A colourful passenger train, including the luxurious Gold Class Rail, curves through dense green forest and rocky cliffs on a mountainside near Kuranda.
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Kuranda Scenic Rail & Bus from Cairns

from A$160
6 hours 30 mins

Ride the Kuranda Scenic Rail up through the rainforest, then return to Cairns by bus. Multiple rail and bus pairings and times are available in the option selector above.

  • A colourful passenger train, including the luxurious Gold Class Rail, curves through dense green forest and rocky cliffs on a mountainside near Kuranda.
  • A colorful train, part of the renowned Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour, crosses a bridge in front of a tall, cascading waterfall surrounded by dense, green forest and rocky hills. | Aussie Loop
  • A Gold Class Rail train crosses a metal bridge high above a rocky river surrounded by dense green trees and foliage under a clear blue sky, evoking the scenic beauty of the Kuranda route.
  • A red and white passenger train, part of the renowned Kuranda Gold Class Rail, travels past lush green cliffs with a large waterfall cascading down the rocky hillside in the background.
  • A long passenger train, perhaps the renowned Gold Class Rail, travels on a curved bridge through a dense green Kuranda forest with hills and a clear sky in the background.
  • Outdoor market with colourful clothing stalls, shoppers browsing garments, various crafts on display, and lush green trees surrounding vendor booths—just steps from the renowned Kuranda Gold Class Rail station or a leisurely stop for those arriving by coach.
  • A white coach bus is parked, featuring a large, detailed image of an emu’s face on the back and the words DOWN UNDER TOURS printed on the bus—perfect for those heading to Kuranda or connecting with Gold Class Rail adventures.
  • A colourful passenger train, including the luxurious Gold Class Rail, curves through dense green forest and rocky cliffs on a mountainside near Kuranda.
  • A colorful train, part of the renowned Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour, crosses a bridge in front of a tall, cascading waterfall surrounded by dense, green forest and rocky hills. | Aussie Loop
  • A Gold Class Rail train crosses a metal bridge high above a rocky river surrounded by dense green trees and foliage under a clear blue sky, evoking the scenic beauty of the Kuranda route.
  • A red and white passenger train, part of the renowned Kuranda Gold Class Rail, travels past lush green cliffs with a large waterfall cascading down the rocky hillside in the background.
  • A long passenger train, perhaps the renowned Gold Class Rail, travels on a curved bridge through a dense green Kuranda forest with hills and a clear sky in the background.
  • Outdoor market with colourful clothing stalls, shoppers browsing garments, various crafts on display, and lush green trees surrounding vendor booths—just steps from the renowned Kuranda Gold Class Rail station or a leisurely stop for those arriving by coach.
  • A white coach bus is parked, featuring a large, detailed image of an emu’s face on the back and the words DOWN UNDER TOURS printed on the bus—perfect for those heading to Kuranda or connecting with Gold Class Rail adventures.

Quick read before you book.

  • Historic Kuranda Scenic Rail journey through rainforest, past waterfalls and century old bridges
  • Extended free time in Kuranda village and the daily Heritage Markets
  • Comfortable bus return to Cairns
  • Hotel pickup and drop off included
  • Kuranda Boarding Pass with all your tickets and a printed itinerary

What’s included

  • Pickup and drop off from your Cairns hotel
  • Kuranda Boarding Pass with itinerary and timings
  • Kuranda Scenic Rail ticket, Cairns to Kuranda
  • Return bus transfer, Kuranda to Cairns
  • Discount vouchers for Kuranda attractions

Read more? Here’s the full description.

Your driver collects you from your Cairns hotel and hands over your Kuranda Boarding Pass before taking you to Freshwater Station for your 8:50am Kuranda Scenic Rail departure. Settle in for a journey through ancient rainforest, past waterfalls and over century old bridges, built by hand in the 1880s.

Once in Kuranda, the rest of the morning and early afternoon are yours. Wander the daily Heritage Markets, grab a bite at a local cafe, or use the discount vouchers on your boarding pass for nearby attractions.

In the afternoon, board your return bus at 2:45pm for the drive back to Cairns.

This tour has several rail and bus pairings and times available, use the selector above to compare them. The details on this page describe the 8:50am rail up, 2:45pm bus down option.

Additional info by the operator.

  • Duration varies by return time selected, roughly 6 to 8 hours door to door
  • Multiple rail and bus pairings and times are available, shown in the option selector above, this page reflects the 8:50am rail up, 2:45pm bus down option
  • Tours do not operate Christmas Day
  • Allow a 15 minute window either side of your advised pickup time
  • This option does not include the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, if you'd like to add that, look for the Rail and Skyrail tour instead