Written by Callum Taylor, Camille Laurent, Marika Maslanka
23/08/2025
Dillon Hunt, Pexels
The main transport hubs serving Noosa are the Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) and Brisbane Airport (BNE), with train connections available to nearby stations like Cooroy and Nambour requiring a bus transfer to reach Noosa.
By Air:
Sunshine Coast Airport (MCY) is the closest, approximately a 30-minute drive to Noosa. It offers direct flights from major Australian cities such as Sydney and Melbourne, and from Auckland. Flights from Sydney typically take about 1.5 hours, and from Melbourne around 2.5 hours.
Brisbane Airport (BNE) serves as a larger international and domestic gateway, located about 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours by road from Noosa.
By Airport Transfer/Shuttle:
From Sunshine Coast Airport to Noosa, shuttle services can cost around AUD $30-35 per person, with a travel time of about 30-32 minutes. Private transfers start from approximately AUD $105 each way.
From Brisbane Airport to Noosa, shuttle services are available from approximately AUD $51. Private transfers for 1-2 people typically start from AUD $295-300 each way, with a journey time of around 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours.
By Bus:
Direct bus services operate from Brisbane to Noosa, with providers like Greyhound Australia. The trip from Brisbane Airport can take approximately 2 hours 55 minutes and cost between AUD $30-$55. Bus journeys from central Brisbane to Noosa typically range from 2 to 3 hours, with tickets costing around AUD $21-$50.
Local public buses within the Noosa Shire operate with a permanent 50-cent fare as of November 2024.
By Train:
There is no direct train station in Noosa. The closest stations are Cooroy and Nambour, both requiring a connecting bus to Noosa.
A train journey from Brisbane (Central Station) to Cooroy takes about 2 hours 19 minutes and costs approximately AUD $7-$11. The total travel time, including a bus transfer from the train station to Noosa, can be between 3.5 to 4 hours, with a combined cost of approximately AUD $7-$14.
By Car Rental/Driving:
Car rental is available directly at Sunshine Coast Airport, with daily rates starting from around AUD $32-$39. The drive to Noosa from the airport is about 29-30 minutes.
Driving from Brisbane to Noosa takes approximately 1 hour 38 minutes to 2 hours, covering a distance of 130-160 km. Parking, particularly around Hastings Street, can be challenging.
At TFA Travel we believe in travel for all. Our mission is to enable people to explore the world as easily as possible without having to pay a travel agent a huge commission.
Our typical audience are those that want to see something new and get involved with authentic experiences of a country. Whether you are a backpacker, solo traveller, solo female traveller, straight or LGBTQ+ couple, family, you will find local and authentic experiences here.
