Considered the gateway to Tropical North Queensland, getting to Cairns will be important regardless of where you intend to visit. Located 1700km north of Queensland, the quickest and easiest way of getting to Cairns is to fly. The Cairns Airport is home to both domestic and international aviation terminals and is serviced by a number of major airlines within Queensland, Australia and overseas. The fifth busiest international airport in Australia, Cairns receives direct flights from Papua New Guinea, Guam, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore, via Darwin.
However, if you’d prefer to make getting to Cairns just as much of a holiday as the actual time you will spend in Cairns, there are some great options for extended travel including by train. Australia is known for its spectacular rail journey’s and the route to Cairns is no different, with two major train journeys travelling through the countryside to Cairns. Offering a scenic journey through the inland coast of Queensland, The Sunlander travels from Brisbane to Cairns return three times a week. The fastest train in Australia, the Spirit of Queensland offers a similarly relaxing journey but takes less time to reach Cairns for those eager to arrive.
The Sunlander enjoys a scenic route through the lush countryside of the charming inland coastal towns of Bundaberg and Gladstone and continues on to the sub-tropical regions of Mackay, Proserpine and Bowen before arriving in Cairns. Taking 31 hours to complete its journey, passengers travel in comfort in economy or first class sleeping berths with access to a licensed restaurant and licensed buffet car. The Spirit of Queensland reaches Cairns in just 24 hours and enjoys all of the same onboard comforts as The Sunlander. A state-of-the-art train, the Spirit of Queensland connects the South East to Central Queensland and passes through a number of wonderful spots along the Coral and Capricorn Coasts including Hervey Bay, Rockhampton and Fraser Island.
