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
Back

Kuranda Scenic Rail & Skyrail from Cairns

from A$217
5 hours 40 mins
Departs Cairns
All ages
Free cancellation (24hr prior)
Skyrail 2026 Update: Skyrail is fully closed 20 July to 18 August. From 19 August to 25 October it runs a modified loop between Kuranda and Barron Falls only, Wednesday to Sunday. Full service resumes from late October with new upgraded gondolas. If your travel falls in this window, check with us before booking as itineraries may vary.

The Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour covers the rainforest by rail on the way up and by cableway on the way back, with hotel pickup and every ticket sorted in advance.

  • 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 colourful passenger train, including the luxurious Gold Class Rail, curves through dense green forest and rocky cliffs on a mountainside near Kuranda.
  • 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 flat-bottomed tour boat with passengers moves along a calm, green river surrounded by dense tropical forest, offering a tranquil experience that perfectly complements the Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour.
  • A family with two children talks to a park ranger on a wooden path in a lush forest. The ranger shows them something small, while the parents and kids look on curiously, surrounded by dense green foliage—a scene reminiscent of the immersive natural experiences offered on a Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour. | Aussie Loop
  • A cable car travels above a dense green forest under a clear blue sky, with trees and part of a station visible below—an unforgettable experience often enjoyed on the Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour.
  • Four people stand on a wooden observation deck surrounded by dense forest, overlooking a large waterfall cascading through the trees—an unforgettable moment often experienced during a Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour.
  • Three adults walk on a wooden boardwalk through a lush green forest, with one person pointing ahead, surrounded by dense vegetation—an experience reminiscent of the breathtaking sights encountered on a Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour.
  • A green cable car travels above a dense forest, with people inside enjoying views of lush trees, open fields, and distant mountains under a clear blue sky—a breathtaking scene reminiscent of the Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour.
  • 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 colourful passenger train, including the luxurious Gold Class Rail, curves through dense green forest and rocky cliffs on a mountainside near Kuranda.
  • 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 flat-bottomed tour boat with passengers moves along a calm, green river surrounded by dense tropical forest, offering a tranquil experience that perfectly complements the Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour.
  • A family with two children talks to a park ranger on a wooden path in a lush forest. The ranger shows them something small, while the parents and kids look on curiously, surrounded by dense green foliage—a scene reminiscent of the immersive natural experiences offered on a Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour. | Aussie Loop
  • A cable car travels above a dense green forest under a clear blue sky, with trees and part of a station visible below—an unforgettable experience often enjoyed on the Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour.
  • Four people stand on a wooden observation deck surrounded by dense forest, overlooking a large waterfall cascading through the trees—an unforgettable moment often experienced during a Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour.
  • Three adults walk on a wooden boardwalk through a lush green forest, with one person pointing ahead, surrounded by dense vegetation—an experience reminiscent of the breathtaking sights encountered on a Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour.
  • A green cable car travels above a dense forest, with people inside enjoying views of lush trees, open fields, and distant mountains under a clear blue sky—a breathtaking scene reminiscent of the Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour.

Quick read before you book.

  • Rail travel up through rainforest, past waterfalls and century old bridges dating to the 1880s
  • Free time in Kuranda village and the daily Heritage Markets
  • Skyrail return above the canopy, with stops at Barron Falls and Red Peak
  • Hotel pickup and drop off included
  • Kuranda Boarding Pass with every ticket and the day's schedule handed over before departure

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
  • Skyrail Rainforest Cableway ticket, Kuranda to Smithfield
  • Discount vouchers for Kuranda attractions

Commonly asked questions.

Your fare covers pickup and drop off from your Cairns hotel, your Kuranda Boarding Pass with itinerary and timings, a ticket for the Kuranda Scenic Rail, a ticket for the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, and discount vouchers for Kuranda attractions.

A professional driver picks you up from your Cairns hotel and takes you to Freshwater Station for your rail departure.

It's a single pass loaded with your day's tickets, itinerary and timings, handed to you by your driver at pickup so you don't need to manage separate tickets throughout the day.

This pairing runs about 5 hours and 40 minutes door to door, rail up at 8:50am and Skyrail down at 1:30pm.

Yes, this is one of several pairings and departure times available for this tour. Use the option selector on the page to compare rail and Skyrail combinations, or to switch the order and take the cableway up instead.

Free cancellation any time before the day of travel. If you need to cancel on the day of travel, or miss your tour pickup, a cancellation fee of 25% will apply.

Wander the daily Heritage Markets, grab a bite at a local cafe, and use the discount vouchers on your boarding pass for nearby attractions before boarding the Skyrail for your return.

Read more? Here’s the full description.

The Kuranda Scenic Rail Skyrail Tour splits the day properly, rail one way, cableway the other, so the same rainforest gets seen from two genuinely different angles instead of just one, unlike the coach only day trips that dominate the Kuranda circuit. How the day runs Down Under Tours collects you from your Cairns hotel and hands over the Kuranda Boarding Pass, loaded with tickets and the day's schedule, before the first stop at Freshwater Station. The Kuranda Scenic Rail departs from there, running through ancient rainforest, past waterfalls and over century old bridges built by hand in the 1880s. Kuranda village, at your own pace Kuranda's Heritage Markets run daily, and the boarding pass carries discount vouchers for a handful of nearby attractions worth using while there's time to spare. The Skyrail return The return leg is the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, gliding above the canopy with stops at Barron Falls and Red Peak stations along the way, before the ride back into Cairns. This tour has multiple options;
  • Rail up 8:50am, Skyrail down 1:30pm
  • Rail up 8:50am, Skyrail down 1:45pm
  • Rail up 8:50am, Skyrail down 3:45pm
  • Rail up 9:50am, Skyrail down 1:30pm
  • Rail up 9:50am, Skyrail down 1:45pm
  • Rail up 9:50am, Skyrail down 2:45pm
  • Skyrail up 11:00am, Rail down 2:00pm
  • Skyrail up 11:00am, Rail down 3:30pm
  • Skyrail up 9:45am, Rail down 2:00pm
  • Skyrail up 9:45am, Rail down 3:30pm

Additional info by the operator.

  • Tours do not run on Christmas Day
  • Down Under Tours reconfirms exact pickup points and times by phone before the day of travel, their line runs 6am to 5pm