There are 8 ways to get from Cairns to Lightning Ridge by plane, taxi, train, bus, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly to Walgett Airport, taxi
best- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Walgett Airport (WGE)plane CNS - WGE
- Take the taxi from Walgett Airport (WGE) to Lightning Ridgetaxi
17h 7m$464–1,278Drive 1,757.9 km
cheapest- Drive from Cairns to Lightning Ridgecar 1,757.9 km
20h 9m$318–460Train, bus
- Take the train from Cairns Central Station to Roma Streettrain Spirit of Queensland
- Take the bus from Brisbane City to Lightning Ridgebus
38h 35m$324–6,391Bus
- Take the bus from Cairns to Brisbane Coach Terminalbus Au050 / ...
- Take the bus from Brisbane City to Lightning Ridgebus
41h 55m$411–608Fly to Dubbo City Regional Airport, bus
- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Dubbo City Regional Airport (DBO)plane CNS - DBO
- Take the bus from Dubbo Station, Coach Bay 3 to Morilla St Opp Lightning Ridge Post Officebus
13h$358–1,365Fly to Moree Airport, bus
- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Moree Airport (MRZ)plane CNS - MRZ
- Take the bus from Moree to Goondiwindibus
- Take the bus from Goondiwindi to Lightning Ridgebus
16h 34m$480–1,573Fly to Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, bus
- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport (WTB)plane CNS - WTB
- Take the bus from Toowoomba to Lightning Ridgebus
18h 19m$1,247–3,522Bus via Goondiwindi
- Take the bus from Cairns Central Station to Brisbane Roma Streetbus
- Take the bus from Brisbane Roma Street to Goondiwindibus
- Take the bus from Goondiwindi to Lightning Ridgebus
42h 50m$434–764
Cairns to Lightning Ridge by train and bus
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Cairns to Lightning Ridge is to drive which costs $310 - $460 and takes 20h 9m.
The fastest way to get from Cairns to Lightning Ridge is to fly and bus which takes 13h and costs $350 - $1,400.
No, there is no direct bus from Cairns to Lightning Ridge. However, there are services departing from Cairns and arriving at Lightning Ridge via Brisbane City. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 41h 55m.
The distance between Cairns and Lightning Ridge is 1569 km. The road distance is 1757.9 km.
The best way to get from Cairns to Lightning Ridge without a car is to train and bus which takes 38h 35m and costs $320 - $6,500.
It takes approximately 17h 7m to get from Cairns to Lightning Ridge, including transfers.
Cairns to Lightning Ridge bus services, operated by FlixBus Australia, depart from Cairns station.
Cairns to Lightning Ridge bus services, operated by FlixBus Australia, arrive at Brisbane Coach Terminal station.
Lightning Ridge is 1h ahead of Cairns. It is currently 8:40 PM in Cairns and 9:40 PM in Lightning Ridge.
Yes, the driving distance between Cairns to Lightning Ridge is 1758 km. It takes approximately 20h 9m to drive from Cairns to Lightning Ridge.
What companies run services between Cairns, QLD, Australia and Lightning Ridge, NSW, Australia?
You can take a bus from Cairns to Lightning Ridge via Brisbane Coach Terminal and Brisbane City in around 41h 55m.
- Website
- qantas.com
Flights from Cairns to Dubbo City Regional Airport via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 52m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $650–2,200
Flights from Cairns to Dubbo City Regional Airport via Maroochydore, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 10m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $340–1,400
Flights from Cairns to Dubbo City Regional Airport via Townsville, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–2,200
Flights from Cairns to Moree Airport via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $440–2,200
Flights from Cairns to Moree Airport via Gold Coast, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 15m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $350–1,400
Flights from Cairns to Moree Airport via Brisbane, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 30m
- When
- Wednesday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $700–2,300
Flights from Cairns to Moree Airport via Adelaide, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 25m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $460–1,800
Flights from Cairns to Moree Airport via Melbourne, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 55m
- When
- Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $430–1,700
Flights from Cairns to Moree Airport via Townsville, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 20m
- When
- Thursday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $330–1,400
Flights from Cairns to Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $1,000–3,300
- Website
- airlinkairlines.com.au
Flights from Cairns to Walgett Airport via Sydney, Dubbo City Regional Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 35m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $330–1,700
Flights from Cairns to Walgett Airport via Brisbane, Dubbo City Regional Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 25m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- $310–950
Flights from Cairns to Walgett Airport via Maroochydore, Sydney, Dubbo City Regional Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 40m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Cairns to Walgett Airport via Gold Coast, Sydney, Dubbo City Regional Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 23h
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Cairns to Walgett Airport via Townsville, Sydney, Dubbo City Regional Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 45m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $500–1,700
- Website
- virginaustralia.com
Flights from Cairns to Dubbo City Regional Airport via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 35m
- When
- Monday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $420–2,100
- Website
- linkairways.com
Flights from Cairns to Dubbo City Regional Airport via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $600–2,100
- Phone
- 1800 872 467
- Website
- Queensland Rail Travel
Train from Cairns Central Station to Roma Street
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 20m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $170–6,171
- Book at
- Queensland Rail Travel
- Website
- Queensland Rail Travel
- Schedules at
- Queensland Rail Travel
- BQuick
- $170–230
- AChoice
- $310–390
- Gold Class
- $4,927
- Heritage Class
- $6,171
- Phone
- (61) 13 22 51
- enquiries@murrays.com.au
- Website
- murrays.com.au
Bus from Brisbane City to Lightning Ridge
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 15m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- $150–220
- Schedules at
- murrays.com.au
Bus from Brisbane City to Lightning Ridge
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 15m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- $150–220
- Schedules at
- murrays.com.au
Bus from Goondiwindi to Lightning Ridge
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- $85–120
- Schedules at
- murrays.com.au
Bus from Toowoomba to Lightning Ridge
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 5m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- $130–180
- Schedules at
- murrays.com.au
Bus from Goondiwindi to Lightning Ridge
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- $85–120
- Schedules at
- murrays.com.au
- Website
- FlixBus Australia
Bus from Cairns to Brisbane Coach Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 28h 40m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $260–390
- Schedules at
- FlixBus Australia
- Phone
- 131 500
- Website
- NSW TrainLink
Bus from Dubbo Station, Coach Bay 3 to Morilla St Opp Lightning Ridge Post Office
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $28–40
- Website
- NSW TrainLink
- Phone
- +61 (07) 4661 8333
- reservations@crisps.com.au
- Website
- crisps.com.au
Bus from Moree to Goondiwindi
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice a week
- Estimated price
- $50–110
- Schedules at
- crisps.com.au
Bus from Brisbane Roma Street to Goondiwindi
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 15m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $100–300
- Schedules at
- crisps.com.au
- Phone
- 13 34 10
- reservations@premierms.com.au
- Website
- Premier Motor Service
Bus from Cairns Central Station to Brisbane Roma Street
- Ave. Duration
- 29h 5m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $240–350
- Website
- Premier Motor Service
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Booking & Getting There
There are 11+ hotels available in Lightning Ridge.














