By rail · SCENIC TRAIN JOURNEYS IN AUSTRALIA
The 15 best scenic train journeys in Australia you can book today, with the fare, the running time and who each one suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Travel from Cairns to Kuranda by one-way historic railway and Skyrail cableway, with hotel pickup included. Choose extra time at Butterfly Sanctuary, Birdworld, Kuranda Koala Gardens, or Rainforestation. Expect a mostly self-guided day, not a fully escorted tour.
“The communication was very poor did not get documented items on time and left getting a taxi from one place to another”
Ride the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway, visit Barron Falls and Kuranda Village, then see butterflies, wildlife, and rainforest by Army Duck. A barbecue lunch, Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience, and Skyrail return are included. Guides such as Steve, Dom, and Nick may assist during the day.
“Pick up available from multiple hotels by comfortable coach. Historic train ride. World War II army DUKW ride in rainforest, butterfly Avery, aboriginal show with spear and boomerang tossing. Buffet lunch is included, which was good.. cable car ride… Definitely a must and was the highlight of my trip to Cairns,”
Travel from Cairns or Port Douglas to Kuranda by two classic routes: the Kuranda Scenic Railway in Gold Class and the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. You get several hours in the village for markets, cafés, butterflies, birds, koalas, or Aboriginal culture. Hotel pickup and drop-off are offered.
“I am seeking confirmation we will get $110 refund pp because the Skytrain was cancelled and we had to return by bus. Passenger Selvay. 2pax. Tour code KSQ+GXC on 13th August 2025.”
From Port Douglas or the Northern Beaches, ride Skyrail above World Heritage rainforest, explore Kuranda Village, and return by the Kuranda Scenic Railway. Your English-speaking guide, often Chris, Brett, Andrea, Glen, or Bridget, handles tickets, timings, and transport.
“We had the best time on this tour with the wonderful guide Chris and his dog Bo! 10 out of 10 would recommend for beaut beautbeautiful views of the rainforest from another perspective!”
Spend 8 to 9 hours traveling from Port Douglas or the Northern Beaches to Kuranda by historic train and Skyrail, with two hours for markets and lunch. Guides such as Chris, Brett, and Towie add local stories, practical help, and plenty of humor. Palm Cove provides a relaxed finish.
“Our guide Chris is really entertaining and helpful. It’s a great day trip for everyone and we are able to use the shuttle to move from Port Douglas hotel to Cairns at the end of the trip to avoid the Ironman road closure the following day. Providers also very responsive via WhatsApp and email. Great time. Thanks guys.”
From Port Douglas or Palm Cove, ride the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway, browse Kuranda’s markets, and glide above World Heritage rainforest on Skyrail. Guides such as Chris, Brett, and Andrea add local stories and easy hotel transfers. The day lasts about nine hours and includes both major rides.
“Our guide Andrea who is the owner was fantastic and very informative The train ride was amazing. However we stopped in the village Kuranda for 90 mins and it’s an awful place! The food choices were disappointing and we honesty didn’t expect that our tour would include a 90 minute stop in this village. But everything else was great”
Travel from Cairns with a guide such as Man or Chris in a small group of up to 10. Ride Skyrail over the rainforest, stop at Red Peak and Barron Falls, explore Kuranda Village, then return by the historic Scenic Railway. Hotel, port, airport, and northern beach pickup is included.
“Great experience, great tour guide. Only the weather was an issue, it was really hot, so better to come in winters”
Travel from Cairns into the Kuranda rainforest by Skyrail and heritage railway, with a BBQ buffet, Army Duck tour, wildlife encounters, Aboriginal cultural activities, and free time in Kuranda. Guides such as Tony and Victor may lead parts of the day. Expect a full, tightly timed outing.
“An exposure to the rainforest area including the people who live there. The experience included scenic rides on an historic railway and a sky lift, a barbecue lunch and a tour of the rainforest in a WWII-era vintage Army duck amphibious vehicle.”
Join Ben of Personalised Sydney Tours for a private day from Sydney to the Australian Reptile Park, Brisbane Water waterfalls, coastal lookouts, and Central Coast beaches. Feed kangaroos, meet koalas, explore at an easy pace, then return by public train through national parks.
“A great day seeing the beauty of Central Coast. spent time petting koalas and kangaroos at the reptile park and seeing many other critters. then hiking (easy hike) through the bush in the national forest to see water falls and spring flowers. alRead more”
Travel from Port Douglas by minibus with guides such as Dale, Peter, or Tony to Kuranda, where you can ride Skyrail above the rainforest, take the Scenic Railway, browse markets, and add wildlife attractions. The day ends at Palm Cove, with hotel pickup and groups advertised at up to 12, or 20 guests.
“It was the best day of our trip. Would recommend the first class upgrade on the train too. Kuranda was so interesting with lots of markets and shops and things to do that i rented a car the next day and spent the day there. Just remember though they close about 3pm.”
Travel from Port Douglas by coach, ride the Kuranda Scenic Railway through Barron Gorge, enjoy free time in Kuranda, then glide above the rainforest on Skyrail. Choose extra visits to Tjapukai, Rainforestation, Birdworld, Koala Gardens, or the Butterfly Sanctuary.
“The train was cancelled due to bushfires so we came by very good bus The staff were all helpful and informative”
Travel from central Sydney to Sydney Zoo and the Blue Mountains in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide. Feed kangaroos, see the Three Sisters, ride all three Scenic World attractions, and finish at Homebush Bay Ferry Wharf for an optional ferry back to Sydney.
“I wasn't too bothered about the zoo, but it was part of the trip. However this inclusion excellent example of didgeridoo playing by the guide (Jason?). He described the breathing technique and the meaning behind the various sounds. A really nice insight into indigenous culture. The driver/ guide Fiona was also very knowledgeable about the areas we drove through and the entire trip didn't disappoint.”
From Palm Cove, you ride the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway through Barron Gorge, spend time in Kuranda Village, and return by Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Choose add-ons such as Tjapukai, Rainforestation, butterflies, birds, koalas, or lunch. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.
“This is a nice operation all around, but the schedule is rushed, as there is a lot to see and do. We asked to extend our train return, as more time is needed on this trip, and were accommodated. We had to wait to start due to crowds, and were not able to leave until ten in the morning, so time was lost. It would be worth staying over in Kuranda longer or even overnight.”
Travel from Cairns to Kuranda by scenic railway and air-conditioned coach, then spend three hours at Rainforestation Nature Park with an Army Duck ride, Pamagirri Aboriginal performances, and close wildlife encounters. You also get free time in Kuranda Village before returning.
“I mostly took this tour to ride in the military amphibious boat. Expert driver and went from land to water and back again. Quite the experience! Rainforestation was fun as well but a bit rushed running from event to event. I got 2 tries throwing a boomerang so that was fun! The rail back to Cairns was also good. Pretty scenic.”
Ride the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway, spend time in Kuranda, glide above the rainforest on Skyrail, then watch crocodile shows and cruise the Melaleuca Wetlands at Hartley’s. Pickup, transport, admissions, and a one-way rail and cableway trip are included.
“The places we visited with this tour are excellent and a must see while in Cairns. The first part of the tour is on a little rush. Some more time in Kuranda would have been better as you have only aprox 30min effectively to see things around and to grab a snack or a coffee which is not enough. The same with the skyrail. The best part of the tour was at Hartley's, specially the crocodile attack show, informative and fun, highly recommended!”
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