Cairns to Townsville train: Timetable, fare prices & journey time

The train from Cairns to Townsville takes 6h4m, with fares starting at $50. Most people choose to drive rather than use the Spirit of Queensland service.

NOTE: This article was checked and updated in March 2024.

Trains from Cairns to Townsville: Why take them?

The Cairns to Townsville train service is not one that a huge amount of people use. The usual way to travel from Townsville to Cairns or vice versa is driving. That drive is 347km long and takes just over four hours.

Cairns offers Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruises, World Heritage-listed rainforest adventures, glass bottom boat tours at Green Island and the Kuranda Scenic Railway into the mountains. To choose from a wide range of memorable Cairns tours and experiences, look here. To pick the Cairns accommodation best suited to you, book here.

Townsville is where you can take the ferry to gorgeous Magnetic Island, enjoy sunset cruises and visit the Museum of Underwater Art. For more Townsville experiences, explore here. To ferret out the best Townsville accommodation deals, look here.

Skip the explanation and book your train ticket.

In fact, most Australians won’t even consider that there is a train service from Cairns to Townsville. They’ll instinctively look for cheap flights or take the Cairns to Townsville bus rather than go by rail. But the two cities are connected by the Spirit of Queensland service, which goes from Cairns to Brisbane.

Save time queuing – Book these Cairns attractions in advance

From the air: Outer Reef helicopter flight | Sunrise hot air balloon ride | Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.
At night: Sunset dinner cruise | Pub and club tour | Aquarium by Twilight experience.
For wildlife: Birdworld Kuranda | Kuranda Koala Gardens | Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome | Cairns Aquarium | Rainforestation Nature Park
For culture: Cairns Museum tickets | Street art walking tour | City and surrounds highlights bus tour.
For thrills: AJ Hackett giant jungle swing | High speed jet boat tour | Barron Gorge white water rafting | Mulgrave River tubing.

Cairns to Townsville train timetable

The problem is that the Spirit of Queensland only goes from Cairns to Brisbane five times a week, and this is seriously limiting. The train runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, departing Cairns at 9.35am. (BOOK HERE).

Facilities on board are decent. There’s a galley car, in-seat entertainment and a power socket by each seat. But these Spirit of Queensland trains are not luxury affairs like the Ghan or Indian Pacific.

Fares on the Cairns to Townsville train are pretty reasonable, too. The Northern Xplorer fare, as it is billed by Queensland Rail, costs from $50. This can be booked online.

Cairns to Townsville train journey time

The major problem with the Cairns to Townsville train, however, is that it dawdles. After leaving Cairns at 9.35am, the Spirit of Queensland finally gets into Townsville at 3.39pm. That’s a Cairns to Townsville journey time of six hours and four minutes. Given the limited number of services, the speed of those services makes taking the train in northern Queensland even more inconvenient.

The Museum of Underwater Art near Townsville, Queensland. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

The train to Townsville from Cairns makes a few stops along the way. You can get off in the small Queensland towns of Gordonvale, Babinda, Innisfail, Tully, Cardwell and Ingham.

6 Townsville experiences to book in advance

Magnetic Island ferry tickets – head over to one of the most beautiful islands in Australia.
SS Yongala wreck dive – sea how coral and marine life have made the shipwreck home.
Great Barrier Reef and Museum of Underwater Art cruise – witness the extraordinary underwater art project up close.
Helicopter ride along the coast – get amazing views from above.
Sunset sailing cruise – watch the colours over the water, with alcoholic drinks included.
Jetski tour to Cape Pallarenda – whizz past beaches and giant boulders.

Townsville accommodation recommendations

The best bets for Townsville accommodation are…

For beachside location: Water’s Edge The Strand.
For a good value, well located motel: Yongala Lodge By The Strand.
For a sassy, chic resort: Rambutan Resort.
For families: Discovery Parks Townsville.
For business-friendly apartments: Quest Townsville on Eyre.

Accommodation near Cairns station

If you need somewhere to stay the night before, the very highly-rated Travellers Oasis and Cairns Central YHA are within a short walk of Cairns Station.

Trip-booster! 8 great day trips from Cairns to power-up your holiday

Kuranda combo package – take the Kuranda Scenic Railway up and the Skyrail cable car down.
Green Island tours with beach time, glass bottom boat and snorkelling. (Or pick a Fitzroy Island trip instead).
Moore Reef day tour – with underwater observatory, snorkelling gear, glass bottom boat & semi-submersible cruises.
Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with snorkelling stops at two excellent spots on the Reef.
Cape Tribulation rainforest day tour – with Mossman Gorge Aboriginal cultural experience and Daintree River crocodile-watching cruise.
Atherton Tableland waterfalls and rainforest tour – including wildlife-spotting and a swim in a volcanic lake.
Outback 4WD tour – visiting Chillagoe Caves, Aboriginal rock art and Granite Gorge.