Australia Cairns Skyway

Hi Everyone,

We will be taking a land/sea package to Australia in March 2020. My wife is scared to death of cable cars. I was lucky to get her on the cable cars in Santorini. I know she will refuse to get on the cable car in Cairns, even though it is a one way trip.

If anyone has been on this tour or did the cable car, is there an alternate way to get from point A to point B. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. You can just make a posting or you can email us - Bedford.1425@comcast.net

Thanks for any help.

I assume you're talking about the Skyrail? Does your tour involve Skyrail return (the route back down is the best - views to the ocean as you crest the rainforest canopy are stunning). Not going to add to the debate as whether it is worth it or not, as it is purely subjective (we thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience).

As to alternatives it all depends on your tour's itinerary and timings. There's the scenic train, bus, (although timings are restrictive), hire a car, or take a taxi... or promise to do all the housework for at least 6 months if she takes the Skyrail... Alternatively, use these forums, hop over to TripAdvisor, look at Googleflights, Skyscanners, etc... and DIY it. It's pretty straight forward and will cost a fraction of the tour. Oh and don't forget your ETA.

Assume you are speaking about the Sky Rail to Kuranda. The village of Kuranda is interesting. On our tour the bus dropped us off at the Sky Rail which we took up to the village. After a few hours we took a bus back down. I would speak to the tour guide. The bus has to drive up there, so I'm thinking she could stay on the bus.

Take the senic train up and down - it leaves from the centre of Cairns (with a few other stops along the way where it can be boarded) - if you are only in Cairns for a day on ship then the train timings might not work for you but there are other ways to do the visit to Kuranda as suggested above

Here's a link to the timetable for the Kuranda Scenic Railway. It's certainly possible to take the train both ways, but I would say that it will boring to do so. (I've taken the train trip twice--one way--and it was boring to me even going one way. On the other hand, I LOVED the Skyrail.)

https://www.ksr.com.au/Tourpackages/Pages/Timetables.aspx

Here's a link to the timetable for the Kuranda Scenic Railway. It's certainly possible to take the train both ways, but I would say that it will boring to do so. (I've taken the train trip twice--one way--and it was boring to me even going one way. On the other hand, I LOVED the Skyrail.)

 

https://www.ksr.com.au/Tourpackages/Pages/Timetables.aspx

I had the opposite experience. The train I found interesting and the Skyrail somewhat dull. Although that might have been because it was raining, and getting wet standing in the queues for each section of the Skyrail was less than thrilling.

I don't like cable cars but I am ok with an enclosed one. The Skyrail is ok for me, is your wife ok with fully enclosed gondolas? We took the train up and the cable car down but others we met on the train were taking a bus down.