Cairns — Cooktown
Trans North currently operates two different services between Cairns to Cooktown - Inland and Coastal.
Bookings for these services can be made by phoning during office hours.
** updated November 2017 **
Inland Service - Cairns to Cooktown
This service operates three days per week, on a Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. It travels from Cairns to Mareeba on the Atherton Tableland then north direct to Cooktown.
The landscape north of Mareeba departs the rainforest of the coast around the Cairns area and travels through slightly more arid countryside enroute to Cooktown. Some highlights of the journey include;
- Winding up the picturesque Kuranda Range toward Mareeba, west of Cairns
- Travel north through the older townships of Mt Molloy and Mt Carbine
- Experience dry arid mountainous countryside
- Take in picturesque views to the Palmer River
- Travel via the Byerstown Range with a great view overlooking Lakeland Downs and Cooktown in the distance
- Travel through the rich farmlands of Lakeland Downs before passing by the mysterious Black Mountain
- Completion of the journey through to Cooktown.
Fares
** updated July 2019 **
Bookings
All bookings and fare enquiries for the Cairns - Cooktown (inland) service can be made on our Bookings page. Click the button below to make a booking or fare enquiry.
Bookings — Cairns to Cooktown (inland)
Passengers with a disability
Trans North has a DDA Compliance plan to assist the company transition to full compliance of the Disability Discrimination Act.
Our Long Distance service vehicles are equipped with wheelchair lifts and additional devices to assist those passengers who may require it. Our staff are also on hand to render any assistance that may be required.
Timetable
| Cairns to Cooktown (Inland) - Outbound | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Wednesday and Friday | |||
| Town | Arrive | Depart | Pickup/Setdown Point |
| Cairns | 7:00am | QR Platform 1 Cairns Central Railway Station | |
| Smithfield | 7:15am | Kennedy Highway Bus Stop | |
| Kuranda | 7:30am | Corner of Kennedy Highway & Greenhills Road | |
| Mareeba | 8:15am | ||
| Biboohra | 8:25am | ||
| Mt Molloy | 8:40am | Mt Molloy General Store, Main Street | |
| Mt Carbine | 9:00am | Caravan Park, Peninsula Development Road | |
| Palmer River | 10:00am | 10:30am | Roadhouse, Peninsula Development Road |
| Lakeland Downs | 11:00am | Roadhouse, Peninsula Development Road | |
| Helenvale turn-off | 11:45am | Peninsula Development Road | |
| Cooktown | 12:15pm | ||
| Cooktown to Cairns (Inland) - Inbound | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Wednesday and Friday | |||
| Town | Arrive | Depart | Pickup/Setdown Point |
| Cooktown | 1:30pm | ||
| Helenvale turn-off | 1:45pm | Peninsula Development Road | |
| Lakeland Downs | 2:20pm | Roadhouse, Peninsula Development Road | |
| Palmer River | 2:50pm | 3:10pm | Roadhouse, Peninsula Development Road |
| Mt Carbine | 4:00pm | Caravan Park, Peninsula Development Road | |
| Mt Molloy | 4:20pm | Mt Molloy General Store, Main Street | |
| Biboohra | 4:35pm | ||
| Mareeba | 4:40pm | ||
| Kuranda | 5:15pm | Corner of Kennedy Highway & Greenhills Road | |
| Smithfield | 5:30pm | Kennedy Highway Bus Stop | |
| Cairns | 6:00pm | QR Platform 1 Cairns Central Railway Station | |
Coastal Service - Cairns to Cooktown
This service operates with a 4WD vehicle each Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Cairns to Cooktown and returns from Cooktown to Cairns each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
- Leaving Cairns you travel north to Port Douglas and Mossman with stunning coastal scenery along the way
- Soon after leaving Mossman you will cross the Daintree River on the ferry and continue north through the world renowned Daintree Rainforest
- After travelling through the Cow Bay and Cape Tribulation area you arrive at the coastal community of Wujal Wujal located beside the Bloomfield River
- Further on you will travel through Ayton, Rossville and Helenvale, home of the famous Lions Den Hotel
- You will then pass by the mysterious Black Mountain to complete the journey to Cooktown.
Fares
** updated July 2019 **
Bookings
All bookings and fare enquiries for the Cairns - Cooktown (coastal) service can be made on our Bookings page. Click the button below to make a booking or fare enquiry.
Passengers with a disability
Trans North has a DDA Compliance plan to assist the company transition to full compliance of the Disability Discrimination Act.
Our Long Distance service vehicles are equipped with wheelchair lifts and additional devices to assist those passengers who may require it. Our staff are also on hand to render any assistance that may be required.
Timetable
| Cairns to Cooktown (Coastal) - Outbound | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Wednesday and Friday | |||
| Town | Arrive | Depart | Pickup/Setdown Point |
| Cairns | 7:00am | QR Platform 1 Cairns Central Railway Station | |
| Smithfield | 7:15am | Cook Highway Bus Stop | |
| Trinity Beach | 7:20am | Cook Highway, north of roundabout | |
| Cairns Tropical Zoo | 7:25am | Front of Cairns Tropical Zoo, Cook Highway | |
| Palm Cove | 7:30am | Hotels prearranged and prepaid by phone | |
| Port Douglas | 8:10am | Hotels prearranged and prepaid by phone | |
| Mossman | 8:30am | 9:00am | |
| Wonga | 9:15am | Caltex, Mossman-Daintree Road | |
| Daintree Ferry | 9:25am | Cape Tribulation Road | |
| Cow Bay | 9:55am | Cow Bay Hotel, Baileys Creek Road | |
| Crocodylus | 9:55am | Buchanan Creek Road, Cow Bay | |
| Masons | 10:30am | Cape Tribulation Road, Cape Tribulation | |
| PK's | 10:30am | Cape Tribulation Road, Cape Tribulation | |
| Beach House | 10:40am | Rykers Road, Cape Tribulation | |
| Wujal Wujal | 11:45am | Mango Tree opposite Post Office (RTS Building), Hartwig Street | |
| Ayton | 11:55am | IGA, cnr West & Third Streets | |
| Rossville | 12:20pm | Market Place, Shipton's Flat Road | |
| Helenvale | 12:25pm | ||
| Mungumby | 12:30pm | Mungumby Turnoff | |
| Cooktown | 12:50pm | 113 Charlotte Street (near ANZ Bank) | |
| Cooktown to Cairns (Coastal) - Inbound | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday | |||
| Town | Arrive | Depart | Pickup/Setdown Point |
| Cooktown | 7:30am | 113 Charlotte Street (near ANZ Bank) | |
| Mungumby | 7:45am | Mungumby Turnoff | |
| Helenvale | 7:50am | ||
| Rossville | 7:55am | Market Place, Shipton's Flat Road | |
| Ayton | 8:20am | IGA, cnr West & Third Streets | |
| Wujal Wujal | 8:40am | Post Office (RTS Building), Hartwig Street | |
| Beach House | 9:45am | Rykers Road, Cape Tribulation | |
| PK's | 10:00am | Cape Tribulation Road, Cape Tribulation | |
| Masons | 10:00am | Cape Tribulation Road, Cape Tribulation | |
| Crocodylus | 10:25am | Buchanan Creek Road, Cow Bay | |
| Cow Bay | 10:25am | Cow Bay Hotel, Baileys Creek Road | |
| Daintree Ferry | 10:40am | Cape Tribulation Road | |
| Wonga | 11:00am | Caltex, Mossman-Daintree Road | |
| Mossman | 11:15am | 11:45am | |
| Port Douglas | 12:05pm | Hotels prearranged and prepaid by phone | |
| Palm Cove | 12:25pm | Hotels prearranged and prepaid by phone | |
| Cairns Tropical Zoo | 12:30pm | Front of Cairns Tropical Zoo, Cook Highway | |
| Trinity Beach | 12:35pm | Cook Highway, north of roundabout | |
| Smithfield | 12:40pm | Cook Highway Bus Stop | |
| Cairns | 1:00pm | QR Platform 1 Cairns Central Railway Station | |
Coastal Service - Cairns to Cooktown (Variant)
* This service operates as a variant of the Coastal Route when road and/or weather conditions prevent the full Coastal Route from operating.
The service operates each Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Cairns to Cooktown and returns from Cooktown to Cairns each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
- Leaving Cairns you travel north to Port Douglas and Mossman
- A winding drive up the Rex Range to Mount Molloy
- On to Mt Carbine and experience the dry semi-arid mountainous countryside of the area
- Experience the picturesque views to the Palmer River
- Travel via the Byerstown Range with a great view overlooking Lakeland Downs and Cooktown in the distance
- Turn off the highway and travel to the coastal community of Wujal Wujal
- Travel on to Cooktown from Wujal Wujal, passing by the mysterious Black Mountain to complete the journey.
Fares
** updated July 2016 **
Bookings
All bookings and fare enquiries for the Cairns - Cooktown (coastal variant) service can be made on our Bookings page. Click the button below to make a booking or fare enquiry.
Passengers with a disability
Trans North has a DDA Compliance plan to assist the company transition to full compliance of the Disability Discrimination Act.
Our Long Distance service vehicles are equipped with wheelchair lifts and additional devices to assist those passengers who may require it. Our staff are also on hand to render any assistance that may be required.
Timetable
| Cairns to Cooktown (Coastal Variant) - Outbound | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, Wednesday and Friday | |||
| Town | Arrive | Depart | Pickup/Setdown Point |
| Cairns | 7:00am | QR Platform 1 Cairns Central Railway Station | |
| Smithfield | 7:15am | Cook Highway Bus Stop | |
| Trinity Beach | 7:20am | Cook Highway, north of roundabout | |
| Cairns Tropical Zoo | 7:25am | front of Cairns Tropical Zoo | |
| Palm Cove | 7:30am | Hotels prearranged by phone | |
| Port Douglas | 8:10am | Hotels prearranged by phone | |
| Mossman | 8:30am | 9:00am | |
| Mt Molloy | 9:40am | Mt Molloy General Store, Main Street | |
| Mt Carbine | 10:00am | Caravan Park, Peninsula Development Road | |
| Palmer River | 10:50am | 11:05am | Roadhouse, Peninsula Development Road |
| Lakeland Downs | 11:25am | Roadhouse, Peninsula Development Road | |
| Helenvale | 12:20pm | ||
| Rossville | 12:25pm | Market Place, Shipton's Flat Road | |
| Ayton | 12:50pm | IGA Supermarket, cnr West & Third Streets | |
| Wujal Wujal | 1:00pm | Post Office (RTS Building), Hartwig Street | |
| Ayton | 1:10pm | IGA Supermarket, cnr West & Third Streets | |
| Rossville | 1:35pm | Market Place, Shipton's Flat Road | |
| Helenvale | 1:40pm | ||
| Mungumby | 1:45pm | Mungumby Turnoff | |
| Cooktown | 2:15pm | ||
| Cooktown to Cairns (Coastal Variant) - Inbound | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday | |||
| Town | Arrive | Depart | Pickup/Setdown Point |
| Cooktown | 7:30am | ||
| Mungumby | 7:55am | Mungumby Turnoff | |
| Helenvale | 8:00am | ||
| Rossville | 8:05am | Market Place, Shipton's Flat Road | |
| Ayton | 8:30am | IGA Supermarket, cnr West & Third Streets | |
| Wujal Wujal | 8:45am | Post Office (RTS Building), Hartwig Street | |
| Ayton | 9:00am | IGA Supermarket, cnr West & Third Streets | |
| Rossville | 9:25am | Market Place, Shipton's Flat Road | |
| Helenvale | 9:30am | ||
| Lakeland Downs | 10:25am | Roadhouse, Peninsula Development Road | |
| Palmer River | 10:50am | 11:05am | Roadhouse, Peninsula Development Road |
| Mt Carbine | 12:05pm | Caravan Park, Peninsula Development Road | |
| Mt Molloy | 12:25pm | Mt Molloy General Store, Main Street | |
| Mossman | 1:05pm | 1:20pm | |
| Port Douglas | 1:40pm | Hotels prearranged by phone | |
| Palm Cove | 2:00pm | Hotels prearranged by phone | |
| Cairns Tropical Zoo | 2:05pm | front of Cairns Tropical Zoo | |
| Trinity Beach | 2:10pm | Cook Highway, north of roundabout | |
| Smithfield | 2:15pm | Cook Highway Bus Stop | |
| Cairns | 2:30pm | QR Platform 1 Cairns Central Railway Station | |