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Double-decker CityCats explained: capacity, features and how many there are

Brisbane's double-decker CityCats: when they arrived, who built them, how many there are and what passengers get.

Mac MoretonAI generated2 min read2 min left
A red and white CityCat ferry crossing the Brisbane River in front of the city skyline.
Photo by Brisbane Local Marketing on Unsplash
In this story
  1. Quick facts
  2. What's on board
  3. Why they were built
  4. Electric ferries
  5. More

Brisbane's newest river ferries are double-deckers. This page covers when they arrived, who built them and what's different on board.

Quick facts

  • The double-deckers are fourth-generation CityCats, built by Aus Ships Group at Murarrie. They carry 170 passengers, according to Wikipedia's fleet table.
  • The first, Yoogera, began operating on 26 November 2019.
  • Neville Bonner was launched in August 2020.
  • In December 2019 the council awarded Aus Ships a contract for six more at $3.73 million each.
  • In November 2025 the Lord Mayor said Mirbarpa II was the tenth double-decker delivered under the program, completing the upgraded fleet.

What's on board

The council described the features of Kurilpa II, christened in December 2022, as including:

  • shaded upper-deck seating for 20 people
  • USB charging
  • table and lounge seating in the main cabin
  • wider main-cabin windows
  • a clear viewing pane below the front-deck handrail, so passengers in mobility devices and children can see out

The council says CityCats also have onboard toilets and open decks, and designated wheelchair and mobility scooter areas (see CityCat accessibility).

Why they were built

The December 2019 order was for six boats to replace first-generation vessels from the 1990s, according to Wikipedia. The council says ridership rose from more than 4.1 million passengers in 2023/24 to more than 5.7 million in 2024/25. For the full story of the upgrade, read How the double-decker CityCat upgrade reached 10 vessels.

Electric ferries

A prototype electric ferry, the EVCat, was announced on 14 June 2023. The sources I read don't say how it has progressed.

More

Checked against Brisbane City Council pages on 2 November 2026. Services, rules and closures can change, so confirm with Translink and the council before you travel.

Sources: Brisbane City Council, CityCat services and CityCat and ferry services; Wikipedia, RiverCity Ferries and Transdev Brisbane Ferries; Inside Local Government, 18 December 2022; Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, Double-decker CityCat fleet now complete, 25 November 2025.

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