The distance between Cairns and Alice Springs is around 2,335km (1,451 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to fly which takes around 5h 10m.
We've found 5 different ways to get from Cairns to Alice Springs by plane, bus, train and car. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.
👋 Also check out Alice Springs → Cairns if you're planning a return trip.
Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Alice Springs (ASP).
Qantas
+ 2 othersTake the bus to Brisbane, Tamworth, Dubbo Station Coach Bay 4, Broken Hill Town Coach Stop then Adelaide Central Bus Station Franklin St and then to Alice Springs.
Multiple bus operators
Take the train to Brisbane Roma Street, Central Station then Adelaide Parklands and then to Alice Springs.
Multiple train operators
1 similiar route
We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.
Drive to Alice Springs.
There are several options for getting from Cairns to Alice Springs by plane, bus, train and car. The cheapest option is to take the train which costs around A$745 ($500) and will take around 5 days. If you need to get there more quickly, you can fly and arrive in approximately 5h 10m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately A$790 ($530).
The distance between Cairns and Alice Springs is around 2,335km (1,451 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 1,450km (901 miles)
It takes around 5h 10m to get from Cairns and Alice Springs by plane. If you are travelling by car it will take around 24h 15m to drive there.
The quickest way to get from Cairns to Alice Springs is to fly which takes around 5h 10m and will set you back approx A$790 ($530).
The cheapest way to travel between Cairns and Alice Springs, if you exclude driving, is to take the train which will typically cost around A$745 ($500) for a standard one-way ticket.
Yes there is a train service that runs between Cairns and Alice Springs. It typically takes around 3 days 19h and departs once a week.
There are no direct train services that runs from Cairns to Alice Springs. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Brisbane Roma Street, Central Station and Adelaide Parklands. These services run once a week and will take a minimum of 3 days 19h.
Queensland Rail Travel, NSW TrainLink, Great Southern Rail - Indian Pacific, Great Southern Rail - The Ghan and Great Southern run train services between Cairns and Alice Springs. Trains depart once a week and will take around 3 days 19h, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.
Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Cairns and Alice Springs. It typically takes around 3 days 6h and departs twice a week.
There are no direct bus services that runs from Cairns to Alice Springs. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Brisbane, Tamworth, Dubbo Station Coach Bay 4, Broken Hill Town Coach Stop and Adelaide Central Bus Station Franklin St. These services run twice a week and will take a minimum of 3 days 6h.
Premier Motor Service, Crisps Coaches, NSW TrainLink and Greyhound Australia run regular bus services between Cairns and Alice Springs. Buses run twice a week and take around 3 days 6h on average but will vary depending on you book with.
Yes you can fly from Cairns and Alice Springs. Flights depart from Cairns (CNS) and arrive at Alice Springs (ASP) - via Darwin (DRW). The flight takes around 4h 35m.
There is no direct flight from Cairns to Alice Springs. There is however a flight that goes via Darwin (DRW). This services will take at least 5h 10m (not including layover time).
The flight from Cairns to Alice Springs typically takes around 4h 35m. Flights depart from Cairns (CNS) and and arrive into Alice Springs (ASP).
The closest major airport to Alice Springs is Alice Springs Airport (ASP) (ASP) which is approximately 12km (7 miles) from Alice Springs. Connellan Airport (AYQ) (AYQ) and Mount Isa Airport (ISA) (ISA) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.
Yes it is possible to drive from Cairns and Alice Springs. The distance is around 2,335km (1,451 miles) by road and it will take around 24h 15m in normal traffic conditons.
If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Cairns to Alice Springs is to fly which takes, on average, 5h 10m and will usually cost around A$790 ($530).
Transport option | Duration | Cost | Frequency | Distance |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fly | 5h 10m | A$790($530) | 5 times a day | 3,004km (1,866 miles) |
Bus | 3 days 6h | A$820($550) | twice a week | 5,700km (3,542 miles) |
Train + 1 similar | 3 days 19h | A$1,290($865) | once a week | 5,882km (3,655 miles) |
Train via Brisbane Roma Street | 5 days | A$745($500) | once a week | 5,831km (3,623 miles) |
Drive | 24h 15m | A$310($210) | on demand | 2,335km (1,451 miles) |
Premier Motor Service
Crisps Coaches
NSW TrainLink
Qantas
Virgin Australia
Queensland Rail Travel
Great Southern Rail - Indian Pacific
Great Southern Rail - The Ghan
Great Southern
The following major airports near Alice Springs offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Australia and internationally.