There are 3 ways to get from Adelaide to Great Barrier Reef by plane, ferry, bus, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly, ferry
best- Fly from Adelaide Airport (ADL) to Cairns (CNS)plane ADL - CNS
- Take the ferry from Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal to Great Barrier Reef Green Islandferry
7h 52m$298–668Bus, ferry
- Take the bus from 85 Franklin St to Albury Station/Hume Hwybus
- Take the bus from Albury Station, Coach Bay 1 to Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1bus
- Take the bus from Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1 to Roma Street Station, Stand Fbus
- Take the bus from Brisbane to Cairnsbus
- Take the ferry from Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal to Great Barrier Reef Green Islandferry
2d 23h$510–1,179Train, bus, ferry
- Take the train from Adelaide to Brisbanetrain
- Take the bus from Brisbane to Cairnsbus
- Take the ferry from Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal to Great Barrier Reef Green Islandferry
3d 17h$2,583–13,753
Adelaide to Great Barrier Reef by bus, foot, and ferry
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Adelaide to Great Barrier Reef is to fly and ferry which costs $290 - $700 and takes 7h 52m.
The fastest way to get from Adelaide to Great Barrier Reef is to fly and ferry which takes 7h 52m and costs $290 - $700.
The distance between Adelaide and Great Barrier Reef is 2175 km.
The best way to get from Adelaide to Great Barrier Reef without a car is to bus and ferry which takes 2 days 23h and costs $500 - $1,200.
It takes approximately 7h 52m to get from Adelaide to Great Barrier Reef, including transfers.
There are two+ hotels available in Great Barrier Reef.
What companies run services between Adelaide, SA, Australia and Great Barrier Reef, QLD, Australia?
There is no direct connection from Adelaide to Great Barrier Reef. However, you can take the bus to Stop 10 Adelaide Airport, walk to Adelaide Airport (ADL) airport, fly to Cairns (CNS), walk to Cairns Airport, take the shuttle to Cairns Base Hospital, walk to Cairns Hospital, take the line 110 bus to Cairns City bus station, platform 1, walk to Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal, take the ferry to Great Barrier Reef Green Island, then walk to Great Barrier Reef. Alternatively, you can take a bus from 85 Franklin St to Great Barrier Reef via Albury Station, Coach Bay 1, Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1, Roma Street Station, Stand F, Brisbane, Cairns, Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal, and Great Barrier Reef Green Island in around 2d 23h.
- Website
- jetstar.com
Flights from Adelaide Airport to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–550
Flights from Adelaide Airport to Cairns via Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–550
Flights from Adelaide Airport to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 12m
- When
- Thursday, Saturday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $180–550
Flights from Adelaide Airport to Cairns via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–550
- Website
- virginaustralia.com
Flights from Adelaide Airport to Cairns via Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $290–600
Flights from Adelaide Airport to Cairns via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $290–600
Flights from Adelaide Airport to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $290–600
- Website
- qantas.com
Flights from Adelaide Airport to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–550
Flights from Adelaide Airport to Cairns via Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 35m
- When
- Monday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $440–1,400
Flights from Adelaide Airport to Cairns via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- $460–1,500
- Phone
- 1800 703 357
- [email protected]
- Website
- journeybeyondrail.com.au
Train from Adelaide to Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 2d 7h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $2,190–13,000
- Book at
- https://bookings.greatsouthernrail.com.au/?_ga=2.27793852.1430812322.1538203551-1884130056.1538203551
- Website
- https://www.journeybeyondrail.com.au/great-southern/
- Gold
- $2,190
- Gold Premium
- $2,990
- Suite
- $8,500–13,000
- Phone
- 1800 800 007
- [email protected]
- Website
- vline.com.au
Bus from 85 Franklin St to Albury Station/Hume Hwy
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 5m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $13–70
- Website
- https://www.vline.com.au/
- Schedules at
- https://www.vline.com.au/Timetables/Train-coach-timetables
- Book at
- https://www.vline.com.au/Plan-trip-buy-tickets
- Phone
- 131 500
- Website
- transportnsw.info
Bus from Albury Station, Coach Bay 1 to Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $40–60
- Website
- https://transportnsw.info/regional
Bus from Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1 to Roma Street Station, Stand F
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $65–95
- Website
- https://transportnsw.info/regional
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.com.au/
Bus from Albury Station, Coach Bay 1 to Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 10m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $75–130
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com.au
- Phone
- 1300 730 740
- [email protected]
- Website
- fireflyexpress.com.au
Bus from Albury Station, Coach Bay 1 to Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 35m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $95–99
- Website
- http://www.fireflyexpress.com.au
- Phone
- 1300 473946
- [email protected]
- Website
- greyhound.com.au
Bus from Albury Station, Coach Bay 1 to Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $90–190
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/
- Schedules at
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/timetables
- Early Bird
- $90–130
- Advantage
- $100–160
- Flexible
- $130–190
Bus from Brisbane to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 30h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $280–650
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/
- Schedules at
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/timetables
- Early Bird
- $280–400
- Advantage
- $350–550
- Flexible
- $440–650
Bus from Brisbane to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 30h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $280–650
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/
- Schedules at
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/timetables
- Early Bird
- $280–400
- Advantage
- $350–550
- Flexible
- $440–650
- Phone
- 13 34 10
- [email protected]
- Website
- premierms.com.au
Bus from Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1 to Roma Street Station, Stand F
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 35m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $110–160
- Website
- https://premierms.com.au/
- Phone
- (61) 7 4044 9944
- [email protected]
- Website
- green-island.com.au
Ferry from Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal to Great Barrier Reef Green Island
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $112
- Schedules at
- green-island.com.au
Ferry from Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal to Great Barrier Reef Green Island
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $112
- Schedules at
- green-island.com.au
Ferry from Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal to Great Barrier Reef Green Island
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $112
- Schedules at
- green-island.com.au
Want to know more about travelling around Australia
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Best ways to travel around Australia
Read the travel guide
10 amazing places to get away from it all in Australia
Read the travel guide
4 of the smartest ways to explore Australia
Read the travel guide

















