RAIL - Back On Track Forum

Up until the early 2000s there used to be a regular bus service between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, until the company was eventually taken over by Greyhound. Prior to the takeover this was a well patronised bus service and very popular and convenient with locals. This was a convenient alternative to the train and has not been replaced.  With Sunbus now located in Elimbah and a number of people now living at Aura, surely there could be a case at looking at a bus service which connects to the Coast with either Brisbane or Caboolture.

What would be the reason for this bus? Wouldn't it mostly duplicate the train, which has far higher capacity, and isn't subject to the Bruce Hwy traffic?

Perhaps a bus from Caloundra to Landsborough or Beerwah via Aura would be a good stop-gap until the DSCRL is built, but I see no reason for it to continue to Caboolture, let alone Brisbane.

Everyone wants a one bus journey to everywhere...catch the 605 to Landsborough and transfer to the train, there, done, you've got your PT trip.     

Eventually, there'll be a train at Caloundra which will take you to possibly Brisbane (depending on the decision made to the network at the time).

I do think there should be a service between Caloundra and the railway via Aura until DSCL is built.  It is a big back-track to get to Landsborough for anybody south of Caloundra Road.

Quote from: MagicBulletsUp until the early 2000s there used to be a regular bus service between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, until the company was eventually taken over by Greyhound. Prior to the takeover this was a well patronised bus service and very popular and convenient with locals. This was a convenient alternative to the train and has not been replaced.  With Sunbus now located in Elimbah and a number of people now living at Aura, surely there could be a case at looking at a bus service which connects to the Coast with either Brisbane or Caboolture.

The area could really do with a limited stops rapid bus service to stand in place of the rail line until it is built.

For heaven's sake, there already is a rail line, it just doesn't go quite to where people want it to go. Transport planning 101 says don't duplicate the entire rail line, just provide reliable and frequent connecting services by bus. By all means create a new bus route from Beerwah to Caloundra South until the new direct line is built, but do not, under any circumstance, run a translink bus all the way from Brisbane to Caloundra. That would be absurdly wasteful.

Yes! More rapid coach buses for the sake of it! And screw the railway line. We want maglev!!

Just an idea of what a Calounda-Beerwah interim route could look like.

As I've mentioned previously in other threads, Beerwah to Kawana via Nirimba and Birtinya following most of the DSCL will suffice for now. There are connections at Kawana Shoppingworld for the HF 600 as well as the coverage routes terminating at Kawana.

Mooloolaba and Maroochydore is already covered by the 615 and goes via Aussie World and Sippy Downs/USC on the way.

Caloundra is already covered by the 605, the Aroona Station site is covered by the hourly coverage 602.

Quote from: MagicBullets on November 17, 2024, 14:18:02 PMUp until the early 2000s there used to be a regular bus service between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, until the company was eventually taken over by Greyhound. Prior to the takeover this was a well patronised bus service and very popular and convenient with locals. This was a convenient alternative to the train and has not been replaced.  With Sunbus now located in Elimbah and a number of people now living at Aura, surely there could be a case at looking at a bus service which connects to the Coast with either Brisbane or Caboolture.

Greyhound still operates Noosa via Maroochydore to Brisbane services a few times per day (although as continuation of services to/from North and Central Queensland).

If the now-defunct Suncoast Pacific Coaches coach service between Noosa via Maroochydore and Caloundra to Brisbane was  'popular', they would've not sold up to Greyhound roughly 20 years ago, IMO.  At the time when Suncoast was acquired by Greyhound back in 2006, they were running only 5-6 services a day, well down on the 11 services per day that Suncoast (and predecessors Sunshine Coast Coaches and Skennars Coaches before them) were operating during the heydays of the 80s and 90s.

Suncoast Pacific Fleet History: https://fleetlists.busaustralia.com/qld.php?info=SPC