Queensland Rail to restore 91% of full timetable from October 12
Queensland Rail services will return to 91% of the full South East Queensland timetable from October 12 after in-principle deals on the operator’s last three enterprise agreements.
From Monday, October 12, 417 more services a week will lift the network to 7,725 weekly services. Queensland Rail expects the full timetable back by the end of November, depending on how quickly maintenance work progresses.
The increase implies a current level of about 7,308 weekly services, or roughly 86% of the full timetable, by Railway Supply’s calculation from the operator’s figures.
Beenleigh and Shorncliffe lines move to 15-minute peaks
On the Beenleigh and Shorncliffe lines, trains will run every 15 minutes in the morning and afternoon peaks from October 12, instead of every 30 minutes. That brings both lines up to the peak frequency of most other lines on the network.
The Doomben shuttle will run through to Roma Street in both peak and off-peak periods. Queensland Rail is also adding contra-peak services on the Shorncliffe line, seven peak sweeper services across the morning and afternoon, and off-peak trains between Northgate and Cannon Hill.
| Line or route | Change | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Beenleigh line | Trains every 15 minutes, up from every 30 minutes | Morning and afternoon peaks |
| Shorncliffe line | Trains every 15 minutes, up from every 30 minutes; extra contra-peak services in the morning | Morning and afternoon peaks |
| Doomben line | Shuttle runs through to Roma Street | Peak and off-peak |
| Morning sweeper services | 6.41am Kippa-Ring to Roma Street; 6.42am Caboolture to Roma Street; 7.01am Springfield Central to Bowen Hills; 7.05am Manly to Bowen Hills | Morning peak |
| Afternoon sweeper services | 4.44pm Roma Street to Ferny Grove; 4.59pm Roma Street to Kippa-Ring; 5.14pm Bowen Hills to Springfield Central | Afternoon peak |
| Northgate to Cannon Hill | New trains added | Off-peak |
From October 12, the Beenleigh and Shorncliffe lines double their peak frequency, the Doomben shuttle runs on to Roma Street, and seven extra sweeper trips run in the peaks. Source: Queensland Rail, September 18, 2026.
Beenleigh and Gold Coast track closures end on October 11
Beenleigh passengers will move to the new frequency straight after separate track closures. From September 19 to October 11, sections of the Beenleigh and Gold Coast lines are closed so crews can work on Cross River Rail, Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail, the Loganlea Station Relocation, the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program and ETCS digital signalling. Until October 5, trains do not run between Boggo Road and Varsity Lakes. From October 6, the closed section shrinks to Boggo Road to Banoon, while Beenleigh and Gold Coast trains run together between Banoon and Varsity Lakes. Rail replacement buses cover the closed sections. The Cross River Rail Delivery Authority says trains on both lines return on Monday, October 12, the same day the 15-minute Beenleigh peak starts.
What the last three agreements include
The deals cover the Network agreement, the Rollingstock and Operations agreement and a new electrical-only agreement. They are the last three of seven replacement enterprise agreements, negotiated with the help of the Fair Work Commission.
The core term is an 8.5% pay rise over three years. On top of that comes a cost-of-living relief payment worth up to 1% in both year two and year three, depending on inflation. Queensland Rail says the package is consistent with the Queensland Government-Owned Corporations Wages Policy. Employees also receive a Strategic Delivery Allowance, which Queensland Rail describes as an incentive to deliver major projects. Back pay starts on September 1, 2026 for the electrical-only agreement and on August 1, 2026 for the Network and the Rollingstock and Operations agreements.
None of the deals is final yet. The Fair Work Commission has recommended that the outcomes go to an employee ballot and that workers vote yes.
The September deals follow an in-principle agreement for train controllers in August, which left the reduced timetable in place because of the maintenance backlog.
| Term | June 2026 round | September 2026 round |
|---|---|---|
| Agreements | Administrative, Professional and Technical (ASPT); Travel and Tourism and Other Employees; Station Operations | Network; Rollingstock and Operations; new electrical-only agreement |
| Pay rise over three years | 8% | 8.5% |
| Cost-of-living relief payment | Up to 2.5% across the three years | Up to 1% in year two and up to 1% in year three, depending on inflation |
| Strategic Delivery Allowance | Included | Included |
| Back pay starts | June 1, 2026 | August 1, 2026 for Network and Rollingstock and Operations; September 1, 2026 for the electrical-only agreement |
| Employees covered | Almost 3,500 | Not stated |
The September round has a higher base rise, 8.5% against 8%, while its inflation-linked relief payment is capped at up to 1% in each of the last two years instead of up to 2.5% over three years. The Train Control Enterprise Agreement is not shown. Sources: Queensland Rail, July 1, 2026; Queensland Rail, September 18, 2026.
Why the full timetable waits until November
Queensland Rail has run a reduced timetable since May 5. It says protected industrial action by unions caused a maintenance backlog that stranded rollingstock. With the action now lifted, more trains can return to the timetable.
Nev Conway, Queensland Rail’s Head of Corporate Affairs, linked the November date to that backlog:
“Queensland Rail is still working its way through the maintenance backlog caused by months of union protected industrial action and we expect to be back to full timetable by the end of November.”
The extra services will be loaded into Journey Planner over the next few days, and Queensland Rail is asking customers to check before they travel.
