There are 7 ways to get from Cooktown to Hamilton Island by bus, ferry, train, or plane
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Bus, ferry via Shute Harbour Marine Terminal
best- Take the bus from Cooktown to Cairns
- Take the bus from Cairns Central Station to Airlie Beach
- Take the ferry from Shute Harbour to Hamilton Island Marina
18h 4m$200–289Bus, train, ferry
cheapest- Take the bus from Cooktown to Cairns
- Take the train from Cairns Central Station to Proserpine
- Take the ferry from Port of Airlie to Hamilton Island Marina
18h 58m$160–2,384Fly Cooktown Airport to Great Barrier Reef Airport
- Fly from Cooktown Airport (CTN) to Great Barrier Reef Airport (HTI)CTN - HTI
15h 58m$394–1,164Bus, ferry
- Take the bus from Cooktown to Cairns
- Take the bus from Cairns to Airlie Beach
- Take the ferry from Port of Airlie to Hamilton Island Marina
18h 19m$224–403Bus to Cairns, fly to Great Barrier Reef Airport
- Take the bus from Cooktown to Smithfield
- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Great Barrier Reef Airport (HTI)CNS - HTI
13h 13m$432–1,200Fly Cooktown Airport to Whitsunday Coast Airport, ferry
- Fly from Cooktown Airport (CTN) to Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP)CTN - PPP
- Take the ferry from Palm Bay to Shute Harbour
- Take the ferry from Shute Harbour to Hamilton Island Marina
8h 23m$760–1,240Bus to Cairns, fly to Whitsunday Coast Airport, ferry
- Take the bus from Cooktown to Smithfield
- Fly from Cairns (CNS) to Whitsunday Coast Airport (PPP)CNS - PPP
- Take the ferry from Palm Bay to Shute Harbour
- Take the ferry from Shute Harbour to Hamilton Island Marina
13h 43m$468–1,126
Cooktown to Hamilton Island by bus, foot, and ferry
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Cooktown to Hamilton Island is to bus and ferry via Shute Harbour Marine Terminal which costs $200 - $290 and takes 18h 4m.
The fastest way to get from Cooktown to Hamilton Island is to fly and ferry which takes 8h 23m and costs $750 - $1,300.
The distance between Cooktown and Hamilton Island is 1027 km.
The best way to get from Cooktown to Hamilton Island without a car is to bus and ferry via Shute Harbour Marine Terminal which takes 18h 4m and costs $200 - $290.
It takes approximately 18h 4m to get from Cooktown to Hamilton Island, including transfers.
There are 169+ hotels available in Hamilton Island.
What companies run services between Cooktown, QLD, Australia and Hamilton Island, QLD, Australia?
Hinterland Aviation, Virgin Australia, and Qantas fly from Cooktown Airport (CTN) to Great Barrier Reef Airport (HTI) 3 times a day.
Transport is disrupted due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Read more
- Website
- virginaustralia.com
Flights from Cooktown Airport to Great Barrier Reef Airport via Cairns, Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 45m
- When
- Wednesday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $500–1,400
Flights from Cooktown Airport to Great Barrier Reef Airport via Cairns, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 15m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- $340–1,800
Flights from Cairns to Great Barrier Reef Airport via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $340–1,400
Flights from Cairns to Great Barrier Reef Airport via Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 35m
- When
- Wednesday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $340–750
Flights from Cairns to Great Barrier Reef Airport via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $480–1,200
- Website
- qantas.com
Flights from Cooktown Airport to Great Barrier Reef Airport via Cairns, Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 25m
- When
- Monday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $800–2,200
Flights from Cooktown Airport to Great Barrier Reef Airport via Cairns, Melbourne
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 15m
- When
- Tuesday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $500–1,400
Flights from Cooktown Airport to Great Barrier Reef Airport via Cairns, Townsville, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 5m
- When
- Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $600–1,800
Flights from Cairns to Great Barrier Reef Airport via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $340–1,400
Flights from Cairns to Great Barrier Reef Airport via Townsville, Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $430–1,400
- Website
- skytrans.com.au
Flights from Cooktown Airport to Whitsunday Coast Airport via Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 12m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $550–1,000
Flights from Cairns to Whitsunday Coast Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $290–650
- Website
- flexflight.dk
Flights from Cooktown Airport to Whitsunday Coast Airport via Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 12m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $550–1,000
Flights from Cairns to Whitsunday Coast Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $290–650
- Phone
- 1800 872 467
- Website
- queenslandrailtravel.com.au
Train from Cairns Central Station to Proserpine
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 26m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $30–2,200
- Book at
- https://queenslandrailtravel-booking.opendestinations.com/BookingSite/rail/search
- Website
- https://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/
- Schedules at
- https://www.queenslandrailtravel.com.au/Pages/Timetable.aspx
- BQuick
- $85–240
- AChoice
- $30–140
- Gold Class
- $1,756
- Heritage Class
- $2,200
- Phone
- +61 7 3036 2070
- Website
- transnorthbus.com.au
Bus from Cooktown to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 30m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $70–110
- Website
- https://www.transnorthbus.com.au/
- Book at
- https://www.tnbc.com.au/
Bus from Cooktown to Smithfield
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $70–100
- Website
- https://www.transnorthbus.com.au/
- Book at
- https://www.tnbc.com.au/
- Phone
- 13 34 10
- reservations@premierms.com.au
- Website
- premierms.com.au
Bus from Cairns Central Station to Airlie Beach
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $80–120
- Website
- https://premierms.com.au/
- Phone
- 1300 473946
- Website
- greyhound.com.au
Bus from Cairns to Airlie Beach
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $95–220
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/
- Schedules at
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/timetables
- Early Bird
- $95–140
- Advantage
- $110–170
- Flexible
- $140–220
Ferry from Shute Harbour to Hamilton Island Marina
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $45–65
- Schedules at
- cruisewhitsundays.com
Ferry from Port of Airlie to Hamilton Island Marina
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- $55–80
- Schedules at
- cruisewhitsundays.com
- Phone
- 0488 022 868
- info@islandtransfers.com
- Website
- islandtransfers.com
Ferry from Palm Bay to Shute Harbour
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $69
- Schedules at
- islandtransfers.com
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