Driving from Darwin to Cairns
Cairns lies 1,679 km (1,044 mi) east of Darwin, +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.
| Darwin | Cairns | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Australia | Australia |
| Population | 139,902 | 153,075 |
| Elevation | 31 m (102 ft) | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+9:30 (Australia/Darwin) | UTC+10 (Australia/Brisbane) |
| Postal codes | 0800–0801 | 4870 |
Clocks in Cairns are 30 min ahead of Darwin right now, so a 22 h 46 min journey lands 23 h 16 min later by the destination clock.
Where to book car hire from Darwin to Cairns
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Staying in Cairns
Live rooms and prices for Cairns are in the search below.
Book a hotel in Cairns
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 Cairns from Darwin?
1,679 km (1,044 mi) in a straight line, east of Darwin; by road roughly 2,049 km (1,273 mi).
How long does it take to get from Darwin to Cairns 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 Darwin and Cairns?
Cairns is 30 min ahead at the moment (Australia/Brisbane against Australia/Darwin).
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.