Changes to hospital access
During 2026 and 2027 construction works will change how you access our hospital entrances and parking.
- Walking access to D block (near dCafe) will close, and you'll need to enter through an alternative route.
- Patient pick-up and drop-off areas on the esplanade will be shorter, and may close at times.
You may need to allow more time getting to our hospital. Thank you for your patience and support during our hospital expansion.
Public transport
There is a bus stop outside the Cairns Hospital in Lake Street. Find out what buses stop at the hospital from TransLink.
There is a taxi rank on the Esplanade side of the hospital, outside C Block.
Patient pick up and drop off
There are designated patient pick up and drop off areas:
- in front of the entrance to the hospital on Lake Street (outside the Transit Lounge, D Block)
- in front of the main entrance (between B and D Block) on The Esplanade.
In front of the entrance to the hospital on Lake Street (outside the Transit Lounge).
In front of the main entrance on The Esplanade .
If you need to borrow a wheelchair, please ask a volunteer at the main entrance.
Parking
There is a multi-story car park at Cairns Hospital E Block. You access the car park from Digger Street. The car park is open from 6 am to 8 pm daily.
Disabled parking
There are disabled parking spaces in several locations around the hospital and in the multi-story car park at Cairns Hospital E Block.
Cairns Hospital map with disabled parking (PDF, 512KB)
Help with parking costs
You can get discounted parking if you meet certain criteria. This is called concessional parking.
To get concessional parking for you or your carer, you must:
- have a Pensioner Concession card
- have a Health Care card
- have a Gold Veteran Affairs card
- be staying in hospital for at least 1 week
- need to go to hospital more than 2 times per week
- need to go to hospital a least once a week for 4 weeks or more.
If you go to hospital for renal dialysis, oncology (cancer) or radiology treatment, please contact the ward or talk to one of the Social Workers to see if you are eligible to receive a special parking card.
Parking costs (as at 9 March 2026)
| Time | Full parking costs | Concessional parking costs |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 30 minutes | Free | Free |
| Up to 1 hour | $4.10 | $2.10 |
| Up to 2 hours | $7.70 | $3.90 |
| Up to 4 hours | $9.60 | $4.80 |
| All day | $11.20 | $5.60 |
| Lost ticket | $11.20 | $11.20 |
You can only get concessional parking on weekdays between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
There is no concessional parking on weekends or public holidays.
How to claim concessional parking
Patients can claim their Cairns Hospital concessional parking by going to the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation (Ground Floor, E Block on the corner of Digger and Grove Streets), who will provide them with a concessional voucher to be used at the pay station.