The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Parking

The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital is considered one of the largest and most technologically-advanced medical facilities in Australia. Located at the very heart of Brisbane, it offers a wide range of clinical services and is the home of several premier clinical research institutes, including the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, the Brisbane Diamantina Health Partners, and the University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research.

Location and Speciality

The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Herston QLD, also known by the acronym RBWH, is the largest hospital in Brisbane, with over 6,000 multidisciplinary staff providing medical care to half a million Aussies each year.

The hospital is well-known for its over 150 years of excellent clinical services. Its specialties include cancer care, trauma and burns, and maternity care. In 2016, the hospital treated around 600,000 people, including 160,000 cancer care patients. With over 900 hospital beds for in-patients, RBWH provides healthcare, not only for Brisbane residents, but also for Northern NSW and Northern Territory.

Aside from providing hospital patient services, RBWH is also the largest employer of telehealth services in Queensland, catering to thousands of patients via the hospital’s instant video connection. This significantly reduces the need for rural and regional patients to travel long distances.

Visitor Parking Options

Anybody with a loved one undergoing cancer care treatment will tell you that it is an ongoing process. This means frequent visits to the hospital by the family members and friends. Unfortunately, despite its size, the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital has no parking grounds for visitors. People are encouraged to either use the metered parking on the surrounding streets, pay for private carparks, or take the public transportation.

If you are a patient being driven to the hospital for a consultation or treatment, there are designated pick up/drop off areas located in front of the hospital’s main entrance on Butterfield Street, on the side entry of the Joyce Twedell Building, and right outside the Mental Health Unit. Each vehicle is given only two short minutes to park and drop off or pick up passengers; otherwise, the vehicle will be fined for illegally parking on the hospital grounds.

Long-term Stay Parking Options

For confined patients and their respective primary carers, RBWH offers car parking concession, although you’ll need to meet their eligibility requirements to avail of such service. Priority is given to patients (and carers) who are currently experiencing financial difficulties; those who need to stay at the hospital for medical treatment for an extended period; those who require regular treatment sessions (i.e. kidney dialysis); or those who need special considerations and assistance (physically or mentally disabled).

Parking fees may range from free to discounted rates, depending on the patients’ or their carers’ needs. However, concessional parking offers limited space and is available only at the Metro Carpark, a privately-owned carpark located near the hospital’s main entrance.

Other Parking Options

The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Herston QLD is often called out for costing patients, carers, and visitors a small fortune every time they visit the hospital. Parking along the surrounding metered streets and any of the three privately-owned carparks near it can cost $25 to $34 a day, which can be a heavy burden to patients and their carers, especially those deemed ineligible for concession parking, as well as the hospital staff and guests.

Of course, it might be easier on your wallet to negotiate a monthly rate, but the only carpark offering that service is Cornerstone Parking. located at the junction of Herston Road and Gilchrist Avenue, near RBWH’s Mental Health Unit. The rate starts at $140 a month. Note that this isn’t a fixed price and is still subject to change and surcharge.

Parkhound to the Rescue

Luckily, there are more convenient and cost-effective parking options for staff, visitors, carers, and patients of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. Parkhound, Australia’s top carpark marketplace, introduces an app that helps drivers digitally find a parking spot near the RBWH --through an interactive online map -- without breaking a sweat.

Unlike other digital maps, Parkhound identifies not only street parking and car parks but also shows you privately-owned car spaces for lease. It is like Airbnb – only it is made for cars. The average parking rates at the spaces recommended by Parkhound start from $1.88 an hour or $16.88 a day. Compared to normal parking rates, that represents almost 50% savings in parking fees.

Using the hospital as a reference point, Parkhound identifies over 200 secure, affordable parking spaces, which range from undercover to garage to outdoor parking. Using the app, you can view each car park details and rates, and choose one that suits your parking needs. Visit Parkhound now!