Getting around · Cairns · Australia
Getting around Cairns
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: NASA/Kjell Lindgren, Public domain
Quick answer
Central Cairns is compact and walkable, and most reef and rainforest tours include hotel pick-ups. Public buses link the city with the northern beaches, while a hire car is the easiest way to explore the Tablelands and the Daintree independently. Not for Cairns itself or reef trips, which include pick-ups.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- CNS
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Ways to get around
Walking
The Esplanade, lagoon, Reef Fleet Terminal, night markets and most restaurants are within a 15-minute walk.
Bus
Sunbus services run from the city to the northern beaches, including Trinity Beach and Palm Cove, and to suburbs such as Edge Hill and Smithfield.
Services are less frequent in the evenings and on Sundays; check the timetable before relying on them.
Boat
Reef boats and island ferries leave from the Reef Fleet Terminal and Marlin Marina, mostly in the morning.
Car
A hire car makes it easy to reach the Atherton Tablelands, Mossman Gorge and the Daintree. Driving is on the left.
Check your rental agreement before crossing the Daintree River or driving unsealed roads, and watch for cassowaries and wallabies at dusk.
Taxi
Taxis and ride-hailing apps are available in Cairns; book ahead for early-morning departures and trips to the northern beaches.
From the airport
Cairns Airport is about 7 km north of the city centre, roughly 10–15 minutes by taxi, ride-hail or shuttle. Shuttle buses also run to Palm Cove and Port Douglas.
Do you need a car?
Not for Cairns itself or reef trips, which include pick-ups. Rent a car for a few days to explore the Atherton Tablelands, Mossman Gorge and the Daintree at your own pace.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Daintree and Cape Tribulation | About 2.5 hours each way by car | Car (with the Daintree River cable ferry) or organised tour |
| Mossman Gorge | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car | Car or tour, then shuttle bus from the Mossman Gorge Centre |
| Port Douglas | About 1 hour by car | Car or shuttle bus along the Captain Cook Highway |
| Atherton Tablelands | About 1–1.5 hours by car | Car or tour |
| Babinda Boulders and Josephine Falls | About 1 hour by car | Car |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Cairns?
Not for Cairns itself or reef trips, which include pick-ups. Rent a car for a few days to explore the Atherton Tablelands, Mossman Gorge and the Daintree at your own pace.
+How do you get from the airport to Cairns?
Cairns Airport is about 7 km north of the city centre, roughly 10–15 minutes by taxi, ride-hail or shuttle. Shuttle buses also run to Palm Cove and Port Douglas.
+What is the best way to get around Cairns?
Walking: The Esplanade, lagoon, Reef Fleet Terminal, night markets and most restaurants are within a 15-minute walk.