How Much Does the Daintree River Ferry Cost? (2026)
The Daintree River has no bridge, so a cable ferry carries every vehicle across to the Cape Tribulation side. It charges a small fee, and the amount changes over time. Here is how the ferry fee works, where you pay it, and how to check the current rate.
Ask what the Daintree ferry costs and you will find different numbers on different pages, which tells you something useful straight away: the fare is set by a council, reviewed periodically, and not fixed forever. Rather than repeat a figure that may already be out of date, this is how the crossing is priced, how you pay, and where to find the current amount before you drive up. The mechanics matter more than any single dollar figure, because they decide which ticket you buy.
How much does the Daintree River ferry cost?
The ferry charges a small fee set and published by Douglas Shire Council, paid at the crossing rather than booked ahead. There is a return vehicle fare, a lower one-way price, and a cheaper rate for pedestrians and cyclists. Because the council reviews the amount, check the current Douglas Shire Council figure before you travel instead of trusting an old number.
We deliberately avoid printing a dollar amount here. Travel pages that quote a hard fare tend to age badly, and you can already find conflicting figures floating around online for exactly that reason. What stays true is the shape of the pricing: it is modest against the cost of a day out, it is charged per vehicle rather than per person for cars, and it is the same for everyone crossing. For the drive that leads up to it, see our guide to getting there from Cairns and the ferry crossing.
How does the cable ferry fee work?
The fee is charged by vehicle for cars, with a return ticket covering both crossings and a one-way option for a single trip. Pedestrians and cyclists pay a lower per-person rate. Almost everyone driving up buys the return, since you have to come back across the same river to return south from Cape Tribulation.
The choice between return and one-way is simple in practice. If you are doing a normal day trip or an overnight to the Cape Tribulation side and coming back the way you came, the return fare is what you want, and it works out cheaper than paying two one-ways. A one-way only makes sense if you are continuing north on the Bloomfield Track toward Cooktown and not returning by the ferry, which is an adventure route rather than a standard visit.
| Ticket | What it covers | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle, return | Both crossings on one ticket | At the crossing |
| Vehicle, one way | A single crossing | At the crossing |
| Pedestrian or cyclist | One person, on foot or by bike | At the crossing |
Where and how do you pay for the ferry?
You pay at the crossing, on the day, with no booking required. Join the queue on the southern bank, and an attendant takes the fare as you board or once you are on. Card payment is accepted, so you do not need exact cash, though it is sensible to have a little on hand in a spot this remote.
There is no online ticket and no pass to arrange in advance for a self-drive visit. The ferry simply runs back and forth and collects the fare each time, which keeps things easy but does mean you build the small cost, and the occasional queue, into your plan. On busy dry-season weekends and school holidays the line on the southern bank can back up, so an early crossing is worth the alarm.
What hours does the Daintree ferry run?
The ferry operates long daily hours, starting early in the morning and running until late at night, every day of the year. That covers any sensible day trip in both directions. The figure to watch is the last crossing time, which matters only if you are returning from Cape Tribulation late after a sunset or dinner.
Getting stranded on the northern bank because you missed the final crossing is a genuinely bad end to a good day, and it is entirely avoidable. If you plan to stay out for sunset on the Cape Tribulation side, confirm the last-crossing time first, since it is published alongside the fare. For most visitors doing a daytime loop, the hours are generous enough that the ferry is simply there whenever you reach it.
Is the ferry included in a guided tour?
Yes. Every guided tour that reaches Cape Tribulation crosses on this ferry, and the fare is already built into your tour price. You do not queue in your own car, you do not hand over money at the crossing, and you do not have to think about the last-crossing time, because the operator handles the timing.
This is one of the quiet conveniences of going guided. A guided day with Daintree Rainforest Tours folds the ferry into the price along with the park fees and lunch, so the crossing becomes just another part of the ride rather than a transaction you manage. Whether it is a full-day Cape Tribulation tour or a guided 4WD day up the Bloomfield Track, the ferry is covered, and you cross without lifting a finger. If you would rather do it yourself, our look at whether you can visit the Daintree on your own lays out the self-drive version.
How do you check the current ferry fare before you go?
Check the Douglas Shire Council ferry information, which sets and publishes the current fare and operating hours. The council is the authority on the amount, so its figure is the one to trust over any travel page, including older articles that quote a specific dollar value that may since have changed.
A quick search for the Douglas Shire Council Daintree ferry page before you drive up will confirm both the fare and the last crossing time in one place. If you are only visiting Cape Tribulation on a tour, you can skip the check entirely, since the fare is included. Either way, planning the season helps: our guide to the best time of year to visit covers when the crossings are busiest and when the river is at its most cooperative. For a wider overview of the crossing and the drive, Tourism Australia's guide to the Daintree is a useful, up-to-date reference.
