Cairns Airport is only 7 km from the CBD, making this one of the most affordable airport transfers in Australia. One option here runs on a published, regulated tariff — the taxi. Everything else sets its own price.
The regulated taxi meter
The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads sets maximum taxi fares and gazettes them each 1 July. For regional Queensland, which covers Cairns, the rates effective 1 July 2026 are:
| Component | Maximum fare |
|---|---|
| Distance | AUD 2.88 per kilometre |
| Waiting time | AUD 1.04 per minute the taxi isn't moving |
| Flagfall | AUD 6.20 outside 7am–7pm weekdays; lower during weekday daytime |
| Booking fee | AUD 1.90 if you book rather than take the rank |
| Airport levy | Added when the meter starts at the rank — check the posted amount |
Fixed-price private transfer
CNS Cairns City Center
From€75for 2 passengers
4 passengers: €104 per vehicle, about €26 per person
- Fixed price, no meter
- Flight tracked
- 60 min free waiting
- Driver meets you at arrivals
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before pickup
For context, South East Queensland is AUD 2.77/km and rural Queensland AUD 4.70/km; Cairns sits in the middle band.
What that means for your trip: the 7 km to the CBD puts about AUD 20 on the meter in distance alone, before flagfall, waiting time and the levy. Trinity Beach, Palm Cove, Kuranda, Port Douglas, Mission Beach and Cape Tribulation are all much further, and the meter scales with them.
One caution on the levy: the amount published by the airport and the amount published by the taxi operator do not currently agree for the domestic rank. Check what is posted at the rank rather than trusting either figure second-hand.
What the other options charge
Sun Palm shuttle — a shared service picking up from both terminals and dropping at major hotels and the CBD; the bus may stop at 2–4 hotels before yours, so budget 15–25 minutes rather than 10. Sun Palm sets its own fares, including child concessions, and does not publish them anywhere we can verify. Get the price from Sun Palm directly when you book.
Uber / DiDi — priced in the app at the moment you book, moving with demand. No tariff exists to check it against; the taxi meter above is your benchmark.
Pre-booked transfer — a fixed price quoted when you book.
Rental car — priced by the rental company for your dates.
We have removed the per-destination price table that used to sit here. None of those figures came from anyone who actually sets these fares, and several were being repeated back to us by other websites as though they were established fact. A stale guess that looks freshly checked is worse than no number at all.
Why the CBD trip is cheap anyway
At 7 km, the Cairns airport run is one of the shortest in Australia. Compare it to Sydney (17 km), Melbourne Tullamarine (23 km), or Brisbane (18 km). Since the taxi is metered by the kilometre, the short distance is exactly why the fare stays low — and why the gap between the options is small in absolute terms.
Payment
Taxis accept cash and card (tap-and-go works). Uber and DiDi handle payment in-app. Sun Palm accepts online booking or payment at the terminal counter. ATMs from Westpac and Commonwealth Bank are in the arrivals hall.
When a private transfer from CNS is the right choice
- Three or more people: a 4-seat car to Cairns City Center is from €104, about €26 per person, usually level with or below separate public-transport tickets once you count the walk, the wait and the last mile with bags.
- Going to a specific address rather than the main station: the car goes to the door, so the public-transport fare is not the whole cost of the trip.
- Arriving tired or late: the driver waits at arrivals with your name, included for 60 minutes after landing.
CNS → Cairns City Center from €75Fixed price, flight tracked, free cancellation up to 24 h before pickup.