Goodna is one of the best-connected outer suburbs in South East Queensland — a designated Transport-Oriented Development Centre with a 150-year-old train station, free station car parking, motorway access in three directions, and feeder bus services. Here’s the complete local guide to getting around.
Goodna’s connectivity is one of its underrated strengths. From your front door, you can be on a train to Brisbane in 38 minutes, in central Ipswich in 21 minutes, or driving to the Gold Coast in around 70 minutes. Whether you commute, study, drive trucks for a living or just need to get to the airport, the suburb genuinely works.
Goodna train station
The Goodna train station first opened in 1875, just two years after the Queensland Governor turned the first sod for the Brisbane–Ipswich rail link with a solid silver spade in front of 2,000 spectators on 30 January 1873. Today it remains the heart of the suburb’s commuting life — sitting on the busy Ipswich line with regular services in both directions.
38 minutes to Brisbane Central
Frequent off-peak and peak services to Brisbane CBD.
21 minutes to Ipswich
Quick run to the Ipswich CBD and Ipswich Station precinct.
Free station car parking
Increasingly rare in SEQ — Goodna offers free park-and-ride.
Connecting bus services
Westside Bus Company runs feeder buses from neighbouring suburbs.
Bike-friendly
Bicycle racks and storage at the station for active commuters.
Translink network
Use a go card or contactless payment via the standard Translink network.
Plan your train trip
Visit translink.com.au or use the MyTranslink app for live timetables and journey planning. Goodna is in Translink fare zone 5. The station is staffed during peak periods, with toilets, sheltered seating and a kiosk.
Westside Bus Company — feeder services
The Westside Bus Company operates feeder bus services that bring commuters from surrounding suburbs to and from the Goodna train station. These buses serve Bellbird Park, Camira, Carole Park, Gailes, Redbank, Redbank Plains and other nearby communities. Routes connect with peak train services — making the train station accessible for residents who don’t drive or who prefer not to.
Bus timetables, route maps and live tracking are available through Translink — plan your journey via translink.com.au or the MyTranslink app.
Driving — motorways & routes
Goodna is wrapped on three sides by major motorways, making it one of the easiest suburbs in SEQ to drive in and out of:
Ipswich Motorway
Direct access east towards Brisbane and west towards Ipswich. Goodna sits right on it.
Centenary Motorway
Connects to the Brisbane suburbs of Mt Ommaney, Jindalee, Indooroopilly and Toowong.
Logan Motorway
Easy connection south to Logan City and through to the Gold Coast Pacific Motorway.
Warrego Highway
Accessible via the Ipswich Motorway — connects west to Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.
Driving times from Goodna
Times are approximate and depend on traffic. Peak-hour Brisbane CBD trips are often quicker by train than by car.
Active transport — walking & cycling
Goodna’s compact size makes it surprisingly walkable for a suburb of its kind — many residents can walk to the train station, the shopping centre or local schools within 10–15 minutes. Footpaths are well established along the main routes (Brisbane Terrace, Queen Street, Smiths Road), and shaded jacarandas, hoop pines and poincianas make summer walks more bearable than you’d expect.
For cyclists, the suburb sits on the southern bank of the Brisbane River with informal riverbank paths providing peaceful traffic-free riding. The annual Ipswich 100 bike ride passes through Goodna each April as the major rest point — the suburb is genuinely on the SEQ cycling map.
Goodna’s train station, conveniently located near the main local shopping hub, offers seamless connectivity to local buses.
Air travel
Brisbane Airport is approximately 45 minutes’ drive from Goodna via the Ipswich Motorway and the Brisbane Airport link road. Gold Coast Airport (Coolangatta) is around 60–70 minutes via the Logan Motorway and Pacific Motorway. Both airports are accessible by public transport (train + transfer) for travellers without their own vehicle.
Taxis & rideshare
Standard rideshare services (Uber, DiDi, Ola) operate in Goodna, with reasonable wait times most of the day. Local taxi services include Yellow Cabs Ipswich and Black & White Cabs. The Goodna train station and Goodna Marketplace are the most common pick-up points.