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Queensland Tourism Operator CairnsAirportShuttle.net is today announcing a $10 surcharge per American for all Americans travelling on our shuttles between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas.
The surcharge will apply from 2 April 2025. Donald Trump is superstitious and does not want to commence new reciprocal tariffs on 1 April because they would make him look like a fool. CairnsAirportShuttle.net is super appreciative of this strong leadership and so we will also follow the guidance of this strong man. Americans will be required to answer a simple yes no question: Do you have American Citizenship? If the answer is no then no $10 surcharge. If the answer is yes a $10 surcharge will apply. We have sought legal advice and understand that this decision by CairnsAirportShuttle.net does not breach any test of reasonableness or that the charge is discriminatory. This is instead a special measure for the purposes of s 8 of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)* to help Americans who are disadvantaged by having Donald Trump as their President. The special measure will also include a free advice about how to handle local Australian wildlife. ie Don’t do it! We do love our American friends and suggest, as President Trump does, that if they wish to avoid paying the new $10 surcharge on transfers between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas they can come and live in Australia! END * Prime Minister John Howard used this same ‘special measure’ legal basis during the Northern Territory in 2007. CairnsAirportShuttle.net does understand that understand that the $10 fee does fly against convention, but in March 2025 there seems no place that established conventions or contractual agreements actually apply to anything to do with the USA – so back at ya. Note: CairnsAirportShuttle.net will shortly establish a charity to fully comply with S 8 RDA requirements.
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Every year we encourage travellers to either stay in Port Douglas until the day after, or go to Cairns the day before, this annual event. We can provide limited services only during the closure. The annual Cairns Ironman road closure between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas is with us again. Uniquely sponsored by Cairns Airport the Cairns Ironman closes the Captain Cook Highway for 12 hours on 15 June 2025 while planes continue to land as usual at Cairns Airport. We're not sure why Cairns Airport sponsors this race AND also doesn't tell any of its thousands of customers about the race before hand. Instead the duty to try and inform visitors to our region falls to shuttle transfer services like CairnsAirportShuttle.net. We appreciate this unique situation raises eyebrows amongst travellers to our region expecting to transit directly to their holiday in Port Douglas, and only becoming aware of the closure when going to book transfers 😉 Our travel options on Sunday 15 June 2025 can be booked here and offer:
  New Year's Eve Fireworks at Rex Smeal Park, Port Douglas
A Magical Night to Welcome in 2025! Every year, Rex Smeal Park in Port Douglas transforms into a hub of excitement and celebration as locals and visitors alike gather to ring in the New Year with a breathtaking fireworks display. Nestled by the sea, this picturesque park offers the perfect setting for a night filled with joy, entertainment, and spectacular pyrotechnics. The Venue: Rex Smeal ParkRex Smeal Park, renowned for its stunning coastal views and lush surroundings, provides an ideal backdrop for New Year's Eve festivities. The park's spacious lawns allow for ample seating and picnic areas, making it a family-friendly location where people of all ages can revel in the celebrations. Event Highlights: The Fireworks Display – and early and a late show. Each year there is usually an early family friendly show around 9pm for the young ones, and the old ones who want to be in bed early! As the clock nears midnight, anticipation will build for the midnight fireworks display. Timed to coincide with the New Year, the fireworks light up the sky above the coconut and palm trees creating an unforgettable visual spectacle. Fireworks Tip 1: Getting close to the action in Port Douglas is not always the best. Stand where you can see above the coconut trees! If you stand too deep in the crowd or within the coconut trees you might miss out. Fireworks Tip 2: Some of the best seats are at the restaurants like the Court House Hotel (The Courty!) and Salsa Bar and Grill. Community Spirit: One of the most cherished aspects of the New Year's Eve celebration at Rex Smeal Park is the sense of community it fosters. Neighbours, friends, and visitors come together to share in the excitement and create lasting memories. It's a time for unity, reflection, and looking forward to the year ahead. Tips for Attendees – stay hydrated in the tropics.
Are you arriving into or departing Cairns Airport on Sunday 8 September 2024? Then this post is for you :) Cairns Airport Arrivals on 8 September 2024 10:30am departure from Cairns Airport to Port Douglas If you are arriving on 8 September 2024 between 6:00am and 10:00am then please use our special form for our 10:30am service via the inland highway linked below during the road closure to Port Douglas. For passengers arriving at Cairns Airport after 10:00am our regular scheduled service to Port Douglas recommences at 1:45pm direct to Port Douglas and can be booked on our standard forms. Cairns Airport Departures on 8 September 2024 4am, 11am and 1:30pm departures from Port Douglas to Cairns Airport If you are flying out of Cairns before 7pm on 8 September 2024 then please use our special form for our 4am, 11am and 1:30pm inland highway services during the road closure to Port Douglas. Our regular scheduled service from Port Douglas recommences at 4:00pm direct to Cairns Airport and suitable for 7pm flights or later and booked on our standard forms. BOOK HERE for special transfers between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas on 8 September 2024 Regards The Team at CairnsAirportShuttle.net  The ridiculously gorgeous and unspoiled 4 mile beach in Port Douglas early on a June 2024 morning. Fixed Schedule Shuttle Bus Services Between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas: May 2024 Timetable14/5/2024
 Our new streamlined fixed schedule shuttle service between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas provides certainty and reliability for visitors to Cairns and Port Douglas.
Our express service below does not stop in Palm Cove saving everyone on our shuttles 30 mins each way. That's extra holiday time you can have by the pool instead of sitting in a bus.
As of May 2024 our fixed schedule service as follows: Cairns Airport to Port Douglas - 8 services daily - Book here
Port Douglas to Cairns Airport - 10 services daily - Book here
We regularly receive emails and phone calls asking if we offer a direct service between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas. Our service is a 100% express service between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas, and vice versa. Our service bypasses Smithfield and Palm Cove and goes direct from Cairns Airport to Port Douglas accommodation. Our express shuttle service saves travelling guests 30 mins or more over passengers on other shuttle companies that go via Palm Cove. This has been the case for over 10 years since we commenced business in 2014. For passengers arriving in Cairns our service is the only service to choose by any passenger wanting an express shuttle service. We drop off and pick up direct to and from the reception of your Port Douglas accommodation or Airbnb anywhere in Port Douglas. Always choose CairnsAirportShuttle.net for your direct express shuttle service transfers between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas. Simple select your fixed schedule service from either Cairns Airport or Port Douglas, hop aboard, and go direct! Pictured: One of our 7 seater (we use for 5 pax only) Kia Carnival private transfer vehicles. Standard shared shuttle services generally use our modern fleet of 13 seater Toyota HiAce, 20 seater Toyota Commuter, or 53 seater Bonluck Luxury liner vehicles.  What a huge effort! Just over 30 days after being completely smashed by over 100 landslides, and having removed over 30,000 tonnes of debris - the Captain Cook Highway has reopened to one lane (in three main sections) and transfers are now moving again. Transfers have been going relatively smoothly on the newly reopened road this weekend Saturday 20 January and Sunday 21 January. However, passengers should expect there will be some delays due to traffic controls and stop / go signage. The one lane and stop/ go traffic controls will also make departures from Port Douglas slightly earlier than our usual 3 hour window. We have been working hard throughout this closure to provide our transfer services and to keep everyone updated with conditions and changed schedules via the Inland Highway via Mareeba. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we recommence services on this crucially important road between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas. Your relaxing Port Douglas holiday awaits you.🌴😎 Images source: Image published on Newsport from a submitted picture.  Progress is being made on repairs to the Captain Cook Highway between Cairns and Port Douglas. Local communities, tourists and tourism operators are all looking forward to the highway reopening after the damage from drenching rains that followed Cyclone Jasper in December 2023. Some 30,000 tonnes of mud, rocks and debris have been removed from the highway as work moves towards opening one lane from late January. The reopening is dependent on works progressing. Everyone at CairnsAirportShuttle.net thanks all those involved in this mammoth effort to reopen this important road link. Thank you to all the crews and all the teams working long and hard hours. We'll update here again closer to Australia Day when we (hopefully) know more. Image credit: From the 10 January 2024 media statement by Minister for Transport and Main Roads and Minister for Digital Services The Honourable Bart Mellish  Yay! We are now open for bookings between Cairns Airport and Port Douglas.🎅🍀🌞
All services will go via the Inland Highway through Kuranda and Mareeba. All services take approx: 3 hours. We have four shared shuttle services daily from Cairns Airport and Port Douglas. We offer private transfer with every flight. BOOK HERE for Cairns Airport <> Port Douglas December 2023 / January 2024 We are pleased to announce that we have resumed Palm Cove and Cairns City Services from Cairns Airport. We welcome your bookings for these transfers. We also understand from reporting on Newsport (great work guys for all the reporting and information over the past week) that the inland Highway via Kuranda and Mareeba linking Port Douglas with Cairns is on track to open possibly over the weekend. This trip usually takes 2.5 hours pre-cyclone and so we await more information. However, it will be fantastic to have the connection open for visitors and local communities. We are watching the space closely and hope to be able to offer daily seats in shared shuttle and private transfer services very soon. We will post here when we know more and have new bookings forms ready to allow for the longer trip and modified daily shared shuttle services. Also a big shout out to all the Police, local government workers, and importantly the guys and gals on the machinery who are working extraordinary hours in extraordinary conditions to connect Port Douglas back to Cairns and the outside world. Next update here Friday morning. Image: Local legend ' Bretto' has shared amazing images of the damage to Captain Cook Highway and here is another picture published here on NewsPort yesterday. The video that goes with these pictures shows the scale of the job ahead opening up the Captain Cook Highway which remains out of action for approx: 1 month. Thanks Bretto 👍🌴  |
AuthorPaul and Visnja live in Port Douglas and have owned and operated Cairns Airport Shuttle for 10 years. Archives
March 2025
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