In short
- At the time of writing (October 2026), a car pays A$7.16 for AirportlinkM7 from Bowen Hills to Toombul or Kedron, or A$5.36 between Kedron and Toombul. Clem7 is A$6.77 and Legacy Way A$7.30.[4]
- AirportlinkM7 runs north from Clem7 and the Inner City Bypass towards the airport; Clem7 goes under the river to the south and east; Legacy Way links Toowong to the Inner City Bypass at Kelvin Grove.[1][2][3]
- In a tunnel, keep your headlights on, change lanes as little as possible and keep at least a 2-second gap. You must not enter if you're low on fuel.[6]
- If the car stops, pull over, put the hazard lights on and stay with it unless there's a fire or you're told to leave; emergency phones are about every 60 metres.[6]
- Rentzy passes on tunnel tolls it pays with a A$5 fee each; see Tolls in Brisbane.
What does each tunnel connect?
| Tunnel | What it links | Opened |
|---|---|---|
| AirportlinkM7 | A 6.7 km twin tunnel with three lanes each way, joining Clem7 and Legacy Way (via the Inner City Bypass) to Brisbane Airport and the Australia TradeCoast precinct.[1][5] | July 2012[5] |
| Clem7 | A 6.8 km road, including a 4.8 km twin two-lane tunnel under the Brisbane River, from the inner north to the southern and eastern suburbs, bypassing the CBD.[2] | March 2010[5] |
| Legacy Way | A twin two-lane tunnel from the Western Freeway at Toowong to the Inner City Bypass at Kelvin Grove; Linkt puts the trip at about 4 minutes.[3] | June 2015[5] |
The three meet through the Inner City Bypass, so a trip from the north side to the south can chain AirportlinkM7 and Clem7, each with its own toll.[5][4]
How much is the AirportlinkM7 toll, and the others?
Linkt listed these tunnel tolls in October 2026. AirportlinkM7's prices change on 1 January each year and the other tunnels' on 1 July, so treat them as a guide.[4]
| Trip | Motorcycle | Car |
|---|---|---|
| AirportlinkM7: Bowen Hills to Kedron | A$3.58 | A$7.16 |
| AirportlinkM7: Bowen Hills to Toombul | A$3.58 | A$7.16 |
| AirportlinkM7: Kedron to Toombul | A$2.69 | A$5.36 |
| Clem7 | A$3.38 | A$6.77 |
| Legacy Way | A$3.65 | A$7.30 |
How a toll reaches you in a rental isn't tunnel-specific; it's set out in Tolls in Brisbane, including the A$5 fee per toll Rentzy pays.
Where can you get in and out?
AirportlinkM7
- Northbound: enter from Clem7, Bowen Hills or Kedron; leave at Kedron or Toombul.[1]
- Southbound: enter at Toombul or Kedron; leave at Kedron, Lutwyche Road, Bowen Hills or into Clem7.[1]
Clem7
- Northbound: enter from the Pacific Motorway/Ipswich Road or Shafston Avenue; leave at the Inner City Bypass/Lutwyche Road or carry on into AirportlinkM7.[2]
- Southbound: enter from AirportlinkM7 or the Inner City Bypass/Lutwyche Road; leave at Shafston Avenue or the Pacific Motorway/Ipswich Road.[2]
Legacy Way
There are no ramps in between: eastbound you enter at the Western Freeway and leave at the Inner City Bypass, and westbound the reverse.[3]
From the Hendra area, OpenStreetMap's routing to Macgregor on the south side ran along Nudgee Road and Kingsford Smith Drive to the Inner City Bypass, then through Clem7 to the Pacific Motorway: about 22 km.[7]
What are the rules for driving in a tunnel?
The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) asks drivers to take extra care because of the enclosed space. When you go in, turn your headlights on, take off sunglasses unless they're prescription, and listen to the radio for traffic information. Inside:[6]
- Avoid changing lanes, keep at least a 2-second gap and don't brake suddenly.[6]
- Watch the variable speed limit signs. All tunnel speed limits are enforced, and the speed cameras are run by the Queensland Police Service.[6]
- A red X over a lane means it's closed; a green arrow means it's open.[6]
- Take care merging and move to your exit lane early.[6]
TMR also lists when you must not use a tunnel at all: if you're running low on fuel, if you suspect the vehicle might break down, if a load isn't secure, if the vehicle or load is above the height clearance, or if the water deluge (fire sprinkler) system is on.[6] Each tunnel's clearance is 4.6 metres, with detectors and an overheight barrier at the entrance.[1][2][3]
What should you do if you break down or crash in a tunnel?
If the car can still be driven safely, drive it out of the tunnel. If it can't, TMR's steps are:[6]
- Pull over in a breakdown bay or at the side of the lane, out of the traffic.
- Switch on the hazard lights, stay calm and wait for an incident response unit.
- Stay in the car or wait safely in front of it, unless there's a fire or you're told to evacuate.
- Call for help, or use the nearest emergency phone to reach the tunnel's control room.
The tunnels are watched around the clock from a control room, with an incident response crew, automatic incident detection cameras and mobile phone reception. Emergency phones and fire extinguisher and hose reel cabinets are roughly every 60 metres.[6] If you're stuck in slow traffic, close the windows and set the air-conditioning to recirculate.[6]
What if there's smoke or a fire?
Don't drive into a tunnel if you can see smoke ahead or have been warned of a fire. If you're already inside and see smoke or fire ahead with no radio or sign instructions yet, pull over, turn off the engine and wait for instructions by radio, public address or an incident response officer.[6]
If you're told to evacuate, leave the keys in the ignition in the off position and follow the running man symbols and flashing strobe lights to an exit; exits are about every 120 metres.[6]
If your own car catches fire, stop on the left, turn off the engine and get out carefully. With an engine fire, don't open the bonnet; release the catch, and if an extinguisher is close, aim it through the gap. If you can't put it out, leave the keys in the ignition and call 000 from an emergency phone or your mobile.[6]
If it happens in a Rentzy car
What happens after a breakdown or a crash in a rental is covered in breakdowns and flat tyres and accidents in a rental car.
Sources
- Linkt (Transurban): AirportlinkM7 (read 23 October 2026)
- Linkt (Transurban): Clem7 (read 23 October 2026)
- Linkt (Transurban): Legacy Way (read 23 October 2026)
- Linkt (Transurban): Toll pricing (read 23 October 2026)
- Transurban Group: Brisbane (read 23 October 2026)
- Queensland Government — Department of Transport and Main Roads: Tunnel safety (read 23 October 2026)
- OpenStreetMap (OSRM routing): Directions: 238 Nudgee Road, Hendra to Macgregor (car) (read 23 October 2026)
Written by the Rentzy team at Rentzy Car Rentals. Rentzy prices, fees and rules in this guide come from our published terms and update with them; rules set by others (roads, tolls, licences, transport) are from the official pages above, as read on the dates shown. Something out of date? Tell us.
