Public Transport Cairns: Sunbus Routes & Guide

Cairns' public transport network is bus-only, operated by Sunbus Cairns, which runs routes across the greater Cairns metropolitan area from Cairns City (Shields Street bus station) to the northern and southern beach suburbs. There is no rail or light rail service within the Cairns urban area, making a car the most practical transport option for most residents, though Sunbus adequately serves the most-used corridors.

Sunbus routes — the Sunbus Cairns network operates routes covering the key corridors from the CBD: Route 1/1A (Cairns City to Palm Cove and Port Douglas) serving the northern beaches, Route 2/2B (Cairns City to Trinity Beach and Clifton Beach), Route 110 (Cairns City to the Airport and Yorkey's Knob), and routes south to Edmonton and Gordonvale. Frequency on the northern beaches routes is approximately every 15-30 minutes at peak and hourly off-peak.

Queensland Rail Cairns — Queensland Rail's Cairns-to-Brisbane rail service (The Spirit of Queensland) operates as an intercity passenger train, not a suburban commuter service, and does not function as local public transport within Cairns. The Kuranda Scenic Railway (tourist service from Cairns to Kuranda via the Barron Gorge) operates as a tourist attraction rather than commuter transport.

Airport connectivity — Sunbus Route 110 provides bus connection between Cairns Airport and the CBD, though the route's frequency is limited. Taxis and rideshare services (Uber, DiDi) are available at the airport for direct to destination travel.

Fares — Sunbus Cairns uses a zone-based fare system with paper tickets purchased on board. Adult single fares start from around $2.80 for inner zones. Weekly and multi-trip passes are available for regular commuters. There is no contactless card equivalent to the Opal or go card in Cairns; cash or passes are the primary payment methods.

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