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24/7 SupportCar Rental Townsville to Cairns
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Compare Car Rental Townsville to Cairns
Hertz, Thrifty, Redspot, Dollar, Europcar, Avis and 2 smaller companies rent cars one way from Townsville to Cairns. To book, enter Townsville as the pick-up and Cairns as the drop-off. The results show only cars you can leave in Cairns.
There are no booking fees. Most cars come with free cancellation and unlimited kilometres.
Townsville to Cairns One Way Car Hire Prices
A small car for 4 days costs about $950 in total. An SUV costs about $1,290 and a people mover about $1,120.
The drive takes about 4 hours, so a 1-day hire covers the direct trip. A small car costs from about $240 for 1 day. A typical one costs about $510. For 2 days a small car costs about $670 and for 7 days about $1,140.
Prices change little from November to March. Christmas week costs only about 5% more. Most companies rent for at least 4 days that week. The January school holidays cost no more than other dates. An SUV costs about 15% less in mid-January than on other dates.
| Hire length | Small car | SUV | People mover |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 days | $400 to $670 | $500 to $750 | $500 to $570 |
| 4 days | $770 to $950 | $880 to $1,290 | $960 to $1,120 |
| 7 days | $810 to $1,140 | $1,010 to $1,500 | $1,310 to $1,420 |
| Pick-up | Small car, 4 days | SUV, 4 days |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-November | $980 | $1,280 |
| Late November | $980 | $1,250 |
| Early December | $950 | $1,320 |
| Christmas week | $1,010 | $1,350 |
| Mid-January, school holidays | $930 | $1,090 |
| Early February | $870 | $1,310 |
| Early March | $940 | $1,350 |
One Way Car Rental Fees
Distance Between Townsville & Cairns
Bruce Highway (A1)
Via Ingham, Cardwell, Tully, Innisfail
350 km · about 4 h · 1 day
A 1-day trip with 1 or 2 stops on the way.
Atherton Tablelands
Via Innisfail, Millaa Millaa, Malanda, Yungaburra, Gordonvale
about 440 km · about 6 h · 1–2 days
The waterfall circuit and the crater lakes, with a night in Yungaburra.
Townsville to Cairns Drive: Attractions on the Road
The stops below are on the Bruce Highway or a short detour off it.
On the Bruce Highway
North of Ingham the road climbs to the Hinchinbrook lookout, then runs along the water at Cardwell facing Hinchinbrook Island.
Tully's Golden Gumboot marks the town's 1950 rainfall record. Mission Beach is a loop off the highway between Tully and El Arish. Watch for cassowaries on the roads there.
Paronella Park, a 1930s Spanish-style castle and garden at Mena Creek, is a short detour south of Innisfail. Closer to Cairns, Josephine Falls sits below Mount Bartle Frere, Queensland's highest mountain. The Babinda Boulders are a few minutes off the highway at Babinda.
Over the Atherton Tablelands
From Innisfail the Palmerston Highway climbs to Millaa Millaa and its waterfall circuit. Lake Eacham, Lake Barrine and the Curtain Fig Tree are near Yungaburra. The steep, winding Gillies Range road then drops to Gordonvale, south of Cairns.
Picking Up in Townsville, Dropping Off in Cairns
- A 4-day Redspot, Hertz, Europcar or Routes hire costs about $120 to $330 less at their other Townsville depots than at Townsville Airport. Redspot is at 115 Ingham Road, West End. Europcar and Routes are at 303 Ingham Road. Hertz is at 49-51 Bolam Street, Garbutt. Search "Townsville – All areas" as the pick-up to see them.
- Drop the car at Cairns Airport (CNS) or a city depot. The airport is a short drive north of the city centre.
- There are no toll roads on this drive.
- From December to April the wet season can close the Bruce Highway in floods, most often around Ingham. Check QLDTraffic before you set off.
Townsville to Cairns Car Hire FAQs
Can I hire a car in Townsville and drop it off in Cairns?
Yes. 8 companies offer it: Hertz, Thrifty, Redspot, Dollar, Europcar, Avis, Routes and Bargain Car Rentals. Avis does not rent for 1 or 2 days. Bargain Car Rentals rents only for longer trips, such as a week. Set Cairns as the drop-off to see their cars.
How long is the drive from Townsville to Cairns?
About 4 hours on the Bruce Highway, or most of a day with stops. The Atherton Tablelands way takes about 6 hours.
Is it cheaper to hire a car from Cairns to Townsville?
It depends on the hire length. A 2-day hire costs about 10% more from Cairns. The cheapest 2-day cars cost 25 to 35% more. For 4 days, Cairns to Townsville costs 5 to 15% less. For 7 days, prices are about the same both ways. 7 companies rent one way from Cairns, compared with 8 from Townsville. See Cairns to Townsville car hire.
Popular One-Way Routes
Other one-way trips that start in Townsville or end in Cairns:
- Cairns to Townsville
- Townsville to Airlie Beach
- Brisbane to Cairns
- Sydney to Cairns
- Airlie Beach to Cairns
- Port Douglas to Cairns
Going further north: compare Cairns to Port Douglas, or see all one-way car hire in Australia.
Prices updated October 2026
If your trip begins in Townsville, see car hire in Townsville or the desks at Townsville Airport (TSV). At the Cairns end, Cairns car hire and Cairns Airport (CNS) cover the drop-off options.
