Brisbane Airport train gets extended operating hours to 10pm

IN BRIEF | Brisbane's airport train is now running a little later each evening, although it'll still stop before the last flights arrive at night.

Starting today the trains will run until 10pm. That's a definite improvement on the previous closing time of 8pm, but still no help for people on flights arriving after 10pm.

Airtrain defends its decision by saying that 95% of flights into the airport will be serviced by the train. (Bad luck if your flight is in the remaining 5%.)

Previously, Airtrain had claimed it was uneconomic to run trains after 8pm because not enough passengers used it during those hours, but its $12.5 million profit in the past year gave public transport lobbyist some ammunition to pressure the company to provide expanded services.

However, the pricey tickets remain -- it's $15 each way, and Airtrain Chairman Mike Pelly says he has no plans to change this.

In Sydney, trains run until the last flight arrives at Sydney Airport, with the last train departing for Central Station at 12.41am. Melbourne's Skybus runs 24 hours a day, shuttling passengers between Southern Cross Station and Tullamarine Airport.

danwarne