There are 8 ways to get from Cairns to Sunshine Coast by plane, train, bus (Greyhound), car, or bus
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly to Sunshine Coast Airport
best- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY)plane CNS - MCY
4h 20m$245–670Fly to Brisbane Airport, train
cheapest- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Brisbane Airport (BNE)plane CNS - BNE
- Take the train from Eagle Junction station, platform 4 to Landsborough station, platform 1train
7h 8m$148–647Train
- Take the train from Cairns Central Station to Nambourtrain Spirit of Queensland
24h 23m$164–5,783Bus
- Take the bus from Cairns Central Station to Maroochydore Sixth Avenuebus Pm19
27h 20m$210–650Drive 1,590.5 km
- Drive from Cairns to Sunshine Coastcar 1,590.5 km
18h 57m$285–412Fly to Hervey Bay, bus
- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Hervey Bay (HVB)plane CNS - HVB
- Take the bus from Hervey Bay to Mooloolababus
9h 52m$500–964Fly to Gold Coast Airport, bus
- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Gold Coast Airport (OOL)plane CNS - OOL
- Take the bus from Gold Coast Airport to Brisbane Roma Streetbus
- Take the bus from Brisbane Roma Street to Maroochydore Sixth Avenuebus
8h 28m$207–711Bus via Mooloolaba, River Esplanade
- Take the bus from Cairns to Mooloolababus Au050 / ...
27h 23m$256–421
Cairns to Sunshine Coast by train and bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cairns to Sunshine Coast is to bus via Mooloolaba, River Esplanade which costs $250 - $430 and takes 27h 23m.
The fastest way to get from Cairns to Sunshine Coast is to fly which takes 4h 20m and costs $240 - $700.
Yes, there is a direct bus departing from Cairns Central Station station and arriving at Maroochydore Sixth Avenue. Services depart twice daily, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 27h 20m.
No, there is no direct train from Cairns station to Sunshine Coast. However, there are services departing from Cairns Central Station and arriving at Nambour via . The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 24h 23m.
The distance between Cairns and Sunshine Coast is 1335 km. The road distance is 1590.5 km.
The best way to get from Cairns to Sunshine Coast without a car is to train which takes 24h 23m and costs $160 - $6,000.
It takes approximately 4h 20m to get from Cairns to Sunshine Coast, including transfers.
Cairns to Sunshine Coast bus services, operated by Premier Motor Service, depart from Cairns Central Station.
Cairns to Sunshine Coast train services, operated by Queensland Rail Travel, depart from Cairns Central Station.
The best way to get from Cairns to Sunshine Coast is to fly which takes 4h 20m and costs $240 - $700. Alternatively, you can train, which costs $160 - $6,000 and takes 24h 23m, you could also bus, which costs $210 - $650 and takes 27h 20m.
What companies run services between Cairns, QLD, Australia and Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia?
Jetstar flies from Cairns (CNS) to Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) 3 times a week. Alternatively, Queensland Rail Travel operates a train from Cairns Central Station to Nambour 4 times a week. Tickets cost $160–5,782 and the journey takes 23h 31m.
- Website
- qantas.com
Flights from Cairns to Sunshine Coast Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–600
Flights from Cairns to Brisbane Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 13m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–650
Flights from Cairns to Hervey Bay via Brisbane Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 18m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $450–950
Flights from Cairns to Hervey Bay via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 7h
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $420–800
Flights from Cairns to Hervey Bay via Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $420–800
Flights from Cairns to Hervey Bay via Townsville, Brisbane Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 1m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $450–950
Flights from Cairns to Gold Coast Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–600
Flights from Cairns to Gold Coast Airport via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 15m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $120–1,500
- Website
- jetstar.com
Flights from Cairns to Sunshine Coast Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–600
Flights from Cairns to Brisbane Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–650
Flights from Cairns to Hervey Bay via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 7h
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $420–800
Flights from Cairns to Hervey Bay via Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $420–800
Flights from Cairns to Gold Coast Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–600
- Website
- virginaustralia.com
Flights from Cairns to Brisbane Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Cairns to Gold Coast Airport via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $370–650
- Phone
- 1800 872 467
- Website
- queenslandrailtravel.com.au
Train from Cairns Central Station to Nambour
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 31m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $160–5,782
- Book at
- https://queenslandrailtravel-booking.opendestinations.com/BookingSite/rail/search
- Website
- https://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/
- Schedules at
- https://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/Pages/Timetable.aspx
- BQuick
- $160–210
- AChoice
- $290–370
- Gold Class
- $4,616
- Heritage Class
- $5,782
- Phone
- 13 12 30
- Website
- translink.com.au
Train from Eagle Junction station, platform 4 to Landsborough station, platform 1
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 12m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $1
- Website
- https://translink.com.au/
- Phone
- 13 34 10
- [email protected]
- Website
- premierms.com.au
Bus from Cairns Central Station to Maroochydore Sixth Avenue
- Ave. Duration
- 27h 20m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $210–300
- Website
- https://premierms.com.au/
Bus from Brisbane Roma Street to Maroochydore Sixth Avenue
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $24–35
- Website
- https://premierms.com.au/
- Phone
- 1300 473946
- [email protected]
- Website
- greyhound.com.au
Bus from Cairns Central Station to Maroochydore Sixth Avenue
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $260–650
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/
- Schedules at
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/timetables
- Early Bird
- $260–370
- Advantage
- $330–490
- Flexible
- $420–650
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.com.au/
Bus from Hervey Bay to Mooloolaba
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 32m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $35–65
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com.au
Bus from Cairns to Mooloolaba
- Ave. Duration
- 27h 3m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $250–420
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com.au
- Phone
- +612 6685 7447
- [email protected]
- Website
- byronbayshuttle.com.au
Bus from Gold Coast Airport to Brisbane Roma Street
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 33m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $50–60
- Website
- https://www.byronbayshuttle.com.au
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More Questions & Answers
Cairns to Sunshine Coast bus services, operated by Premier Motor Service, arrive at Maroochydore Sixth Avenue station.
Cairns to Sunshine Coast train services, operated by Queensland Rail Travel, arrive at Nambour station.
Yes, the driving distance between Cairns to Sunshine Coast is 1591 km. It takes approximately 18h 57m to drive from Cairns to Sunshine Coast.
There are 1842+ hotels available in Sunshine Coast.
















