Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Advance bookings and payments are essential to provide you the best opportunity to secure your preferred dates and travel times and to reduce waiting times and avoid unnecessary congestion.

Please note; Guests will only be permitted to enter the building no earlier than 15 minutes prior to their boarding time. This will allow us to board you whilst minimising waiting and queuing times.

ⓘ Secure your preferred date and time of your visit by booking online.

A cancellation fee of 100% may be charged for bookings or any tour components (including bus transfers) cancelled within 24 hours of your travel date.

Once checked in, you must travel at the pre-allocated time as indicated on your ticket and changes (including refunds for any unused portions) are not possible.

We do however, understand that we live in uncertain times, that’s why we offer guests a full refund prior to the day of travel. Please contact our friendly team who will work with you to amend your booking or process a refund.

ⓘ To amend or cancel your booking please contact us.

Discounts to pensioner or concession card holders are not offered at Skyrail.

Skyrail is pleased to provide support to Companion Card holders. Please ensure you ask about the Companion Card program when booking your tickets with our Reservations Team (these cannot be booked online).

• Skyrail can be enjoyed as a one-way or return (round trip) experience on its own OR;
• Skyrail can be combined with Kuranda Scenic Railway to create half or full-day itineraries.
• Depending on your tour selection, you can start with either Skyrail Rainforest Cableway or Kuranda Scenic Railway.
• We offer bus transfers to and from your Cairns City accommodation*, self-drive or alternate transport options are available.

ⓘ Plan your visit and Experience map.

Allow 1 ½ hours to complete a standard one-way Skyrail experience or; up to 2 hours for a one-way Diamond View experience. These timings include two stops at Red Peak and Barron Falls. You can however choose to spend as much time as you like at Red Peak and Barron Falls. For a return (round-trip) standard experience, allow 2 ½ hours plus time to spend in Kuranda Village. Please note that timings are dependent on cableway operational constraints and may be longer than these recommended times.

ⓘ Plan your Skyrail experience.

Skyrail’s hours of operation are 8:30am to 4:45pm.

During peak holiday periods, Skyrail may open earlier than 8:30am and additional booking times will be added to the website.

For our schedule of closure dates please see Special Notices.

Skyrail’s Canopy Cafe at Smithfield Terminal is open from 8:30am until 5:00pm on our opening days.

ⓘ Plan your Skyrail experience.

Allow 1 ½ hours to complete a Kuranda Scenic Railway Journey. There are two morning departures (8:55am and 9:55am from Freshwater Railway Station to Kuranda Railway Station) and two afternoon departures (2:00pm and 3:30pm from Kuranda Railway Station to Freshwater Railway Station and Cairns Central Railway Station).

* Please Note: Kuranda Scenic Railway is experiencing operational issues and is running a limited service until further notice. If you wish to experience both Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Kuranda Scenic Railway, please book your package promptly to ensure availability on your preferred date and time. Skyrail continues to operate unaffected. Visit ksr.com.au for the most up to date information for Kuranda Scenic Railway services.

ⓘ Plan your visit.

6 Skyrail Drive, Smithfield

Skyrail is located 15 minutes north of Cairns city and 50 minutes south of Port Douglas in the World Heritage listed Barron Gorge National Park. Start your journey at Smithfield (Cairns) or Kuranda.

ⓘ Plan your visit and Experience map.

Skyrail is currently operating a restricted bus transfer service from selected locations only. Bookings for this service are essential and can be made at the time of booking by selecting your location from the available list. If your location is not available, it is likely there is currently no service offered to that location.

For guests combining Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Kuranda Scenic Railway, ‘self drive’ transfers to/from your car are also available between Freshwater Railway Station and Smithfield Terminal and is automatically added when selecting “I will drive and park” during the online booking process (additional fees apply).

ⓘ Plan your visit and Experience map.

You can book a one-way or return (round-trip) experience on Skyrail or a one-way experience with Skyrail and a one-way with Kuranda Scenic Railway. Bookings are made in 15 minute time allocations from the hour.

ⓘ Plan your visit.

Bookings are made in 15 minute time allocations and once you have checked in you must travel at your pre-allocated times.

ⓘ To amend your booking please contact us.

Yes, the Kuranda Scenic Railway can be booked via Skyrail however this can only be booked in conjunction with a Skyrail experience, not on its own. Upgrade to Kuranda Scenic Railway’s Gold Class service is also available.

You will be allocated a carriage and seat number for your Kuranda Scenic Railway journey. Please ensure you board at least 15 minutes prior to departure.

Skyrail is only able to sell tickets for one-way rail travel from the Freshwater Railway Station not Cairns Central Railway Station. Freshwater Railway Station is approximately 7km (4 miles) from Skyrail’s Smithfield (Cairns) Terminal. Skyrail offers bus transfers between Freshwater and Smithfield (Cairns) Terminal for guests who have chosen to drive themselves(additional fees apply).

ⓘ Plan your visit and Experience map.

Yes. You can book with Skyrail if you are arriving in Cairns by Cruise Ship. Transfers to and from cruise ships docking in Cairns City Cruise Liner Terminal and Yorkeys Knob Marina can also be booked.

ⓘ Book here.

If you wish to explore Kuranda Village there are numerous acitvities, including markets, art galleries, cafes and wildlife parks. Depending on your schedule, we recommend allowing 2 – 3 hours in Kuranda ‘Village in the rainforest’.

ⓘ Learn more about Kuranda.

• A journey of discovery into the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics Rainforest, home to the world’s oldest continually surviving tropical rainforest.
• Multi-lingual Interpretive App and Audio Guide.
• Red Peak: Rainforest Discovery Zone, Ranger Guided Tours, rainforest boardwalk loop, scenic lookout.
• Barron Falls: The Edge Lookout; rainforest boardwalk loop, Rainforest Interpretation Center, panoramic gorge and waterfall views.
• Free Wi-Fi at all stations.
• Free all day parking

ⓘ Plan your Skyrail experience.

Skyrail gondolas leave continuously; Skyrail bookings are taken in 15 minute intervals. Diamond View gondolas depart every 7 minutes approximately.

ⓘ Plan your Skyrail experience.

Each standard Skyrail gondola seats* a maximum of 6 people (including infants) or a maximum of 480kg (1058 lbs) whichever is first. The Diamond View gondola upgrade seats* a maximum of 5 people (including infants) or a maximum of 400kg (880 lbs) whichever is first.

We will endeavour to offer guests their own gondola, however in peak travel times sharing of gondolas with other guests may be required.

* Bookings are taken on a per seat basis and the gondola is not offered exclusively. Note: sharing of gondolas with other guests may be required.

ⓘ Plan your Skyrail experience.

A friendly cableway operator will assist you on and off the cableway. The gondolas slow down as they approach each platform to allow for easy embarkation and disembarkation. The gondola doors open and close/lock automatically.

ⓘ Learn about Skyrail’s easy accessibility.

Yes. You are encouraged to leave the gondola to explore the rainforest at Red Peak and Barron Falls. Where you can explore the ancient rainforest on boardwalks and easy access walkways. We recommend all guests explore both Red Peak and Barron Falls in order to experience all aspects of the ancient rainforest.

ⓘ Learn more about your Skyrail experience.

You can spend as long as you like at the two stops. Our Ranger Guides are located at Red Peak offering Guided Tours throughout the day, whilst you explore the boardwalk and at Barron Falls you can explore independently.

ⓘ Learn more about your Skyrail experience.

Day packs and fold up strollers can be taken on Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Luggage is not permitted on the cableway or bus transfers.
ⓘ For more information please contact us.

Skyrail is fully accessible and is suitable for people of all ages and abilities.

ⓘ Learn about Skyrail’s easy accessibility.

Yes, the entire Skyrail experience is wheelchair accessible and can accommodate most standard wheelchairs. However, due to size restrictions and loading requirements, some types of wheelchairs cannot be carried on the cableway. Please see Accessibility and Conditions of Carriage for more information. Skyrail also provides complimentary use of wheelchairs (subject to availability) during your Skyrail experience.

Please note wheelchairs cannot be carried on bus transfers. Please advise us if you require this service so that we can make alternative arrangements for you at the time of booking.

ⓘ Learn about Skyrail’s accessibility.

Yes, Skyrail family rates are available on all packages, excluding Diamond View and Kuranda Scenic Railway’s Gold Class upgrades.

A family is classified as 2 adults and 2 children of the same family.

A child is a person aged between 4 and 14 years inclusive and infants (0-3 years) are free but must still hold an infant ticket to travel.

ⓘ View prices and packages for Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Skyrail & Kuranda Scenic Railway.

We are now cash free. All purchases are via card only.

ⓘ For more information please see Skyrails COVID -19 Information

ⓘ Plan your experience.

If you book on the Skyrail website, you are welcome to make changes to your booking (date of travel, direction, tour type etc.) at any time up until 24hours prior to the commencement of your day without penalty, subject to availability.

Any additional experiences/upgrades added to your itinerary will require additional payment.

Once checked in, guests must commence at the times indicated on their booking confirmation and changes (including refunds for any unused portions) are not possible.

ⓘ To amend your booking please contact us.

No. Children (14 years and younger) must be accompanied by an adult throughout the duration of the Skyrail experience.

ⓘ Plan your Skyrail experience.

The entire Skyrail Rainforest Cableway experience is a smoke-free experience.

Skyrail is perfect as either a wet or dry weather experience. In wet weather, the mountain ranges become shrouded in mist giving the rainforest a somewhat mysterious Jurassic Park feel. The gondolas are fully enclosed and complimentary umbrellas are also provided at Red Peak and Barron Falls to ensure everyone can enjoy the Skyrail experience in maximum comfort.

ⓘ Learn more about Skyrail on a rainy day or plan your Skyrail experience.

The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway is 7.5km long. When it was first built, it was the longest cableway in the world.

ⓘ Learn about the Skyrail’s construction & history.