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80 Hotels in Cairns
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Local Travel Info
Internal flights and major international airports for Cairns
Cairns International Airport, one of the busiest in Australia, is located around 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) from the city centre and is the main hub for international flights and domestic transfers to other Australian destinations including Sydney, Brisbane, and Ayres Rock. The airport operates 24 hours a day, and handles 130,000 aircraft movements every year.
Getting to and from the airport for Cairns
Travel costs in Cairns
For those who do not wish to hire a car, taxis are available from the airport to travel into Cairns itself. Free taxi telephones are located in the arrival halls and there are taxi ranks at both the International and Domestic Terminals. Expect to pay between A$15 to A$20 depending on the exact destination in the city centre, and A$49 to Trinity Beach. Metered fares apply in the Black & White Taxi service area which extends from Ellis Beach to Edmonton. It is worth bearing in mind that for more than 5 passengers or a significant amount of luggage, there is a 50% surcharge, and during peak times, visitors may have to queue, and therefore most people tend to pre-book a transfer which also saves money.
Many hotels offer their own courtesy buses to get to and from the airport, and Australia Coach/Sun Palm Express operate airport shuttle bus services to hotels, the city centre, Northern Beaches, Palm Cove, Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation. The pick up point is immediately in front of the arrivals area at both terminals and there is an information desk within the terminal, which if not staffed, but has a direct-dial telephone. A bus ride into the centre of Cairns costs approximately A$7.
For those who have the budget to suit, a pre-booked limousine service is equally available with numerous companies serving the airport.
Car Hire in Cairns
Hiring is a car is a great way to explore what Cairns and Queensland have to offer. Car hire is available at the airport, and the rental car offices are situated in the new arrivals facility at the northern end of the Domestic Terminal. Rental car parking is located at the northern end of the Domestic Terminal car park. Expect to pay from around A$30 per day for a mini-sized car rental during the peak summer holiday season.
Drivers licenses requirements?
An overseas visitor over the age of 18 may drive in Australia if they hold a valid overseas drivers licence and they are eligible for the class of vehicle they will be driving. Licences must be carried at all times when in control of a vehicle, and if the drivers licence is not in the English language then a translation must be carried along with the permit. An International Drivers Permit is not sufficient by itself and must be accompanied by a valid driving licence.
Rules
In Australia, visitors must drive on the left hand side of the road all at all times. Speed limits on most country roads are 100-110km/h, although the top speed limit is 130 km/h on highways in the Northern Territory. On motorways, the limit is usually 110 km/h outside cities and 100 km/h in built up areas. Minor roads in towns and cities are usually either 50km/h. It is compulsory to wear seat belts at all times, and it's illegal to talk on a mobile phone while driving. Visitors must not park facing oncoming traffic.
Cairns by bus
The public buses cover most areas with reasonable fares, services being less frequent at night and over weekends. The city's 'Sun Buses' run from a central transit terminal, the Lake St Transit Centre at City Place. Maps and timetables are freely available from hotels and other tourist locations.
The interstate bus terminal is located at the Reef Fleet Terminal, where visitors can find the bus services of Greyhound Pioneer, McCaffertys and Coral Coaches. Buses leave right up until 1am.
Cairns by taxi
Black & White Taxis, the only taxi company in Cairns, operate day and night from ranks throughout the city (there one on the corner of Lake and Shields Sts and one outside Cairns Central), or can be flagged down in the street. All cabs have meters, and expect to pay A$1.96 per kilometre or A$0.69 per minute. The initial starting cost on the meter will vary depending on the time of day, but the minimum is A$2.70 between 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).
Multiple hiring is permitted with the consent of the first and subsequent hirers, and the meter is preset at 75% of the standard fare. Each hirer must pay the amount shown on the meter at their destination.
The distance rate in a specifically ordered high occupancy vehicle (more than 5 passengers) is A$2.94 per kilometre. The higher surcharge (50%) does not apply if a high occupancy vehicle is not specifically requested when ordering, or when the vehicle is hailed or hired from a rank. The surcharge is not applicable to Maxi Cabs if a wheelchair accessible taxi is ordered for use by a person travelling in a wheelchair.
It is also worth bearing in mind that the driver may request a deposit up to the estimated trip cost before the start of the journey, and can charge a person who soils the taxi an additional amount (up to A$100) for cleaning the taxi. All fares should be inclusive of tax (GST).
Cairns by train
The Cairns railway station is located right beside one of the major shopping centres, Cairns Central, on the southern side. It is only a five minute walk from the Cairns City centre and the Esplanade. The train to Kuranda departs from the station in the morning and returns late in the afternoon.
Hitchhiking in Cairns
For many years, hitchhiking was a popular form of getting around in Australia, but it is actually illegal and once again considered to be an unsafe practice anywhere in the world. It is therefore deemed to be a risk throughout Cairns and North Queensland if visitors do decide to hitchhike by day or at night.
