Executive sedan
For 1–3 passengers. The everyday airport and race-day transfer. Quote as Executive Sedan.
Choose this vehicle23–25 Oct
Race weekend, 2026
2.96 km
Street circuit through Surfers Paradise and Main Beach
200,000+
Fans across the weekend in recent years
24/7
Dispatch desk, all weekend
Race weekend at a glance
The street circuit is the suburb. That's the transport problem.
For three days the beachfront streets of Surfers Paradise and Main Beach become a race track. The Gold Coast 500 is the opening round of the Supercars finals and Queensland's largest annual sporting event.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | 2026 Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500, opening round of the Supercars finals |
| Dates | Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026 |
| Circuit | Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, about 2.96 km through Surfers Paradise and Main Beach |
| Precinct secured | 12:01am Friday 23 October to 11:59pm Sunday 25 October |
| Main races | Race 31 on Saturday and Race 32 on Sunday, each 85 laps |
| Support categories | V8 SuperUtes, Porsche Carrera Cup and Aussie Racing Cars |
| Entertainment | Sound Track live music and festival precinct, with Bag Raiders, Havana Brown and Sneaky Sound System |
| Public transport | G:link light rail free for ticket holders. Closest stations: Main Beach and Surfers Paradise North |
| Kids | 12 and under free with a paying adult |
| Nearest airports | Gold Coast Airport (OOL) and Brisbane Airport (BNE) |
Race schedule
The sessions that matter for your pickup times.
New for 2026: qualifying for Saturday's Race 31 is on Friday at 4:05pm. Queensland doesn't use daylight saving, so add one hour for Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra time.
| Day | Session | Queensland (AEST) | Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra (AEDT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 23 October | Circuit roads close | 6:00am | 7:00am |
| Supercars Practice 1 | 11:45am | 12:45pm | |
| Supercars Practice 2 | 1:50pm | 2:50pm | |
| Supercars Qualifying (Race 31) | 4:05pm | 5:05pm | |
| Track reopens | 5:00pm to 6:00pm | 6:00pm to 7:00pm | |
| Saturday 24 October | Circuit roads close | 7:00am | 8:00am |
| Top Ten Shootout | 12:35pm | 1:35pm | |
| Race 31 (85 laps or one lap after 5:18pm) | 3:15pm | 4:15pm | |
| Sunday 25 October | Circuit roads close | 7:00am | 8:00am |
| Pit Lane Fan Experience (ticketed) | 10:10am | 11:10am | |
| Qualifying (Q1 and Q2) | 11:20am and 11:40am | 12:20pm and 12:40pm | |
| Top Ten Shootout | 12:05pm | 1:05pm | |
| Race 32 (85 laps or one lap after 4:48pm) | 2:45pm | 3:45pm |
Session times can move with weather, red flags or earlier delays. Check the official track schedule on the day, and book your return with a buffer rather than a pickup at the flag.
Options compared
How to get to the Gold Coast 500, and home again.
There's no single front gate at a street circuit, and no single best way in.
| Option | Cost | Getting there | Getting home | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT247 chauffeur Confirmed | Quoted before you book | Door to door, to an agreed drop-off near your gate | A pickup window agreed in advance, with a driver who knows the closures | Fly-in fans, families, groups and corporate guests |
| G:link light rail | Free with an event ticket | Frequent trams to Main Beach and Surfers Paradise North | Crowded platforms and queues straight after each race | Fans near a tram stop with light bags |
| Train plus tram | Check Translink fares | Train to Helensvale, then the G:link south | Two connections in post-race crowds | Brisbane day-trippers travelling light |
| Driving and parking | Fuel, plus parking if you can find it | Road closures and a secured precinct | Slow exits, and someone has to stay sober | Locals parking well outside the precinct |
| Rideshare or taxi | Variable, often higher at peak times | Usually workable in the morning | Most exposed to delays, closures and cancelled pickups | Short trips when demand is low |
Getting there
Every way in, and the catch with each.
Pre-booked chauffeur
The option that keeps working when the roads close. Give us your hotel, your gate and your flight, and your driver plans the route around the closures instead of following an app pin. Book early, before event weekend demand peaks.
G:link light rail
Free for ticket holders, through Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Main Beach, Southport and Helensvale. After the racing, expect queues and full trams at Main Beach and Surfers Paradise North.
Train from Brisbane
Train to Helensvale, then the G:link south. From the southern Gold Coast, join the tram at Burleigh Heads. Check Translink fares for train and bus legs.
Driving and parking
A poor plan for the precinct. If you must drive, park well outside the closure zone near a G:link station. Staying trackside? Confirm in writing whether a car can reach the building.
Taxis and rideshare
Fine for a morning drop-off. After the race: long waits, higher prices and drivers who can't reach a pin inside a closed block.
Walking and cycling
From Broadbeach, the Oceanway coastal path runs north to the precinct, with bike racks around the circuit. Less fun with grandstand gear or a flight to catch.
Flying in
Gold Coast Airport or Brisbane Airport, met in the terminal.
OOL · closest to the circuit
Gold Coast Airport
The natural choice if you're staying in Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise or Main Beach. Your chauffeur meets you in the terminal and drives you to your hotel.
BNE · more flights
Brisbane Airport
More interstate and international flights, and a good fit if you're adding a few days in Brisbane. Straight down the M1 to your Gold Coast hotel, with no train change and no tram queue with suitcases.
Brisbane Airport transfers- ✓Flight tracked. If your flight is early or late, the pickup adjusts.
- ✓Free waiting time. 30 minutes for domestic flights and 60 minutes for international flights, from when the chauffeur arrives.
- ✓Driver delay. Add one when you book if baggage or customs will take a while.
- ✓The calm version. Arrive Thursday and leave Monday. A Sunday race and an evening flight on the same day works only with a pre-booked car and a generous buffer.
Need a car to your home airport on the way out? See our Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth airport transfers.
Recommended timeline
When to leave, and when to book the ride home.
Friday 23 October
Practice and qualifying
- →Arrive Thursday night if you can. Circuit roads close at 6:00am Friday.
- →Leave your hotel 60 to 75 minutes before you want to be at the gate.
- →Qualifying starts at 4:05pm. Book your return for after the track reopens, around 5:00pm to 6:00pm.
Saturday 24 October
Race 31
- →For the Top Ten Shootout at 12:35pm, be at the gate by midday.
- →For the race only, leave a Broadbeach or Southport hotel by about 1:45pm.
- →Agree a return window, not a pickup at the flag. The race can run until one lap after 5:18pm.
Sunday 25 October
Race 32
- →The same plan, about 30 minutes earlier. Race 32 starts at 2:45pm, so leave by about 1:15pm.
- →Evening flight? Add extra buffer. Sunday night traffic off the Coast is far heavier than usual.
Where to stay and get picked up
Book to an exact address and meeting point, not just "Surfers Paradise".
Before you pay a deposit on anything trackside, ask three things: is the building inside the secured precinct, can a car reach the door between Friday and Sunday, and where do guests meet a driver after the race?
Main Beach
Close to the northern end of the circuit and Main Beach station. Great for walking in, harder for cars. Arrange luggage drop-off before the precinct is secured on Friday.
Surfers Paradise
The most hotels and nightlife, many right against closed roads. A hire car in the basement may not be going anywhere until Sunday night.
Broadbeach
The sensible base for many fans. Outside the immediate circuit, with the tram, the Oceanway and an easy chauffeur run to an agreed drop-off point.
Southport
North of the tourist strip, with G:link access back towards Main Beach. A good option if trackside hotels are full.
Burleigh, Coolangatta or Brisbane
Further from the action but closer to Gold Coast Airport, or more flights from Brisbane. Pair it with a pre-booked transfer and skip two tram changes a day.
What to bring
Sunscreen, a hat, water and comfortable shoes. Grandstands can be exposed in October. Same-day passouts are allowed. Charge your phone: your ticket, tram trip and pickup details all live on it.
Why AT247 for race weekend
A confirmed chauffeur when the whole Coast is looking for a ride.
A driver who knows the closures
Your chauffeur plans around the secured precinct and meets you at an agreed point.
Price before you book
See it in the instant quote. Tolls and parking added at cost, no markup, on an itemised GST tax invoice.
Airport pickups done properly
Gold Coast and Brisbane airports, flight tracked, with meet and greet in the terminal.
Vehicles for every group
Executive sedans, SUVs and people movers, so the whole group travels together.
Hourly hire
Keep a car on standby for qualifying, lunch and the return.
Built for corporate hospitality
Book several guests on one account with one invoice. The 24/7 dispatch desk moves pickups if the race runs long.
How to book
Book both directions now. Saturday and Sunday evening returns go first.
- Step 1
Get a price
Use the instant quote. Choose Concert and Sporting Events for race trips, or Airport / Regular Transfer for flights.
- Step 2
Log in or register
Book on the web or in the iOS or Android app.
- Step 3
Tell us your hotel
The exact address, and whether it's inside the secured precinct.
- Step 4
Name the gate or meeting point
And whether you're staying for the Sound Track music or leaving after the race.
- Step 5
Add your flight number
If a leg is an airport transfer, so the pickup follows the real landing time.
- Step 6
Choose the vehicle
A sedan, SUV or people mover for the group and the luggage.
Going to other events too? See event transfers.
The vehicles
One car for the group, from the airport to the gate.
Luxury SUV
More room for bags, grandstand gear and a longer run from Brisbane. Quote as SUV.
Choose this vehicle
People mover
Up to seven passengers, so the whole group arrives together and leaves together. Quote as 7 Seater People Mover.
Choose this vehicleFAQ
Gold Coast 500 transport questions.
How do I get to the Gold Coast 500?
Most fans use the G:link light rail, free for event ticket holders, to Main Beach or Surfers Paradise North. Driving into the precinct is difficult because of road closures. For door-to-door travel from a hotel or airport, a pre-booked chauffeur is the most reliable option.
Is public transport free for the Gold Coast 500?
The G:link light rail is free for event ticket holders across the race weekend. Check Translink for any train or bus legs before you travel.
Can I drive and park at the Gold Coast 500?
Not easily. The precinct is secured from 12:01am Friday 23 October to 11:59pm Sunday 25 October, and circuit roads close early each morning. Park outside the closure zone near a G:link station and take the tram in.
What time does Race 31 start?
Race 31 starts at 3:15pm Queensland time (AEST) on Saturday 24 October, which is 4:15pm in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. Race 32 starts at 2:45pm AEST on Sunday 25 October.
How much is a chauffeur from Gold Coast Airport to Surfers Paradise?
It depends on your pickup, drop-off and vehicle. Use the instant quote to see your price before you book. Tolls and parking are added at actual cost, with no markup, and itemised on your GST tax invoice.
Can I get a private transfer from Brisbane Airport to the Gold Coast?
Yes. Your chauffeur meets you in the terminal, tracks your flight and drives you straight down the M1 to your Gold Coast hotel.
Is rideshare a good option after the race?
It's the option most exposed to delays. After Race 31 and Race 32, expect long waits, higher prices and pickups that can't reach closed streets. A pre-booked car with an agreed pickup window is easier to rely on.
What if the race runs late?
Contact the 24/7 dispatch desk and we'll move your pickup, or book hourly hire so the car is held for you. Agreeing a pickup window, rather than a fixed time at the flag, gives you the most flexibility.
Keep the weekend about the racing.
A confirmed chauffeur for the airport, the gate and the trip home. Book both directions before Saturday and Sunday evening returns are gone.
Or email support@airporttransfers247.com.au
