Gold Coast 500: bus stop closures begin before race weekend and run into November

Visitors heading to Surfers Paradise and Main Beach over the next few weeks should check their bus stop before leaving their accommodation. Translink updated several Gold Coast 500 service notices on Friday 9 October 2026. Temporary closures begin before the 23–25 October race weekend and, on some routes, extend into early November. Not every closure has the same start or end date.

What is happening and when?

These are official bus stop notices linked to event construction, operation and pack-down. They do not establish that all traffic lanes or G:link tram stations will be shut for the same periods. Timetables, temporary stops and road access may change independently, so read the notice for the specific route you're using.

Main Beach Parade — route 705

Tuesday 13 October to Tuesday 3 November: Translink says selected Main Beach Parade stops close for different phases of the Gold Coast 500 setup and removal. Its notice identifies Main Beach Parade stops at Breaker Street and Cable Street and the Esplanade stop in Surfers Paradise as affected during the 13–19 October phase. Other stop arrangements apply later in the programme. Don't assume a stop open before the race remains available during race weekend.

Translink: Main Beach Parade temporary stop closures and alternatives.

Main Beach station — route 70 and school services

Thursday 17 September to Tuesday 3 November: Translink's Main Beach station bus-stop advisory is already active. The station's listed bus stop ID 319469 is closed and the notice provides an alternative at Ada Bell Way, Broadwater Parklands station. Another listed stop (319468) has a later closure starting Saturday 17 October. The detailed affected stops and directions are different, so verify the current map rather than applying one replacement to every journey.

Translink: Main Beach station bus stop changes.

Ferny Avenue — routes 70 and 705

From first service Sunday 18 October to 5am Tuesday 27 October: temporary closures affect stops on Ferny Avenue around Ocean Avenue and Palm Avenue in Surfers Paradise. This is an important change for guests staying in northern Surfers Paradise and people travelling between accommodation, Main Beach attractions and onward transport. The approved alternative stop can depend on the direction and day.

Translink: Ferny Avenue stop changes.

Tedder Avenue — route 704

From 6pm Sunday 18 October to 5am Tuesday 27 October: the Main Beach Tedder Avenue stops used by route 704 and some school services are affected. Translink says route 704 journeys towards Sea World will terminate at Scarborough Street, while services heading towards Helensvale station will start from Scarborough Street. Travellers visiting Sea World or staying near Tedder Avenue should check the actual available connection before setting out.

There is also an earlier construction-phase change on Monday 12 October, 6am–6pm, affecting some Tedder Avenue stops with temporary alternatives. That one-day notice is separate from the longer race-period closure.

Translink: Tedder Avenue race-period closures and 12 October construction-phase changes.

Ocean Avenue — route 705

Tuesday 29 September to Friday 30 October: the stop at Ocean Avenue by Surfers Paradise North station (stop ID 322329) is listed as closed. For the initial 29 September–18 October phase, Translink identifies a temporary option on Ferny Avenue at Ocean Avenue (stop ID 300538), but its Ferny Avenue notice changes again from 18 October. This is exactly why relying on a screenshot of an alternative stop for the whole month can leave you in the wrong place.

Translink: Ocean Avenue timetable and alternate-stop phases.

The race itself is 23–25 October — disruption is not limited to race weekend

The Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 is scheduled for Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026 at Surfers Paradise. The Queensland Government's official major-event period runs from midday 22 October until midday 26 October, while temporary event works may occur before and after that period. The event operator has separate powers concerning works and unattended vehicles in designated public areas; obey local signage and do not leave a vehicle in signed temporary work zones.

Tickets and spectator information are available from the official race ticket listing. The Queensland major-event regulation explains the event period, but it is not a bus stop map.

Practical advice for visitors

• Plan by your actual route: check 70, 704 or 705 and direction on the Translink service page, then use the journey planner on the day.
• Allow extra time for booked activities: particularly for Sea World, Broadwater Parklands, Surfers Paradise beach and connections via Main Beach.
• Expect staged changes: some stops close during construction well ahead of 23 October and others are not scheduled to reopen until November.
• Do not confuse modes: these notices concern bus-stop arrangements; check G:link tram notices separately before assuming any tram disruption.
• Check again before you travel: an event notice is not a guarantee that every listed alternate stop operates unchanged for its entire date range.

Official information to bookmark

Use the Translink journey planner and service updates plus the specific route notices linked above. This guide summarises notices reviewed 9 October 2026, not a promise of live operating conditions or a substitute for venue, traffic and police directions.