Green Island Ferry from Cairns

The Green Island ferry leaves Cairns twice each morning — 8.30am and 10.30am — and returns at 2.30pm or 4.30pm, depending on which return you book. The crossing takes about 45 minutes, subject to weather.

Two points, a few steps apart, and it matters which you go to first. Check in at the Great Adventures counter inside the Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence Street, one hour before departure, to collect your boarding pass. The vessel departs from A Finger jetty, immediately outside the terminal at Cairns Marlin Marina. Boarding opens 30 minutes before departure.

That is the whole timetable. Below: which departure suits which kind of day, what the ticket includes, and how the transfer compares with the packaged trips. We are not the operator — we are an independent guide to Green Island, so we will also tell you when a different trip would suit you better.

Green Island ferry timetable

All four combinations run on the same Great Adventures transfer ticket; you choose your return when you book. Times are confirmed with the operator and we re-check them each season, but they can change with weather and demand.

Where to go and when to arrive

You check in inside the terminal building and board at the jetty immediately outside it. A few steps, but the order matters.

First: check in one hour before departure

Great Adventures counter, inside the Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal, 1 Spence Street. At the southern end of the Esplanade boardwalk, walking distance from most city hotels, with paid parking nearby. This is where you collect your boarding pass, and you cannot board without it. The counter is busiest before the 8.30am sailing.

Then: board at A Finger jetty

With your boarding pass, step outside to A Finger jetty, immediately outside the terminal at Cairns Marlin Marina. Boarding opens 30 minutes before departure.

So for the 8.30am ferry: check in by 7.30am, board from 8.00am. For the 10.30am ferry: check in by 9.30am, board from 10.00am.

Coming back

Return sailings leave Green Island at 2.30pm and 4.30pm. You travel back on the return you booked, so check your ticket before you settle in on the beach — the jetty is a five-minute walk from most of the island.

Travelling with another operator

The check-in and boarding arrangement above is Great Adventures’. Other operators run Green Island services with their own check-in points, jetties and timings — check the instructions for your booked service.

Green Island map

Our Green Island map shows where you arrive on the island.

Step 3: The Crossing

The ferry crossing to Green Island takes approximately 45 minutes. The vessel is a large, high-speed catamaran with both indoor and outdoor seating. Refreshments are available on board. The journey heads north-east from Cairns across Trinity Bay and into the Coral Sea, with the island visible ahead as you approach. Arriving at Green Island’s jetty, the reef is immediately visible below the clear water.

Green Island Ferry Services and Operators

Great Adventures operates the main ferry to Green Island from Cairns, with two departures each morning. The vessel is a large high-speed catamaran with indoor and outdoor seating, a kiosk on board, and crew who brief you on the island before you arrive. The 8.30am sailing is the most popular with full-day visitors, while the 10.30am sailing suits a later start or a shorter visit.

What a transfer ticket includes

A return transfer covers the crossing both ways, morning tea and coffee on board, use of the island swimming pool, the self-guided eco island walk, and the day visitor facilities. Green Island is a national park with public beach access and a rainforest boardwalk, so a transfer alone is a complete day if you are happy swimming, walking and finding your own lunch.

Transfer, Eco Adventure or Discovery?

Great Adventures runs the same ferry for all three — the difference is what is waiting for you when you arrive.

• Transfer only — the crossing, pool, walk and facilities. Right if you want the beach and a swim and will sort lunch yourself.
• Eco Adventure — adds snorkelling gear or the glass-bottom boat, your choice of one. Right if you want to see the reef once and know which way you prefer.
• Discovery — adds snorkelling gear and the glass-bottom boat, plus a beach bag. Right if you want both and would otherwise buy them separately on the island.

Bundling is usually cheaper than adding activities on arrival, but only if you actually use them. If your plan is a swim and a long lunch, the transfer is the honest answer.

Great Adventures is not the only way to reach Green Island. Other operators run their own vessels and timetables, and one of those may suit you better — our comparison of Green Island tours sets them out side by side.

Booking Your Ferry to Green Island

Ferry tickets are included in most Green Island day tour packages and can be booked online in advance. Same-day tickets are sometimes available, but seats cannot be guaranteed in peak season. Booking ahead also lets you pre-select add-ons such as snorkelling equipment or a glass bottom boat tour, which is the most efficient way to make the most of your time on the island.

Compare Green Island departures and tour options →

A Hot Getaways destination. Where Care is Our Compass.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does the Green Island ferry leave Cairns?

8.30am and 10.30am daily. Return sailings leave Green Island at 2.30pm and 4.30pm.

How long does the ferry to Green Island take?

Approximately 45 minutes each way, subject to weather conditions.

Where does the Green Island ferry leave from?

The vessel departs from A Finger jetty at Cairns Marlin Marina, immediately outside the Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal. For Great Adventures services you check in first at the Great Adventures counter inside the terminal, 1 Spence Street, then step outside to the jetty to board.

What time do I need to check in?

One hour before departure, at the Great Adventures counter inside the Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal. Collect your boarding pass, then step outside to A Finger jetty at Cairns Marlin Marina, where boarding opens 30 minutes before departure.

Can I do Green Island as a half day?

Yes — the 10.30am departure returning at 2.30pm gives about three hours on the island. Enough for a swim, a snorkel and lunch, but tight if you also want the glass-bottom boat.

Do I need to book the ferry in advance?

Yes, particularly through the June to October dry season and school holidays. Sailings do sell out.

Is Green Island the right reef trip for me?

If you want a beach, easy snorkelling straight off the sand and a short crossing, yes. If your priority is the best coral and you do not mind ninety minutes each way, an outer reef pontoon trip will suit you better. Our comparison sets both out side by side.

Once you have your ferry sorted, see what there is to do on Green Island, or compare Green Island with the outer reef in our Green Island vs Moore Reef guide.

Thinking of staying the night? Return catamaran transfers from Cairns are included in Green Island Resort room rates and must be pre-booked. See Green Island accommodation.