just 50 cents.”
Queensland Airports chief executive officer Amelia Evans welcomed the news.
“We’ve long advocated for a direct public bus connection to Townsville Airport. This is a real win,” she says.
“First and last impressions matter; this service will give local and visitors more choice in how they move through our city, in an accessible and convenient way.
“Linking the airport with the wider region strengthens connectivity, and in a growing city like Townsville, that is critical for attracting investment, talent and long-term growth.”
Customers will be able to plan their journey via the Translink Journey Planner, with timetables released closer to the go-live date.
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