Cycling in Brisbane
A river loop, bridges built for bikes and walkers, and a city you can see from the saddle
Brisbane is a city the river shapes, and on a bike the river carries you round it. A loop of about 40 km follows the water out through the city’s green suburbs and back, crossing on bridges made for bikes and people on foot. Shorter rides in the centre string South Bank, the Botanic Gardens and Kangaroo Point together in an hour or two. We saw the city that way, by bike and on foot, and rode the whole loop. Our verdict is Strong. This is one of the best Australian cities for a visitor on a bike, as long as you keep to the paths and bridges and ride before the heat of a summer day.
- Verdict: Strong. The riverside bikeways and bridges make cycling a good way to see the city, from a short ride in the centre to a full day round the loop.
- Best for: the River Loop, a morning between South Bank and New Farm, or an easy ride with children by the water.
- Not for: riding the busy main roads between the paths, which a motoring club survey found lacking safe space for bikes.
- What changes it: the season. From December to March the days are hot and wet; from June to August they are cool, and July to September is the driest time.
How this page was madeWe stayed three nights in the CBD, got around by bicycle and on foot, and rode the whole river loop: out from South Bank to Indooroopilly and back, over the Eleanor Schonell, Jack Pesch and Goodwill bridges. Those rides are ours. The visit came before the Kangaroo Point and Neville Bonner bridges opened in 2024, so what we say about them is researched, as is everything about rules, hire, trains and the rides beyond the loop, from the sources named on the page, read on the date below.
Last updated 2 November 2026
Is cycling in Brisbane for you?
Strong means it works well for most visitors. Conditional means it works if you plan for the catch. Limited means a narrow use works, but the bike is not a sound way to get about. The verdicts are ours, from our own rides and the sources at the foot of the page; each card leads to its section below.
Our verdict: Strong. Bikeways along both banks and a string of bridges turn the centre into a ride of an hour or two, past South Bank, the Gardens and the Kangaroo Point cliffs.
Planning it: Ride in the morning, start at South Bank or the Gardens, and use the bridges to cross back and forth.
Our verdict: Strong. About 40 km of bikeways and some on-road links out to Indooroopilly and back; we rode it, and it is the best way we know to understand the city.
Planning it: Allow most of a day with stops, start early, carry water, and expect a few real climbs.
Our verdict: Strong. The riverside paths at South Bank, Kangaroo Point and New Farm are flat and car-free, and in Queensland an adult may ride on the footpath with a child.
Planning it: Hire near the cliffs, keep to the river paths, and expect to share with walkers.
Our verdict: Limited. Away from the bikeways, inner-city roads often have no safe space for a bike, and Brisbane’s ridges make the climbs steep.
Planning it: Use the bikeways and footpaths, and the CityCat or trains for the rest.
Our verdict: Conditional. Kedron Brook, the bayside wetlands and the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail reward a day out, and clubs run regular rides, but each needs a train or a plan.
Planning it: Take a bike-friendly train to the start, or join a club ride or one of the big annual events.
Our verdict: Conditional. Lime and Neuron run shared e-bikes and e-scooters in the inner city, but riders must be 16 or over, speeds are capped on footpaths, and you park at the hubs.
Planning it: Download the app before you need it, wear the helmet provided, and end the trip at a hub.
What cycling is like
A city that follows its river
The Brisbane River winds through the city in long loops, and the best riding follows it. The bikeways run along both banks for kilometres, past moored boats, mangroves and the backs of riverside houses, and the CityCats slide by on the water beside you. Because the river doubles back on itself, a bridge is never far away, and each one opens a new stretch of bank. This is what sets Brisbane apart from Sydney or Melbourne. A visitor can see the centre and its inner suburbs from the paths, not just a park loop away from the sights.
The bridges
The bridges are half the pleasure. The Goodwill Bridge links the Botanic Gardens to South Bank for walkers and riders only. The Kangaroo Point Bridge, opened in December 2024, gives bikes and people on foot separate paths across 460 m of river to the foot of the cliffs. Upstream, the Eleanor Schonell Bridge carries bikes, walkers and buses, but no cars, from the University of Queensland at St Lucia to Dutton Park. Further out, the Jack Pesch Bridge crosses from Indooroopilly to Chelmer. The Neville Bonner Bridge from Queen’s Wharf to South Bank opened in August 2024 for people on foot. It is not a cycling route, so cross on the Goodwill Bridge instead.
Getting about on the roads
The streets ask more of you. Brisbane is built over ridges, and a ride away from the river soon climbs. In 2020 a study by the motoring club RACQ, using the AusRAP safety rating, found that up to two-thirds of popular inner-city cycling routes had no safe cycling infrastructure. It named Adelaide Street in the CBD and Dornoch Terrace in West End among the worst for crashes. We found no published count of cyclist deaths in Queensland for 2024 or 2025; the state’s road toll in 2024, 302 people, was its worst since 2009.
So we would not plan a visit around riding the main roads. Brisbane offers something Sydney and Melbourne do not: Queensland lets adults ride on the footpath unless a sign says otherwise. Where a bikeway ends at a busy road, you can ride on the footpath slowly, giving way to people walking, or get off and walk.
Heat and the seasons
Summer shapes the riding. From December to March the average high is around 29 to 30°C, the air is humid, and this is the wettest part of the year: February brings about 170 mm of rain. In June, July and August the highs are about 22°C, and July to September is the driest part of the year. Those are the best months for a long ride; at other times, ride early and stop in the shade.
Why more of Brisbane rides
Brisbane City Council has committed up to $550 million to green bridges, crossings for walkers, bikes and sometimes buses. It calls them a legacy ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Kangaroo Point Bridge is the most visible result. Each April the council’s Tour de Brisbane offers everything from a free family ride to a 110 km Gran Fondo over Mount Coot-tha.
Brisbane has been here before. In the 1890s, the State Library of Queensland records, cycle racing drew crowds to the Brisbane Cricket Ground and the Exhibition Ground. In July 1897 the Brisbane Ladies’ Bicycle Club made its first official run.
Where cycling works
Four kinds of riding make Brisbane worth a bike; the table at the end compares seven rides. Brisbane City Council’s bikeway map shows the paths and how they connect.
Seeing the centre and the river bridges
Start at South Bank, with the city across the water. Ride downstream past the Streets Beach lagoon to the Kangaroo Point cliffs, where climbers hang on the rock face above the path, and cross the Kangaroo Point Bridge into the city. From there the City Botanic Gardens lead round the point to the Goodwill Bridge and back to South Bank. It takes an hour or two, flat almost all the way. By the end you have seen the river, the gardens, the cliffs and the skyline from both sides.
The River Loop
Brisbane City Council describes the River Loop as about 40 km of bikeways and on-road routes. We rode it from South Bank out to Indooroopilly and back, through St Lucia, Taringa, Chelmer, Yeronga and West End, over the Eleanor Schonell, Jack Pesch and Goodwill bridges. Much of it is on riverside paths; some links are on the road, and there are real climbs, more than a reader looking at a river on a map would expect. It is the ride that shows you how Brisbane lives: the university, the old Queenslander houses on their stilts, the riverside parks and the bridges, one after another.
Give it most of a day. Start early, carry water, and plan a stop for coffee or lunch half way; the riverside suburbs have cafés, and South Bank and West End have many at the end. Check the on-road links on the council’s map before you go, and walk any busy stretch.
Going west, the Bicentennial Bikeway runs 4.8 km from the foot of the Goodwill Bridge to Toowong. It keeps between the river and the traffic of Coronation Drive, with a path for riders and one for walkers. It is a commuter route, busy and quick at peak hours, and an easy way to reach the university at St Lucia.
A gentle ride with children
The flat riverside paths between South Bank and New Farm suit a slow ride with children. From Kangaroo Point, cross the Kangaroo Point Bridge, then follow the city bank past the Story Bridge to Howard Smith Wharves and along the Riverwalk to New Farm Park. The paths are shared with walkers and runners, so ride slowly and use the bell. Queensland lets adults ride on the footpath, which makes the short road links between paths easier to manage with a family.
In the Queen Street Mall and the council’s public squares, get off and walk. On any footpath or shared path, keep left and give way to people on foot. Signs saying no bikes, or no personal mobility devices, apply to you. Brisbane City Council’s riding rules list the places and signs.
Longer rides and group rides
Further out, the trains open up longer rides. The Kedron Brook Bikeway runs almost 20 km beside the creek from Ferny Grove, where the train will bring you and your bike. Near Nudgee Beach it meets the Moreton Bay Cycleway by the bay. To the north-east, the Boondall Wetlands have about 4 km of paths and boardwalks through mangroves full of birds, and the shore at Shorncliffe has a heritage pier.
For a day in the country, the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail runs 161 km from Wulkuraka, beyond Ipswich, to Yarraman, on gravel with gentle gradients and no traffic. Its own site says it suits gravel, mountain and e-bikes, not road bikes. Ride a short section and back; bike hire and shuttles serve the trail.
The Brisbane Bicycle Touring Association, a volunteer club of about 220 members for over 30 years, runs graded rides each week and offers a free trial membership; ask before you turn up. The big events are the easiest way to join in: the Tour de Brisbane each April and the Brisbane to Gold Coast ride, 100 km, each August. Check the organisers’ sites for next year’s dates.
Seven rides compared
| Ride or area | Best for | Distance / time | Surface and traffic | Access | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The River Loop | A full day’s ride; seeing the city | About 40 km; most of a day with stops | Bikeways and some on-road links; some climbs | Start anywhere on the river, often South Bank | Hot by midday in summer; some road sections |
| Centre bridges circuit | A first ride; an hour or two | About 5–10 km, as you choose | Riverside paths; Goodwill and Kangaroo Point bridges | South Bank, the Gardens or Kangaroo Point | Busy with walkers at weekends |
| Bicentennial Bikeway to the University | A riverside ride west | 4.8 km bikeway, then on to St Lucia | Separated bike path beside Coronation Drive | Foot of the Goodwill Bridge | Fast commuters at peak hours |
| Kangaroo Point to New Farm | Families; a slow morning | A few km each way | Riverside paths, the Kangaroo Point Bridge and the Riverwalk | Kangaroo Point Bridge or the cliffs | Narrow and crowded in places |
| Kedron Brook Bikeway | A creek ride to the bay | Almost 20 km | Shared path, with road crossings | Train to Ferny Grove station | Several road crossings |
| Boondall Wetlands and Shorncliffe | Mangroves, birds and the bay | About 4 km of wetland paths, plus the coast | Paths and boardwalks | Train to Boondall or Shorncliffe | Mosquitoes; little shade |
| Brisbane Valley Rail Trail | A day trip on a rail trail | 161 km in all; ride a short section | Gravel and gentle gradients; no traffic | Train towards Ipswich, then Wulkuraka | Not for road bikes; check the train’s bike rules |
Lengths are Brisbane City Council’s and the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail’s own, read 2 November 2026; the centre circuit and the New Farm ride are our estimates. Treat them as a guide.
Making cycling work
Hiring a bike
Brisbane’s old docked bikes, CityCycle, were wound down from 2021 to make way for shared e-bikes. For an ordinary bike, Riverlife at the foot of the Kangaroo Point cliffs hires by the half day, day and week, right beside the river paths. Check what is included when you book. A two-hour guided ride from the cliffs to New Farm is also sold online.
Shared e-bikes and e-scooters
Brisbane City Council names Lime and Neuron as its operators for shared e-bikes and e-scooters. You unlock and pay in each firm’s app, riders must be 16 or over, and you end the trip at one of the e-mobility parking hubs shown in the app. The council asks riders to wear the helmet provided, and the law requires one. Speeds are capped at 12 km/h on footpaths. We found no published prices, so check the app before you rely on one.
On Queensland Rail’s city trains, bikes travel on all services, peak hours included. On six-car trains use the first or last carriage, at the first or last door, with no more than two bikes in each. Bikes are not allowed on three-car trains, except in the first carriage between Ipswich and Rosewood. Shared e-bikes and e-scooters are banned on trains. The CityCat and other ferries carry bikes free when there is room, at the crew’s discretion. We could not confirm the rules for buses, so plan not to use one.
E-bikes
Queensland treats an e-bike as a power-assisted bicycle whose motor helps only up to 25 km/h; anything faster is banned. From 1 July 2026 an e-bike must keep to 12 km/h on footpaths and when passing people on shared paths. The state also announced age and licence rules for e-bikes from 31 August 2026. We could not confirm how they apply to visitors, so check before you ride your own; a hired e-bike is the simpler choice.
Locking up and finding your way
The council lists bike parking across the city, and many stations have racks or cages. Lock the frame and a wheel to something fixed. Plan your route on the council’s bikeway map: a general mapping app may send a bike up a steep street or along a main road when a path runs beside the river.
The rules you must obey
These are the Queensland rules for anyone riding a bike, visitors included.
The rows and fines come from the Queensland Government’s rules for bicycle riders and its fines list, read 2 November 2026; fines rose on 1 July 2026. The e-bike limits come from the state’s StreetSmarts guidance. Drivers must leave you 1 m when passing at up to 60 km/h and 1.5 m above it.
In practice: bring or hire a helmet, as there is no exemption for visitors; carry lights if a ride may end after dark; and on a shared path, slow down and ring early.
Risk, recovery and the better alternative
When the bikeway ends
The likeliest way into trouble is a path that ends at a busy road. Before you start, check on the council’s map where your route leaves the paths. If a path ends and the road ahead is busy, ride slowly on the footpath, giving way to people walking, or walk the bike; we would not ride the main road.
Heat and storms
On a hot day, the last hour of a long ride is the hardest. In summer, set off early, carry more water than you think you need, and plan the return before midday. If the sky darkens in the afternoon, look for shelter or a CityCat stop rather than racing the rain.
Getting back
The river is your way home. If you tire on the loop, the CityCat stops at many points along it, among them St Lucia, West End and South Bank. It takes bikes when there is room. Trains take bikes too, but not on three-car services, so check before you rely on one.
Punctures, theft and help
Carry a spare tube and pump on the longer rides, lock up properly, and in an emergency call 000.
If cycling is not for you
The river is the point, and you can see it without a bike. The CityCat runs the length of it, and every fare costs 50 cents. Walk the centre loop over the new bridges, and our guide to Brisbane explains how the city fits together.
Where to ride next
Cycling in Sydney
Park loops, river paths and a ride over the Harbour Bridge, with the roads judged honestly.
Cycling in Melbourne
River trails, the bay and the rail trails out of the suburbs, and where to keep off the roads.
Cycling journeys
Our own long rides, from Perth to Sydney and London to Barcelona, and researched routes elsewhere.
A final word on cycling in Brisbane
Brisbane is the Australian city we would most happily see by bike. Follow the river and it shows you everything in turn: the cliffs, the gardens, the university, the old houses on their stilts, and bridge after bridge bringing you back across the water. Keep to the paths, ride in the cool of the day, and let the CityCat carry you home when your legs have had enough.
Andrew + Margaret
- Brisbane Overview
- Where to stay in Brisbane Decide
- Where to eat in Brisbane Decide
- Cycling in Sydney Practical
- Cycling in Melbourne Practical
- Cycling journeys Journeys
- Queensland Government — rules for bicycle riders Official
- Brisbane City Council — bikeway map Official
- Queensland Rail — travelling with your bike Official
- StreetSmarts Queensland — e-bikes and e-scooters Official
- Brisbane Valley Rail Trail Practical
- Brisbane Bicycle Touring Association Practical
Do visitors have to wear a helmet?
Yes. Queensland requires an approved, fastened helmet on bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters, with no exemption for visitors, and the fine is $518. Shared bikes and scooters come with a helmet; ask what is included wherever you hire.
Can I ride on the footpath?
Yes, unless a sign says otherwise. Keep left and give way to people walking, and get off and walk in the Queen Street Mall. E-bikes must keep to 12 km/h on footpaths.
Can I take a bike on the CityCat and the trains?
Yes, on the CityCat free when there is room, and on city trains at any time in the first or last carriage of a six-car train, but not on three-car trains, with one exception. Shared e-bikes and e-scooters are banned on trains.
When is the best time to ride?
June to September: June to August are the coolest months, and July to September the driest. In summer, ride early in the morning and finish before the midday heat.