How to get from Airlie Beach to Cairns
 

Any ideas on the best way to get from Airlie Beach to Cairns? I thought we'd rent a car, but the one-way drop fees are outrageous. Flying is just too expensive. Are the buses a reasonable mode of transportation?

You could do this a couple of ways. 1/ get the little bus from Airlie beach to Prosepine ( about 20 minutes) and catch one of the trains that go to Cairns. Do some research on this first as sometimes this train is booked out. The Queensland Government Railways have a site which give prices and times. Check the one that says "Sunlander" and there also should be others. <BR>The buses are just fine and they are cheap. You could look at going from Airlie Beach to Townsville by bus and then flying from Townsville - internet cost is $124 Aust.

Thanks Liz. The problem is that the train that is available on that day seems to go through there at about 4 in the morning. Busing it might be the best. Is one company better than another?

6 of one and half a dozen of the other really with buses, so get the one that is most convenient. <BR>That would be the Sunlander I presume that goes through at 4AM, I will do a check and see if there are other trains.

Here you go: The Spirit of the Tropics would be the one to get and you can get off in Townsville and either get a bus or fly to Cairns or get a later train. The following is the time table. Also sometimes you can get some passenger seats on freight trains but as I havn't been on a long train trip in Queensland for about 20 years that may not be an option: <BR> St Lawrence dep 3:10<BR> Carmila dep 3:56<BR> Sarina dep 4:55<BR> Mackay arr 5:26<BR> dep 5:36<BR> Proserpine dep 7:46<BR> Bowen+ arr 8:36<BR> dep 8:41<BR> Home Hill dep 10:07<BR> Ayr dep 10:27<BR> Giru dep 10:57<BR> TOWNSVILLE arr 11:50pm<BR><BR>So I guess 7.45 is better than 4AM - yes? <BR>I did not do a complete check of the trains so there may be others as well.