Coming To Queensland

By Air

All international flights into Queensland pass through Brisbane or Cairns. The main domestic routes in and out of Queensland are:

Interstate

Brisbane to Sydney: 1 hour 25 minutes
Brisbane to Darwin: 3 hours 45 minutes
Brisbane to Cairns: 2 hours 25 minutes
Brisbane to Townsville: 1 hr. 40 minutes
Sunshine Coast to Sydney: 1 hour 35 minutes
Sunshine Coast to Melbourne: 2 hours 15 minutes
Gold Coast to Sydney: 1 hour 20 minutes
Gold Coast to Melbourne: 2 hours 5 minutes
Whitsunday Islands (Proserpine) to Sydney: 4 hours 40 minutes via Brisbane
Whitsunday Islands (Hamilton Island) to Sydney: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cairns to Sydney: 3 hours 10 minutes
Cairns to Melbourne: 3 hours 15 minutes

By Rail

Brisbane is linked to Sydney by a daily XPT service. Queensland Rail operates rail services from Brisbane to major regional centres throughout Queensland.

Brisbane – Sydney: 16 hours 5 minutes
Brisbane – Charleville: 16 hours 45 minutes
Brisbane – Rockhampton: 11 hours 30 minutes
Rockhampton – Townsville: 11 hours 55 minutes
Rockhampton – Longreach: 13 hours 40 minutes
Townsville – Cairns: 6 hours 55 minutes
Townsville – Mt. Isa: 20 hours 55 minutes (via The Inlander)
Normanton – Croydon: 5 hours (via The Gulflander)
Cairns – Kuranda: 1 hour 45 minutes (via Kuranda Scenic Railway)
Cairns – Forsayth: 11 hours 15 minutes (via The Savannahlander)

By Road (coach)

Numerous operators provide coach services between the major cities and regional centres of Queensland.

By Road (private motor vehicle)

Queensland’s towns are linked to each other, and to towns and cities in other states by a network of well signposted, well maintained sealed highways and major roads which allow for easy travel between localities.

In Queensland, the speed limit on the open road is generally 110 kilometres per hour. In Queensland, a driver s licence from your home country or another Australian state will usually suffice for up to three months, as long as it has photo identification and it s for the same class of vehicle you intend to drive. If you re staying more than three months, you ll need to get a WA drivers licence.

Road travel distances

Brisbane to Sydney: 980km
Brisbane to Rockhampton: 637km
Brisbane to Townsville: 1,369km
Brisbane to Cairns: 1,715km
Brisbane to Toowoomba: 128km
Brisbane to Charleville: 746km
Brisbane to Mt. Isa: 1,813km
Townsville to Mt. Isa: 850km
Rockhampton to Longreach: 680km
Charleville to Longreach: 500km

Getting Around Queensland

By Rail

Queensland is linked by rail to the rest via a standard gauge line that terminated at Roma Street Station in Brisbane. A daily XPT service is operated by NSW’s Counrtrylink rail service between Roma Street Station, Brisbane, and Central Station Sydney. The journey north (Sydney to Brisbane) is a night service; the journey south (Brisbane to Sydney) is a day service. Rail services from Brisbane to various localities across Queensland are operated by Queensland Rail.

Rail Travel Times

Brisbane – Sydney: 16 hours 5 minutes
Brisbane – Rockhampton: 11 hrs. 25 mins.
Brisbane – Mt. Isa: 20 hrs. 55 mins.
Brisbane – Longreach: 23 hrs. 35 mins.
Brisbane – Townsville: 23 hrs. 40 mins.
Brisbane – Cairns: 32 hrs. 20 mins.
Brisbane – Cairns (tilt train): 23 hrs.
Brisbane – Charleville: 16 hrs. 45 mins.

Road (coach)

Numerous operators provide coach services between Brisbane and Cairns (17 hrs. 30 mins.)

Airlie Beach, Whitsundays (6 hrs. 30 mins.)
Mt. Isa (26 hrs. 15 mins.)
Noosa (2 hrs. 50 mins.)
Surfers Paradise (1hr 20 mins.)
Sydney via coast road (17 hrs. 30 mins.)
Sydney via New England Hwy (14 hrs. 30 mins.) vMelbourne direct (24 hrs. 45 mins.)
Melbourne via Sydney (37 hrs. 30 mins.).

Road (private motor vehicle)

Queensland’s towns are linked to each other, and to towns and cities in other states by a network of well signposted, well maintained sealed highways and major roads which allow for easy travel between localities.

In Queensland, the speed limit on the open road is generally 110 kilometres per hour. In Queensland, a driver s licence from your home country or another Australian state will usually suffice for up to three months, as long as it has photo identification and it s for the same class of vehicle you intend to drive. If you re staying more than three months, you’ll need to get a WA drivers licence.

Road travel distances

Brisbane to Sydney: 980km
Brisbane to Rockhampton: 637km
Brisbane to Townsville: 1,369km
Brisbane to Cairns: 1,715km
Brisbane to Toowoomba: 128km
Brisbane to Charleville: 746km
Brisbane to Mt. Isa: 1,813km
Townsville to Mt. Isa: 850km
Rockhampton to Longreach: 680km
Charleville to Longreach: 500km

Air

Brisbane International Airport handles international and interstate air traffic. The airport has immigration and customs processing facilities. Regional and national airlines servicing outlying areas of Queensland also operate out of Brisbane Airport. The airport is located approximately 15-20 minutes drive (13 km) from Brisbane CBD, 75 minutes drive from the Gold Coast and 105 minutes drive from the Sunshine Coast. Airport transfers are readily available from the airport and there is a regular train and bus service straight to the city. Visit the Information Desk found in both the International and Domestic terminals for help with transfers. The Brisbane AirTrain is a direct rail link to the city and Brisbane airport. An additional fee is charged for all taxis leaving the Roma Street Transit Centre and the Brisbane Domestic and International Airports.