Gold Coast light rail the cherry on top

The Gold Coast is like a delicious chocolate cake: If the gorgeous, sunny beaches are the chocolate, the wonderful community makes up the icing and the availability of apartments for sale in Broadbeach makes up the sprinkles. Now all it needs is the cherry on top.

That cherry has arrived in the form of the Gold Coast’s new light rail system, which residents got the chance to use on 20 July. The $1.2billion project shuttles passengers between the Broadbeach south station and the Gold Coast University Hospital station in Southport.

“The light rail will give local residents far more than a world-class public transport network,” commented Queensland Transport and Main Roads Scott Emerson in a statement from the same day.

“Light rail has a proven track record for revitalising cities by connecting people and places, and attracting investment.”

Each vehicle is able to hold 309 passengers, or six buses worth of commuters. It is the first light rail system in the Sunshine State, and the first for any regional city around the country.

The Australian government had invested a total of $365million into the project, the Gold Coast city council contributed $120million, while the Queensland government’s share totalled up to $464million.