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Railbookers · Independent rail vacation

The Best of Queensland

11-day return rail journey Sydney to Cairns via Brisbane

Illustration of The Best of Queensland

Railbookers operates this 11-day, 10-night independent rail vacation as a return journey from Sydney to Cairns and back, entirely by train. The trip begins with an overnight sleeper in a private Double Cabin from Sydney to Brisbane, followed by a day in Brisbane before boarding the Spirit of Queensland's RailBed service north to Cairns for a five-night stay. From Cairns, day trips cover the Kuranda scenic railway and Skyrail cableway over the Wet Tropics Rainforest, a cruise out to the Great Barrier Reef for snorkelling, and a trip to the Daintree Forest and Cape Tribulation with a river cruise and a 4WD drive along the Bloomfield Track. The journey home retraces the route by overnight sleeper train back through Brisbane to Sydney. Because it is independent rather than escorted, travelers move between the pre-booked trains, hotels, and excursions on their own. It suits travelers who want the overnight sleeper trains themselves to be part of the holiday, alongside Queensland's reef and rainforest.

What to know before you look closer

  • The Daintree Forest and Cape Tribulation day trip runs Wednesdays and Saturdays only, so it may not be available on every departure date.
  • The hotel list gives multiple named hotel options for Brisbane and Cairns rather than one fixed hotel per stop, so the specific hotel booked depends on the tier chosen.
  • The evidence lists no current departure dates for this package.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Onboard

    Overnight Train from Sydney to Brisbane

    Depart Sydney Central in the afternoon and settle into your private cabin for the journey.

  2. Day 2overnight: Brisbane

    Brisbane

    Arrive in the Queensland capital in the morning, head to your hotel, then explore the city.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Onboard

    The Spirit Of Queensland

    Board the Spirit of Queensland train heading north to Cairns, with in-seat entertainment and food and drink served to your RailBed.

  4. Day 4overnight: Cairns

    The Spirit Of Queensland

    Relax onboard as you speed towards Cairns. Arrive and check in for a 3-night stay.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Cairns

    Kuranda Railway and Sky Rail Day Trip

    2-hour scenic train ride to Kuranda, then a cable-way ride over the Wet Tropics Rainforest.

  6. Day 6overnight: Cairns

    Great Barrier Reef

    2-hour cruise out to the Great Barrier Reef with 4 hours on the reef, snorkelling, semi-submersible coral viewing and fish feeding.

  7. Day 7overnight: Cairns

    Daintree Forest and Cape Tribulation

    Day trip with a scenic coastal road, 1-hour river cruise, guided boardwalk tour, lunch in a beach house, and a 4WD drive along the Bloomfield Track.

  8. Day 8overnight: Cairns

    Cairns

    Free day at your own pace.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Onboard

    The Spirit Of Queensland

    Journey home aboard the Spirit of Queensland train.

  10. Day 10overnight: Brisbane

    Brisbane

    Check into your hotel and enjoy a full day sightseeing in Brisbane.

  11. Day 11rail

    Sydney

    Final leg of your holiday, travelling south by train to Sydney.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1An overnight sleeper journey from Sydney to Brisbane in a private Double Cabin, departing Sydney Central in the afternoon.
  • Day 5A 2-hour scenic train ride on the Kuranda Railway, followed by a cable-way ride over the Wet Tropics Rainforest.
  • Day 6A cruise out to the Great Barrier Reef with 4 hours on the reef for snorkelling, semi-submersible coral viewing, and fish feeding.
  • Day 7A day trip to the Daintree Forest and Cape Tribulation, including a river cruise, a guided boardwalk tour, and a 4WD drive along the Bloomfield Track.
  • Day 9The overnight return journey aboard the Spirit of Queensland train from Cairns to Brisbane.

Included

  • Rail Travel as per the itinerary
  • Double Cabin accommodation from Sydney to Brisbane
  • 3 nights onboard sleeper trains
  • 2 nights hotel accommodation with breakfast in Brisbane
  • 5 nights hotel accommodation with breakfast in Cairns
  • Great Barrier Reef cruise from Cairns
  • Kuranda railway and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway day trip
  • Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park entrance
  • Full day tour from Cairns to Daintree Forest and Cape Tribulation (Wed and Sat only)

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included?
Yes, the whole trip is by rail, including sleeper trains: NSW TrainLink's Double Cabin from Sydney to Brisbane, and the Spirit of Queensland's RailBed class from Brisbane to Cairns and back.
Is it escorted or independent?
It is an independent, self-guided rail vacation.
Which trains does the trip use?
NSW TrainLink between Sydney and Brisbane in a Double Cabin, and Queensland Rail's Spirit of Queensland between Brisbane and Cairns in RailBed class, plus the Kuranda scenic railway as a day trip from Cairns.
What hotels are included?
The evidence lists multiple hotel options in Brisbane, such as the InterContinental Brisbane The Point, and in Cairns, such as the Hilton Cairns and Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort.
How much sleeper-train travel is included?
3 nights onboard sleeper trains: the overnight journey from Sydney to Brisbane, the journey north to Cairns on the Spirit of Queensland, and the return journey to Brisbane.
How long is the trip and what does it cost?
11 days and 10 nights, priced from $3,849 per person, about $350 a day.

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