Brisbane Kids love trains and there are so many great places to take your train loving kids to see trains in Brisbane, other than the local train station. We have compiled a list to get your child chugging on their way to locomotive heaven. Here’s where you can fill up your little train enthusiast’s fuel tank in Brisbane.
Table of Contents
The Workshops Rail Museum
The holy grail of all things related – The Workshops Rail Museum, North Street North Ipswich, is a must-see for train enthusiasts of all ages. They have examples of steam engines, electric engines, passenger trains, and lots of other train-related paraphernalia.
Spend a while tracking the trains on the huge model railway, then continue to the “Nippers Railway” indoor railway-themed playground with costumes, carriages, bikes, signals and more to engage your train-loving Brisbane Kid.
There is generally a themed exhibition with additional special activities each school holiday period. There is a café onsite, or you can obtain a pass out to retrieve a picnic from your car and enjoy lunch in the shade of a tree.
Next door to the museum is a large car park with ample space for visitors. Opening hours are 9.30 am – 5.00 pm daily except Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day. Check out the website for up-to-date entrance fees. If they have a current exhibition, it will be noted on the Brisbane Kids What’s On Calendar
Roma Street Parkland
Roma Street Parkland is an excellent spot for your little train fan! Stand above the train tracks at the observation deck for a great view of Roma Street Station and watch the trains pass through the tunnel as they come and go, or head into the parklands to find the Xpress Fun Train.
This trackless train weaves through the parklands, giving a guided and informative tour of the grounds. It operates from 10am – 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. It is $5 per person to ride the Xpress Fun Train. You can check on their schedule and confirm operation here.
Steam Railway Rides
Steam Train Sunday
Brisbane is blessed with various steam train experiences. One of our favourites is Sunday Steam Train Rides at the Ipswich Museum’s Workshops Rail Museum. Bookings are essential with the steam train journey departing from Roma Street.
The Downs Explorer
Further afield, the Southern Downs Steam Railway offers a unique heritage experience of the Darling Downs and Granite Belt. These rides are by reservation only and offer regular tours from Warwick to Stanthorpe, Wallangarra, Clifton, Wheatvale, Hendon, and Toowoomba, plus special long weekends to Miles, Goondiwindi and Tenterfield, NSW. For more details, contact Downs Explorer
Queensland Pioneer Steam Train
The Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway is a heritage railway in Ipswich, Australia, allowing visitors to ride on restored steam trains from the early 1900s. The railway runs on a historic track and provides a unique learning experience about Queensland’s railway history. The train also passes through beautiful countryside scenery, and visitors can enjoy food and drinks on board. Dates and times vary, so check their website for details at www.qpsr.net
Miniature Steam Trains
Please note that as a general rule, all miniature steam rides below require participants to wear enclosed shoes. This is an activity that is weather dependant and also volunteer dependant and we recommend checking with organisers before you go to confirm operations and avoid disappointment.
Bracken Ridge Miniature Steam Train Rides
Bracken Ridge Miniature Steam Trains run on the 4th Sunday of each month. Trains run 9.30am – 2.30pm in McPherson Park, Denham Street, Bracken Ridge for $2 a ride. Bring along a picnic lunch, bring the family and make it a great family day out. Before you go, it is always worth checking their Facebook Page for any last-minute changes or weather cancellations.
Brisbane Bayside Steam Railway
The Brisbane Bayside Steam Railway Society hosts train rides on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month from 10 am until 4 pm. This steam train runs a mountain climb circuit with a spiral loop and bridge at Wynnum Junction Station on Wynnum Road.
Bribie Island Miniature Steam Train
Bribie Island Miniature Steam Train rides passengers around their 500m Melsa Park track on the 3rd Sunday of every month from 10am until 1.30pm.
Woodridge Minature Train Rides
Train rides are available from late January to November on the second and fourth Sunday of each month (though always check with their FB page first). The rides are open to children and adults from 10:30am to 4pm. However, children under four must be accompanied by an adult. Adults ride free with children under four. Visitors must wear enclosed shoes and avoid wearing thongs, sandals, or crocs. Check the calendar or the Logan Model Engineering Society’s Facebook page for the latest information.
QLD Society of Model and Experimental Engineers Inc.
The QLD Society of Model and Experimental Engineers Inc. have an impressive 2000 metres of track. They have running days on the second Sunday of every month except August and December (pre-purchased tickets are essential). This fantastic set-up features two tunnels, a spiral descent and landscaped gardens. Tickets are $15. plus a 50c transaction fee for unlimited train rides on their running days. For more information and to book, visit https://www.qsmee.com.au/visit-us/
Train Playgrounds
Brisbane Kids love the amazing playgrounds in our beautiful city, and here are 4 with superb train-themed play equipment. These playgrounds are sure to nurture your child’s inner train driver and excite their imaginations –
Milton Railway Park in Milton
Milton Train Park is a compact, fully-fenced playground in Brisbane, Australia, featuring a train-themed play area. The hero of the play space is a replica train with a slide, stairs, and a fireman’s pole. Mature trees shade the park and is popular with younger children who love trains and other vehicles. Trains, trucks, and buses pass by regularly, adding to the excitement.
Ewing Park – Woodridge’s Train Playground
Younger Brisbane kids will have a blast pretending to be train drivers or passengers while riding the trains and exploring the railway infrastructure in Ewing Park. While the train tracks encircling the playground and park may not have visible trains, children can use their imagination to create their imaginary trains to chug around the ways.
John Scott Park Samford
Lovely and shady, John Scott Park at Samford features a small play train for kids and a lovely playground with swings and a BMX pump course.
Scarborough Beach Park in Redcliffe
Scarborough Beach Park, also known as Railway Place is a beachside park with a lovely play train setup. arents will love that this is fully fenced with acessible toilets and lovely gnarled climbing trees. Lots of cafes nearby for coffee.
The Ginger Factory Train
Situated on the Sunshine Coast, The Ginger Factory is best known for its onsite Ginger Factory, beautiful gardens and ginger-themed food. Train enthusiasts will be happy to hear that they also offer tours throughout their property on a 100-year-old cane train fondly referred to at Moreton. Moreton used to transport the sugar from the sugar cane fields, but these days happily ferry families around the Ginger Factory gardens every half hour.
Public Transport – Trains, Airtrain and Monorails
Translink, the Airport to City Airtrain, the newly completed Gold Coast Light Rail Tram and Oasis Broadbeach Monorail offer a modern and exciting public transport train experience.
Translink
Translink is Brisbane’s most extensive train system, with express trains and a stop-at-every-stop service. Choose when and where you get on and off and explore new locations through this transport network.
Airtrain
Children under 14 years old travel free on the Airtrain, which has stops at various locations from the Airport to Roma Street.
G:link
The G:link, or the Gold Coast Light Rail Tram, is an environmentally friendly mode of transport nearing completion on the Gold Coast. This Light Rail is a tram system travelling along the coast to link commuters with attractions and other transport systems—a new and exciting train system to excite your Brisbane Kids.
For more Fun Activities in Brisbane with a transport theme, check out our guide to Plane Spotting in Brisbane.
Join the conversation