Budget travel Gold Coast — 50-cent fares from $125
Updated: Sep 16
Planning a cheap week on the Coast? See our doubles from $125/night.
Budget travel Gold Coast is straightforward from Miami: 50-cent tram from the stop on our corner, Burleigh Beach 200m down Sixth Avenue, and cheap eats without a hire car. Skip the platform fees and the parking hunt.
Doubles from $125/night when you book direct.
Budget travel Gold Coast — 50-cent fares from $125
The Christine Avenue stop is on our corner. That is the cheap way around the Coast.
G:link and bus 765 — same corner stop. North to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Southport and Helensvale (Airtrain change for Brisbane Airport). South to Second Avenue and Burleigh Heads.
Currumbin, Coolangatta, Gold Coast Airport — G:link two stops south to Burleigh Heads, then transfer. Bus 700 south for Currumbin and Coolangatta. Route 777 is Gold Coast Airport only. Do not use 777 for Coolangatta beach days. Neither 700 nor 777 stops at Miami.
Fares — 50 cents with a go card or contactless tap on and off.
Leave the car in our lot (one permit per room, subject to availability) or do not hire one at all.
Cheap eats near the motel
You do not need a restaurant reservation to eat well on a budget.
Aldi — directly across the road, for snacks, drinks and breakfast supplies
Coles — at Miami One (~300m)
Coffee — $5 to $6 at most cafes
Miami Marketta — Wednesday to Saturday, 5–10pm. No entry fee; share a few dishes and eat for under $30. Live music is free
James Street — window shopping is free; happy-hour drinks if you want a cheap night out
Rick Shores and The Tropic, in Burleigh Heads village to the south, are there if you want a sit-down meal — they are not the cheap-eat option. Save those for one night and use Aldi, Marketta and takeaway coffee for the rest.
Free days — do not pay for the beach
Sunrise swim at Burleigh Beach (200m, patrolled north end). Headland walk, Sunday markets, Tallebudgera Creek, Justins Park sunset — all free or close to it.
The full list lives on free things to do in Burleigh Heads. This post is how to keep the rest of the trip cheap. Doorstep distances are on things to do near Burleigh Motel.
Budget day trips without a fortune
You do not need a car or a theme-park ticket every day.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary — G:link two stops south to Burleigh Heads, then bus 700 south
Broadbeach and Pacific Fair — G:link north from our corner; window shopping is free
Coolangatta and Snapper Rocks — G:link two stops south to Burleigh Heads, then bus 700 south. Not route 777
Springbrook National Park — free entry; about 45 minutes if you can carpool or hire for a day. Natural Bridge is the highlight
Queensland Parks covers the local headland walk if you stay on foot.
Beach 200m — see our rooms.
A cheap room 200m from the beach
Cheap nights leave money for the days. We are a family-run 36-room motel on the Gold Coast Highway in Miami QLD, on the Christine Avenue corner. Doubles from $125/night. Private ensuite, air conditioning, flat-screen TV (free-to-air), microwave, bar fridge, kettle, free Wi-Fi, outdoor pool. Book direct — no platform fees.
Named Best Budget-Friendly Accommodation in Burleigh Heads by Virgin Australia. 4.7 stars on Google.
Road-facing rooms have double-glazed windows on request — highway and tram line, not a construction story.
Frequently asked questions
How do I do budget travel on the Gold Coast from Burleigh?
Stay at Burleigh Gold Coast Motel from $125/night, 200m from Burleigh Beach. G:link and bus 765 stop at the Christine Avenue stop on our corner. For Currumbin, Coolangatta or the airport, ride two stops south to Burleigh Heads and transfer to 700 or 777. Fares are 50 cents. Shop at Aldi across the road, eat cheap at Miami Marketta, and walk to free beach days.
Are buses and the tram really 50 cents?
Yes. Translink journeys in South East Queensland are 50 cents with a go card or contactless tap on and off — including G:link and bus 765 from our corner, and 700 or 777 after the transfer at Burleigh Heads.
Do I need a car for budget travel from the motel?
No. G:link and bus 765 stop on our corner. Ride two stops south to Burleigh Heads for bus 700 (Currumbin and Coolangatta) or route 777 (Gold Coast Airport only). Free parking is available if you do bring a car, subject to availability.
How far is Burleigh Beach from Burleigh Gold Coast Motel?
200m — about a two-minute walk straight down Sixth Avenue.
Is the Christine Avenue tram stop open?
Yes. The Christine Avenue stop is on our corner. G:link runs north to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Southport and Helensvale, and south to Second Avenue and Burleigh Heads. Bus 765 uses the same corner stop. Routes 700 and 777 do not stop at Miami — transfer at Burleigh Heads.
Book Direct — Best Rates
Phone: (07) 5576 3211 · Email: info@burleighmotel.com.au · Location: 1908–1910 Gold Coast Highway, Miami QLD 4220
50-cent fares, 200m to the sand — budget travel Gold Coast without the hire-car bill.
