Cairns & the Daintree Rainforest - Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef - page 544

Premier ( 13 34 10; www.premierms.com.au ) Runs one daily service to Brisbane ($205, 29 hours)
via Innisfail ($19, 1½ hours), Mission Beach ($19, two hours), Tully ($26, 2½ hours),
Cardwell ($30, three hours), Townsville ($55, 5½ hours) and Airlie Beach ($90, 10
hours). Cheaper bus passes are available. Departs from Cairns Central Rail Station.
Trans North ( 07-4095 8644; www.transnorthbus.com ; Cairns Central Rail Station) Has five daily bus ser-
vices connecting Cairns with the Tablelands, including Kuranda ($8, 30 minutes, four
daily), Mareeba ($18, one hour, one to three daily) and Atherton ($23.40, 1¾ hours, one to
three daily). Departs from Cairns Central Rail Station; buy tickets when boarding.
John's Kuranda Bus ( 0418 772 953) Runs a service ($5, 30 minutes) between Cairns (departs
Lake St Transit Centre) and Kuranda two to five times daily.

Sun Palm ( 07-4087 2900; www.sunpalmtransport.com.au ) Runs northern services from Cairns to
Port Douglas ($40, 1½ hours) via Palm Cove and the northern beaches (from $20). De-
parts from the airport and CBD.
Country Road Coachlines ( 07-4045 2794; www.countryroadcoachlines.com.au ) Runs a daily bus service
between Cairns and Cooktown ($81) and Cape Tribulation ($50) on either the coastal
route (Bloomfield Track via Port Douglas/Mossman) or inland route (via Mareeba), de-
pending on the day of departure and the condition of the track. Departs from the Reef
Fleet Terminal.

CAR & MOTORCYCLE
All major car-rental companies have branches in Cairns and at the airport, with discount
car and campervan-rental companies proliferating throughout town and on the Cook High-
way just north of the airport turn-off. Daily rates start at around $45 for a late-model small
car and around $80 for a 4WD. The big operators like Hertz and Europcar are located in
Cairns Square (cnr Shields & Abbott Sts), or try the cheaper Cairns Older Car Hire (

07-4053

1066; www.cairnsoldercarhire.com ; 410 Sheridan St; per day from $35) or Rent-a-Bomb ( 07-4031 4477;

www.rentabomb.com.au ; 144 Sheridan St; per day from $30) .
Wicked Campers ( 07-4031 1387; www.wickedcampers.com.au ; 75 Sheridan St) and Hippie Camper Hire (
1800 777 779; www.hippiecamper.com ; 432 Sheridan St) have Cairns branches.
If you're in for the long haul, check hostels, www.gumtree.com.au and the big notice-
board on Abbott St for used campervans and ex-backpackers' cars.
Alternatively, hire a Harley ($190 to $260) from Choppers Motorcycle Tours & Hire ( 0408
066 024; www.choppersmotorcycles.com.au ; 150 Sheridan St) , or smaller bikes/scooters from $95/$75 a
day. Also offers motorcycle tours, from one hour to a full-day ride to Cape Trib.

TRAIN