The classic Kuranda day from Cairns or Freshwater: up the range on the 1880s Kuranda Scenic Railway past Stoney Creek and Barron Falls, free time in the rainforest village, then back down over the canopy on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, with a coach back to your station at the end.
Days
- Full day
Age
- All ages
Group size
- Shared train and cableway, free time in Kuranda
Start / finish
- Cairns or Freshwater Station / Kuranda / Smithfield / your station
- Your station, mid to late afternoon
Return
- Your station, mid to late afternoon
Transport
- Heritage train up, Skyrail cableway down, coach back to your station
Meals
- No meals are listed as included
Route
Included experiences
- Kuranda Scenic Railway — heritage train through Barron Gorge
- Barron Falls — photo stop at the lookout
- Kuranda village — markets, galleries and wildlife parks at your own pace
- Skyrail Rainforest Cableway — 7.5 km over the rainforest canopy
- Red Peak and Barron Falls stations — boardwalks and gorge lookout
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
4.6
Based on 17 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 17 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the scenic journey by train from Cairns to Kuranda, which typically lasts around 90 minutes and passes waterfalls and the Barron Gorge, with many highlighting the nostalgic experience of travelling in vintage carriages and appreciating the opportunity to return via the Skyrail for contrasting views of the rainforest. Gold Class stands out most often as a worthwhile upgrade, offering larger seats, complimentary food and beverages, attentive service and informative commentary about photo opportunities and landmarks along the route. The most common criticism relates to operational delays, which can be significant and reduce time available in Kuranda, and some travellers note that the vintage carriages lack air conditioning, which can be uncomfortable in warm weather, whilst occasional seating arrangements place some passengers in backward-facing seats despite forward-facing options being available.
How we collect and publish reviews
Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour. Some longer trips are made up of shorter tours we also sell, run back to back — where a review was written about one of those legs, the review says so.
Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.
Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.
“What a great experience.”
We were told to take the train up and the cable car down, and that's what we did. The 90-minute train ride had a steady pace, some useful commentary and a decent stop at the Barron Falls lookout. Two hours was enough in Kuranda, and the cable car gave a unique view of the rainforest. A beautiful day.
“A relaxing train ride.”
The train wasn't crowded, so our 5-year-old could enjoy the windows. Go early in the day and in the off season for more time in Kuranda; the butterfly sanctuary was a highlight before the Skyrail back. Reasonable value for the views, and the Barron Gorge stop is beautiful. My only complaint is the heat.
“Entertaining”
We last did this as a couple eight years ago and came back as an extended family. A maintenance delay grew by another 49 minutes on the day, which was hard with restless kids and cut our time in Kuranda, though Skyrail helped with our time at the top. The train ride itself was great, with amazing scenery and photo spots. Well worth it.
“Superb Sky-rail return exerience”
We took the 9:30 train from Cairns Central up to Kuranda and came back on the Skyrail with the glass-floor upgrade. The cableway runs continuously so we could board a bit earlier than booked. The waterfall stop is great.
“Amazing trip”
I went first class, with food, beer, wine and soft drinks included, and it was comfortable and amazing. I did the train up first, then the cable car. I'd do it again.
“Rain or Shine—An Unforgettable Journey Through the Rainforest!”
We booked the train and Skyrail package from Cairns, with a punctual hotel pick-up to the historic Freshwater station. Despite heavy rain, the train ride was breathtaking, with characterful old carriages, good commentary on the 15 tunnels, and Stoney Creek and Barron Falls in the mist. We chose our own time in Kuranda, then took the Skyrail down; get off at Red Peak for the free ranger walk.
