There are 7 ways to get from Melbourne to Cooktown by plane, train, bus, car, or bus (Greyhound)
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Melbourne Airport to Cooktown Airport
best- Fly from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Cooktown Airport (CTN)plane MEL - CTN
6h 42m$218–733Fly Melbourne Airport to Cairns, bus
cheapest- Fly from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Cairns (CNS)plane MEL - CNS
- Take the bus from Cairns to Cooktownbus
11h 54m$208–508Train, bus
- Take the train from Southern Cross to Central Stationtrain 622 / ...
- Take the train from Central Station to Roma Street Stationtrain 31
- Take the train from Roma Street to Cairns Central Stationtrain
- Take the bus from Cairns to Cooktownbus
2d 10h$292–7,103Bus
- Take the bus from Southern Cross Coach Terminal, Spencer St to Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1bus
- Take the bus from Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1 to Roma Street Station, Stand Fbus
- Take the bus from Brisbane Roma Street to Cairns Central Stationbus
- Take the bus from Cairns to Cooktownbus
2d 16h$417–612Drive 3,036 km
- Drive from Melbourne to Cooktowncar 3,036 km
36h 27m$554–801Fly Essendon Fields Airport to Cooktown Airport
- Fly from Essendon Fields Airport (MEB) to Cooktown Airport (CTN)plane MEB - CTN
20h 19m$256–870Bus via Cairns
- Take the bus from Southern Cross Coach Terminal to Central Stationbus
- Take the bus from Central Station to Brisbanebus
- Take the bus from Brisbane to Cairnsbus
- Take the bus from Cairns to Cooktownbus
2d 18h$545–1,220
Melbourne to Cooktown by train and bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Melbourne to Cooktown is to fly and bus which costs $200 - $550 and takes 11h 54m.
The fastest way to get from Melbourne to Cooktown is to fly which takes 6h 42m and costs $210 - $750.
No, there is no direct bus from Melbourne to Cooktown. However, there are services departing from Southern Cross Coach Terminal, Spencer St and arriving at Cooktown via Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1, Brisbane Roma Street and Cairns. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 16h.
The distance between Melbourne and Cooktown is 2505 km. The road distance is 3036 km.
The best way to get from Melbourne to Cooktown without a car is to train and bus which takes 2 days 10h and costs $290 - $7,500.
It takes approximately 6h 42m to get from Melbourne to Cooktown, including transfers.
Melbourne to Cooktown bus services, operated by NSW TrainLink, depart from Southern Cross Coach Terminal, Spencer St station.
The best way to get from Melbourne to Cooktown is to fly which takes 6h 42m and costs $210 - $750. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $410 - $650 and takes 2 days 16h.
Melbourne to Cooktown bus services, operated by NSW TrainLink, arrive at Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1.
Cooktown is 1h behind Melbourne. It is currently 10:39 PM in Melbourne and 9:39 PM in Cooktown.
What companies run services between Melbourne, VIC, Australia and Cooktown, QLD, Australia?
Jetstar, Hinterland Aviation, and two other airlines fly from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Cooktown Airport (CTN) 4 times a day. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Southern Cross Coach Terminal, Spencer St to Cooktown via Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1, Roma Street Station, Stand F, Brisbane Roma Street, and Cairns in around 2d 16h.
- Website
- hinterlandaviation.com.au
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cooktown Airport via Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 41m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $150–650
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cooktown Airport via Sydney, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 10m
- When
- Monday to Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,300
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cooktown Airport via Brisbane, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 2m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–1,300
Flights from Essendon Fields Airport to Cooktown Airport via King Island, Melbourne Airport, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 20m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Essendon Fields Airport to Cooktown Airport via Flinders Island, Launceston, Melbourne Airport, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 50m
- When
- Monday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $220–850
Flights from Essendon Fields Airport to Cooktown Airport via Flinders Island, Launceston, Sydney, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 50m
- When
- Monday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–850
Flights from Essendon Fields Airport to Cooktown Airport via King Island, Burnie, Melbourne Airport, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 15m
- When
- Monday and Tuesday
- Estimated price
- $210–850
- Website
- qantas.com
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–1,000
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns via Townsville
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 35m
- When
- Monday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $330–1,000
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $360–1,100
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $350–1,100
- Website
- jetstar.com
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 18m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–380
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–380
- Website
- virginaustralia.com
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–360
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns via Adelaide
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 15m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- $130–360
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–360
- Phone
- 131 500
- Website
- transportnsw.info
Train from Southern Cross to Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 2m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $65–250
- Website
- https://transportnsw.info/regional
- Book at
- https://transportnsw.info/regional/regional-train-coach-facilities/xpt-regional-trains
- Economy
- $75–100
- First
- $100–140
- Sleeper
- $210–250
Train from Central Station to Roma Street Station
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 6m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $70–250
- Website
- https://transportnsw.info/regional
- Book at
- https://transportnsw.info/regional/regional-train-coach-facilities/xpt-regional-trains
- Economy
- $80–110
- First
- $110–150
- Sleeper
- $220–250
- Phone
- 1800 872 467
- Website
- queenslandrailtravel.com.au
Train from Roma Street to Cairns Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 20m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $85–6,171
- 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
- $85–390
- AChoice
- $85–390
- Gold Class
- $4,927
- Heritage Class
- $6,171
- Phone
- +61 7 3036 2070
- Website
- transnorthbus.com.au
Bus from Cairns to Cooktown
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $70–110
- Website
- https://www.transnorthbus.com.au/
- Book at
- https://www.tnbc.com.au/
- Phone
- 131 500
- Website
- transportnsw.info
Bus from Southern Cross Coach Terminal, Spencer St to Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1
- Ave. Duration
- 12h
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $60–90
- Website
- https://transportnsw.info/regional
Bus from Central Station, Forecourt, Coach Bay 1 to Roma Street Station, Stand F
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $65–95
- Website
- https://transportnsw.info/regional
- Phone
- 13 34 10
- reservations@premierms.com.au
- Website
- premierms.com.au
Bus from Brisbane Roma Street to Cairns Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 29h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $220–320
- Website
- https://premierms.com.au/
Bus from Central Station to Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 35m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $120–180
- Website
- https://premierms.com.au/
- Phone
- 1300 730 740
- enquiries@fireflyexpress.com.au
- Website
- fireflyexpress.com.au
Bus from Southern Cross Coach Terminal to Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $95–99
- Website
- http://www.fireflyexpress.com.au
- Phone
- 1300 473946
- Website
- greyhound.com.au
Bus from Southern Cross Coach Terminal to Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 12h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $120–280
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/
- Schedules at
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/timetables
- Early Bird
- $120–180
- Advantage
- $150–220
- Flexible
- $180–280
Bus from Brisbane to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 30h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $260–650
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/
- Schedules at
- https://www.greyhound.com.au/timetables
- Early Bird
- $260–370
- Advantage
- $330–480
- Flexible
- $420–650
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More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between Melbourne to Cooktown is 3036 km. It takes approximately 36h 27m to drive from Melbourne to Cooktown.
There are 28+ hotels available in Cooktown.



















