There are 5 ways to get from Whitsundays to Cairns by ferry, bus, train, or plane
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Ferry, bus
best- Take the ferry from Daydream Island to Port of Airlieferry
- Take the bus from Airlie Beach to Cairns Central Stationbus Pm16
11h 30m$108–165Ferry, train
- Take the ferry from Daydream Island to Port of Airlieferry
- Take the train from Proserpine to Cairns Central Stationtrain Spirit of Queensland
12h 59m$110–2,261Fly from Great Barrier Reef Airport
- Fly from Great Barrier Reef Airport (HTI) to Cairns (CNS)plane HTI - CNS
7h 25m$450–1,100Ferry, bus via Cairns
- Take the ferry from Daydream Island to Port of Airlieferry
- Take the bus from Airlie Beach to Cairnsbus Cairns
11h 40m$128–265Ferry, ferry to Whitsunday Coast Airport, fly
- Take the ferry from Daydream Island to Shute Harbourferry
- Take the ferry from Shute Harbour to Palm Bayferry
- Fly from Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP) to Cairns (CNS)plane PPP - CNS
7h 25m$392–1,245
Whitsundays to Cairns by ferry and bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Whitsundays to Cairns is to ferry and bus which costs $100 - $170 and takes 11h 30m.
The fastest way to get from Whitsundays to Cairns is to fly which takes 7h 25m and costs $450 - $1,100.
The distance between Whitsundays and Cairns is 671 km.
The best way to get from Whitsundays to Cairns without a car is to ferry and bus which takes 11h 30m and costs $100 - $170.
It takes approximately 11h 30m to get from Whitsundays to Cairns, including transfers.
There are 1005+ hotels available in Cairns.
What companies run services between Whitsundays, QLD, Australia and Cairns, QLD, Australia?
Qantas, Jetstar, and Virgin Australia fly from Great Barrier Reef Airport (HTI) to Cairns (CNS) 4 times a day.
- Website
- qantas.com
Flights from Great Barrier Reef Airport to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $450–1,200
Flights from Great Barrier Reef Airport to Cairns via Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 16m
- When
- Wednesday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- $460–1,100
Flights from Great Barrier Reef Airport to Cairns via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $460–1,100
- Website
- skytrans.com.au
Flights from Whitsunday Coast Airport to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Friday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday
- Estimated price
- $350–750
- Website
- virginaustralia.com
Flights from Great Barrier Reef Airport to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 25m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $350–900
- Website
- jetstar.com
Flights from Great Barrier Reef Airport to Cairns via Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 5m
- When
- Thursday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $460–1,100
- Phone
- 1800 872 467
- Website
- queenslandrailtravel.com.au
Train from Proserpine to Cairns Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 49m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $70–2,200
- 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
- $70–100
- AChoice
- $110–140
- Gold Class
- $1,756
- Heritage Class
- $2,200
- Phone
- 13 34 10
- [email protected]
- Website
- premierms.com.au
Bus from Airlie Beach to Cairns Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $80–120
- Website
- https://premierms.com.au/
- Phone
- 1300 473946
- [email protected]
- Website
- greyhound.com.au
Bus from Airlie Beach to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $100–220
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/
- Schedules at
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/timetables
- Early Bird
- $100–150
- Advantage
- $120–180
- Flexible
- $150–220
- Phone
- +617 4846 7000
- [email protected]
- Website
- cruisewhitsundays.com
Ferry from Daydream Island to Port of Airlie
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $28–45
- Schedules at
- cruisewhitsundays.com
Ferry from Daydream Island to Port of Airlie
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $28–45
- Schedules at
- cruisewhitsundays.com
Ferry from Daydream Island to Port of Airlie
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $28–45
- Schedules at
- cruisewhitsundays.com
Ferry from Daydream Island to Shute Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 15 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $21–35
- Schedules at
- cruisewhitsundays.com
- Phone
- 0488 022 868
- [email protected]
- Website
- islandtransfers.com
Ferry from Shute Harbour to Palm Bay
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $69
- Schedules at
- islandtransfers.com
Want to know more about travelling around Australia
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