Brisbane City Council has today announced new CityCat ferry services to the city’s Howard Smith Wharves terminal will launch tomorrow.
Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner says the addition of CityCat services to the terminal will allow residents and visitors to travel to the popular lifestyle precinct from anywhere on the existing CityCat network.
“Howard Smith Wharves is not only one of Brisbane’s most beloved entertainment areas, but directly linked to the iconic Fortitude Valley precinct, so a permanent CityCat stop at the Wharves makes perfect sense,” he said.
“The introduction of these daily services will mean that more people can easily travel between Howard Smith Wharves, the city and Southbank as well as a host of other terminals along the river as they see the best of Brisbane.
“Our Council is committed to keeping Brisbane moving and we will continue to enhance Brisbane’s lifestyle and make public transport even better.”
The Howard Smith Wharves ferry terminal, which opened in December 2021, is currently serviced by the CityHopper and Cross River Ferry Service.
The Howard Smith Wharves terminal was built with capacity for CityCat vessels, allowing these services to be added to the existing timetable, resulting in no changes to daily ferry network trip numbers or service frequencies.
“This is such an exciting announcement, and if the feedback we received when this was initially floated is anything to go by, I’m absolutely certain both visitors and Brisbane locals are going to love being able to stop at Howard Smith Wharves,” said Howard Smith Wharves CEO, Luke Fraser.
“The river really is one of Brisbane’s superpowers, so showcasing one of our city’s most amazing assets to even more CityCat users is a great idea, and we congratulate the Council on this commitment.
“At Howard Smith Wharves, we’re passionate about the environment, and as the new CityCat service will reduce cars on the road, this is going to have a positive impact on our planet and our city.”
Council’s CityHopper service will continue to operate from the terminal, connecting to key locations including North Quay, South Bank and Dockside, with all services moved three minutes to accommodate the new CityCat service.
The first CityCat services will start operating from the Howard Smith Wharves terminal at 6:10am and run until approximately 11:30pm on weeknights and midnight on weekends.
CityCat services currently extend to 19 terminals along the Brisbane River from UQ St Lucia to Northshore Hamilton.
“As the fleet expands with new routes and upgraded terminals, we can get more people to their destinations sooner and safer,” said Council Chair for Transport, Ryan Murphy.
“Each year approximately 45,000 people travel to or from Howard Smith Wharves on the CityHopper or Cross River Ferry Service.
“With hundreds of new services each week being added, we expect thousands more passengers to enjoy a trip down the river to visit this vibrant precinct.
“We will continue to improve our iconic ferry network to keep Brisbane moving,” he said.
