There are 7 ways to get from Melbourne to Cooktown by plane, train, bus, bus (Greyhound), 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 Melbourne Airport to Cooktown Airport
best- Fly from Melbourne Airport (MEL) to Cooktown Airport (CTN)plane MEL - CTN
6h 42m$258–843Fly 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$243–738Train, 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$412–7,097Bus
- Take the bus from Southern Cross Coach Terminal/Spencer St to Central Stationbus
- Take the bus from Central Station to Brisbanebus
- Take the bus from Brisbane Roma Street to Cairns Central Stationbus
- Take the bus from Cairns to Cooktownbus
2d 13h$561–953Drive 3,036 km
- Drive from Melbourne to Cooktowncar 3,036 km
36h 7m$548–792Fly Essendon Fields Airport to Cooktown Airport
- Fly from Essendon Fields Airport (MEB) to Cooktown Airport (CTN)plane MEB - CTN
25h 5m$376–971Bus via Campbellfield
- Take the bus from Campbellfield to Central Stationbus
- Take the bus from Central Station to Brisbanebus
- Take the bus from Brisbane Roma Street to Cairns Central Stationbus
- Take the bus from Cairns to Cooktownbus
2d 21h$520–738
Melbourne to Cooktown by train and bus
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Melbourne to Cooktown is to fly and bus which costs $240 - $750 and takes 11h 54m.
The fastest way to get from Melbourne to Cooktown is to fly which takes 6h 42m and costs $250 - $850.
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, Brisbane Roma Street and Cairns. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 13h.
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 $410 - $7,500.
It takes approximately 6h 42m to get from Melbourne to Cooktown, including transfers.
Melbourne to Cooktown bus services, operated by FlixBus Australia, 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 $250 - $850. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $550 - $1,000 and takes 2 days 13h.
Melbourne to Cooktown bus services, operated by FlixBus Australia, arrive at Central Station.
Cooktown is 1h behind Melbourne. It is currently 1:36 PM in Melbourne and 12:36 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) every 4 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Southern Cross Coach Terminal/Spencer St to Cooktown via Central Station, Brisbane, Brisbane Roma Street, and Cairns in around 2d 13h.
- Website
- hinterlandaviation.com.au
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cooktown Airport via Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–750
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cooktown Airport via Townsville, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $380–1,300
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cooktown Airport via Brisbane, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–1,400
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cooktown Airport via Sydney, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 10m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,300
Flights from Essendon Fields Airport to Cooktown Airport via King Island, Melbourne Airport, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 24h 15m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- $320–900
Flights from Essendon Fields Airport to Cooktown Airport via Flinders Island, Launceston, Sydney, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 5m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $290–1,100
Flights from Essendon Fields Airport to Cooktown Airport via Flinders Island, Launceston, Melbourne Airport, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 27m
- When
- Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $280–1,100
Flights from Essendon Fields Airport to Cooktown Airport via King Island, Burnie, Melbourne Airport, Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 25h 40m
- When
- Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $270–1,100
- Website
- qantas.com
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–900
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns via Townsville
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 50m
- When
- Monday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $270–900
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–900
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Monday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $270–900
- Website
- jetstar.com
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–600
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns via Sydney
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–600
- Website
- virginaustralia.com
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–490
Flights from Melbourne Airport to Cairns via Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–490
- Phone
- 131 500
- Website
- NSW TrainLink XPT
Train from Southern Cross to Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 2m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $80–240
- Website
- NSW TrainLink XPT
- Book at
- NSW TrainLink XPT
- Economy
- $80–110
- First
- $110–140
- Sleeper
- $220–240
Train from Central Station to Roma Street Station
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 6m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $85–250
- Website
- NSW TrainLink XPT
- Book at
- NSW TrainLink XPT
- Economy
- $85–110
- First
- $120–140
- Sleeper
- $220–250
- Phone
- 1800 872 467
- Website
- Queensland Rail Travel
Train from Roma Street to Cairns Central Station
- 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
- (07) 3036 2070
- Website
- Trans North Bus & Coach
Bus from Cairns to Cooktown
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $75–110
- Website
- Trans North Bus & Coach
- Book at
- Trans North Bus & Coach
Bus from Cairns to Cooktown
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $75–110
- Website
- Trans North Bus & Coach
- Book at
- Trans North Bus & Coach
Bus from Cairns to Cooktown
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $75–110
- Website
- Trans North Bus & Coach
- Book at
- Trans North Bus & Coach
Bus from Cairns to Cooktown
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $75–110
- Website
- Trans North Bus & Coach
- Book at
- Trans North Bus & Coach
- Website
- FlixBus Australia
Bus from Southern Cross Coach Terminal/Spencer St to Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 20m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $110–180
- Schedules at
- FlixBus Australia
- Phone
- 1300 473946
- sales@greyhound.com.au
- Website
- Greyhound Australia
Bus from Central Station to Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 13h
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $130–320
- Website
- Greyhound Australia
- Schedules at
- Greyhound Australia
- Early Bird
- $130–200
- Flexible
- $170–320
- Phone
- 13 34 10
- reservations@premierms.com.au
- Website
- Premier Motor Service
Bus from Brisbane Roma Street to Cairns Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 29h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $240–350
- Website
- Premier Motor Service
Bus from Central Station to Brisbane
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 35m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $130–200
- Website
- Premier Motor Service
Bus from Brisbane Roma Street to Cairns Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 29h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $240–350
- Website
- Premier Motor Service
- Phone
- 1300 730 740
- enquiries@fireflyexpress.com.au
- Website
- Firefly Express
Bus from Campbellfield to Central Station
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $63–66
- Website
- Firefly Express
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Booking & Getting There
Yes, the driving distance between Melbourne to Cooktown is 3036 km. It takes approximately 36h 7m to drive from Melbourne to Cooktown.
There are 26+ hotels available in Cooktown.




















