Can You Walk Across the Story Bridge?
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Yes. You can walk across the Story Bridge for free. A three-metre-wide concrete footway runs along each side of the bridge, both are open to pedestrians and cyclists, and you need no ticket, booking or guide to use them.
That is a different thing from the Story Bridge Adventure Climb, and the two get confused constantly, including by search engines. The free footway runs at road level beside six lanes of traffic. The climb takes you off the road deck and onto the steel structure itself, harnessed and guided, to a summit 80 metres above the Brisbane River. This guide covers the walk properly, then explains exactly what the climb adds, so you can pick the one you actually want.
Key Takeaways
- Walking across the Story Bridge is free. The bridge opened as a toll bridge in 1940 and the toll was abolished in 1947
- Three-metre concrete footways are carried on both sides of the bridge, shared by pedestrians and cyclists
- Both footpaths were closed through much of 2025 for decking replacement. Brisbane City Council confirmed in April 2026 that footpaths remain open
- A temporary full bridge closure is scheduled for late 2026 or early 2027, so check Council before you travel
- The bridge is about 1,072 metres end to end, so allow roughly 15 minutes to cross at an easy pace
- The walk sits at road level. The Adventure Climb reaches 80 metres, on the structure itself, from $150 per person
Are the Story Bridge Footpaths Open?
Yes, as at the most recent Council statement. Brisbane City Council advised in April 2026 that “footpaths will remain open for pedestrians and cyclists” during works on the bridge.
This is worth checking before you go, for two reasons. First, both footpaths were closed for much of 2025 while Council installed 750 metres of new footpath decking, so a good deal of the walking advice published elsewhere still describes the bridge as closed. Second, and more importantly, Council has flagged that future waterproofing and resurfacing of the southern approach “will require a temporary full bridge closure in late 2026 or early 2027” during lower traffic periods. Concrete and resurfacing works are listed as running across 2026 and 2027. In other words, access is genuinely changeable right now, so check Council’s Story Bridge renewal page before you make the trip.
How Much Does It Cost to Walk Across the Story Bridge?
Nothing. The footways are public paths on a public road bridge, so the walk is free and needs no ticket, booking or guide. The bridge did open as a toll bridge in 1940, charging sixpence per car, but it was transferred to Brisbane City Council in 1947 and the toll was abolished then.
The difference between walking and climbing is worth stating plainly, because the two get merged into one activity constantly. Walking puts you on a shared footway at road level, alongside six lanes of Bradfield Highway traffic. Climbing takes you off the deck and onto the bridge structure itself, up to a summit 80 metres above the river, attached to a safety line the whole way. Same landmark, completely different experience, and only one of them costs anything.
| Walking across | Story Bridge Adventure Climb | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | From $150 per person (Day Climb) |
| Where you are | Footway at road level, beside traffic | On the bridge structure, up to the summit |
| Height | Road deck level | 80 metres above the Brisbane River |
| Time | About 15 minutes to cross | About 1.5 hours including briefing |
| Booking | Not required | Required |
| Guide | No | Yes, trained climb leader |
| Minimum age | None | 6 years, minimum height 1.1 metres |
How Long Does It Take to Walk Across the Story Bridge?
Allow about 15 minutes. The Queensland Heritage Register puts the bridge at 1,072 metres end to end, measured from the start of the southern approach retaining walls to the northern pier, with a main span of 281.7 metres. Brisbane City Council states 1,071 metres. Either way, an easy walking pace gets you across in around a quarter of an hour, and most people take longer because they stop partway for the view back toward the city.
The bridge connects Fortitude Valley on the northern side with Kangaroo Point on the southern side and carries the Bradfield Highway across the Brisbane River. It opened on 6 July 1940, was designed by Dr John Bradfield, who also designed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and was permanently entered on the Queensland Heritage Register in October 1992. It remains the largest span metal truss bridge in Australia.
Can You Cycle or Ride a Scooter Across the Story Bridge?
Yes. The footways on both sides are shared by pedestrians and cyclists rather than reserved for walking, and Brisbane City Council refers to them jointly that way. There is no Story Bridge specific cycling rule published, so the city-wide shared path rules apply.
Under those rules, people riding bikes, e-bikes and personal mobility devices must give way to pedestrians on a shared path, slow down around them and sound a bell to signal an approach. Riders must dismount where “no riding” signage applies. Enforcement sits with Queensland Police rather than Council. In practice the footway is three metres wide, carries two-way traffic on foot and on wheels, and runs directly alongside a busy six-lane highway, so keep left, walk single file in a group, and expect bikes to pass close. If you are pushing a pram or using a mobility aid, quieter times of day are noticeably easier than the commuter peaks.
How Do You Get to Each End of the Story Bridge?
The northern end sits at Fortitude Valley and the southern end at Kangaroo Point, both on the Bradfield Highway. Howard Smith Wharves is directly beneath the northern approach, which makes it the easiest start or finish point, and it has its own ferry terminal served by the F1 CityCat. That terminal is wheelchair accessible and has a lift.
At the Kangaroo Point end, the nearest terminal is Holman Street, served by the F23 Cross River Ferry. Worth knowing before you plan around it: TransLink lists all CityCat ferries as fully accessible but states that Cross River Ferry services are not, so the terminal is accessible even though the vessel serving it is not. Bus route 234 stops near both ends, and Fortitude Valley station is the nearest train station to the northern side. Ferries are not free, but every trip is a flat 50 cents.
What Does the Story Bridge Adventure Climb Add?
The walk gives you the crossing. The climb gives you the bridge. Climbers leave the road deck and ascend the steel structure itself, attached to a safety line throughout, to a summit 80 metres above the Brisbane River. From there the view opens out to the Glass House Mountains, Moreton Bay and the Scenic Rim, which you cannot see from the footway at road level.
The Day Climb starts from $150 per person and runs about 1.5 hours including the briefing and safety demonstration. It is one of only three bridge climbs in the world, it is open to climbers from 6 to 96 years old, and it holds 4.9 stars from more than 1,900 Google reviews. Climbers need to be at least 6 years old, over 1.1 metres tall and under 130kg, and everyone over 18 is breathalysed before departure. A free cap is included, and photo packs cost $30 booked online or $40 on the day.
There are also Night Climbs at $160, Twilight and Dawn climbs at $180, and an Accessible Climb, the world’s first wheelchair-accessible bridge climb. Climbs depart from 5 Boundary Street at Howard Smith Wharves, directly below the bridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you walk across the Story Bridge for free?
Yes. Three-metre concrete footways run along both sides of the Story Bridge, and they are free public paths on a public road bridge. No ticket, booking or guide is needed. The bridge opened as a toll bridge in 1940, but it passed to Brisbane City Council in 1947 and the toll was abolished then. This is separate from the Story Bridge Adventure Climb, a paid guided experience on the bridge structure itself starting from $150 per person.
Are the Story Bridge footpaths open?
Brisbane City Council advised in April 2026 that footpaths would remain open for pedestrians and cyclists. Both were closed through much of 2025 while 750 metres of new footpath decking was installed. Council has also flagged that a temporary full bridge closure will be needed in late 2026 or early 2027 for waterproofing and resurfacing of the southern approach, so check the Council website before travelling.
How long does it take to walk across the Story Bridge?
About 15 minutes at an easy pace. The Queensland Heritage Register records the bridge at 1,072 metres end to end with a main span of 281.7 metres, and Brisbane City Council states 1,071 metres. Most people take longer than fifteen minutes because they stop partway across for the view back toward the Brisbane city skyline.
What is the difference between walking across the Story Bridge and climbing it?
Walking is free and puts you on a shared footway at road level, beside six lanes of Bradfield Highway traffic. The Story Bridge Adventure Climb is a guided, harnessed ascent of the bridge structure itself, reaching a summit 80 metres above the river, and takes about 1.5 hours from $150 per person. The walk is a crossing. The climb is an experience on the bridge.
Can you ride a bike or scooter across the Story Bridge?
Yes. The footways on both sides are shared by pedestrians and cyclists rather than walking-only paths. No Story Bridge specific rule is published, so Brisbane City Council’s city-wide shared path rules apply: riders must give way to pedestrians, slow down around them, sound a bell when approaching, and dismount where “no riding” signs apply. The footways are three metres wide and carry two-way traffic, so walkers should keep left.
Which suburbs does the Story Bridge connect?
The Story Bridge connects Fortitude Valley on the northern side with Kangaroo Point on the southern side, carrying the Bradfield Highway across the Brisbane River. It opened on 6 July 1940, was designed by Dr John Bradfield, who also designed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and was permanently entered on the Queensland Heritage Register in October 1992. Howard Smith Wharves sits directly beneath the northern approach.
Planning a Brisbane trip? See our guides to the 10 best things to do in Brisbane, Brisbane at night, and accessible things to do in Brisbane.
