Driving from Cairns to Darwin
Darwin lies 1,679 km (1,044 mi) west of Cairns, -0.5 h on the clock. What the numbers say about getting there.
Driving takes about 22 h 46 min without stops, over roughly 2,049 km (1,273 mi) of road; add breaks, fuel and any border.
| Cairns | Darwin | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Australia | Australia |
| Population | 153,075 | 139,902 |
| Elevation | 7 m (23 ft) | 31 m (102 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+10 (Australia/Brisbane) | UTC+9:30 (Australia/Darwin) |
| Postal codes | 4870 | 0800–0801 |
Clocks in Darwin are 30 min behind Cairns right now, so a 22 h 46 min journey lands only 22 h 16 min later by the destination clock.
Where to book car hire from Cairns to Darwin
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Staying in Darwin
Live rooms and prices for Darwin are in the search below.
Book a hotel in Darwin
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Darwin from Cairns?
1,679 km (1,044 mi) in a straight line, west of Cairns; by road roughly 2,049 km (1,273 mi).
How long does it take to get from Cairns to Darwin by car?
About 22 h 46 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Cairns and Darwin?
Darwin is 30 min behind at the moment (Australia/Darwin against Australia/Brisbane).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.