Terms & Conditions

Terms and Conditions of Port Douglas Shuttle Bus Service

1. All Australian Consumer Law (Queensland) rights and guarantees apply.
2. These terms and conditions form the entire agreement between Excellence Coaches® and any travelling passenger.

A: There are no Queensland Public Health Directions

1. From Monday 31 October 2022 there are no longer any Queensland Public Health Directions in effect. Travellers are therefore encouraged to continue the same precautions they felt comfortable with when flying into Cairns. 

B: Payments and Quotations

1. Quotes if offered are valid for 24 hours, or until a time specified in the quote.
2. Payments are processed by Excellence Coaches or the affiliate you are allocated to when using our book and pay forms. You will always receive a PortDouglasShuttleBus.net.au approved booking reference and can contact our business direct with any enquiry about your booking, refund (subject to cancellation fees), 100% credit, or to change travel dates. Every booking receives direct contact details for your shuttle, and please feel free to contact your shuttle directly.
3. If a quote is paid after the quote has expired our business reserves the right to refund in full and not deliver service. Our business is not responsible for any loss or delay to passengers who have paid for a quote after the validity window has expired.
4. Partial payments are not sufficient to secure a transfer booking, and may only be accepted by separate arrangement on a case by case basis.
5. Payment must be made in full to secure your booking.
6. Our business reserves the right to make the final decision on any booking or service delivery against partial payments, or payments outside of the quote window.
7. Our business applies uniform pricing to allow maximum flexibility for the movement of bookings between our affiliated services.

C: Our service standard hours, unplanned late arrivals in our after-hours period, and significantly delayed arrivals:

Flight schedules can sometimes throw up significant delays outside our control and also outside our ability to deliver transfers due to WH&S issues including driver fatigue and safety issues. The remedies and processes in this clause are intended to address these challenges to the benefit of our passengers. Thank you for your understanding.

1. All bookings on this website are for transfers commenced between 0600 and 1700 from Port Douglas, and 0700 and 1930 from Cairns Airport.
2. If a booking is made for a transfer outside those hours, we will advise you and refund your money via our PayPal gateway. 
3. Fights that arrive in our after-hours period between 1930 and 0700 are subject to after-hours rates. For example, a shuttle booked to for 1400 arrival cannot automatically be transferred at the same cost for a shuttle pick up from a delayed flight arriving at 2300 when our hourly scheduled service has discontinued for the day.
4. For passengers who have provided us with notice of the late arrival we will transfer the value of your earlier booking towards your after-hours arrival, and at our earliest ability advise the difference in fare.  Passengers will always know they have a delayed departure, and should immediately contact our office when the delay will result in an arrival to Cairns after 1930. If arriving before 1600 we will usually be able to simply move your booking. Transfers after hours between 1930 and 0600 are our standard private transfer service one way private transfer $235 for 1-2 pax, $245 for 3-5 pax, and $360 for 6-13 pax which includes after hours night fee.
5. If we cannot meet you for your standard hours arrival that ends up as after hours arrival, and you elect not to pay after hours rates, then we will refund 100% of the standard hours value to your credit card, or by online banking if we no longer have access to your credit card details after processing your payment. Alternatively, we can also offer 100% credit for use for 24 months from date of issue. You will retain the same booking reference.
6. When using a credit you will only need to pay the fare difference if prices have increased, or for example if you have added more passengers or new services like Cairns accommodation pick up of drop off. We will advise the fare difference at the time of rebooking with your credit, and provide an updated confirmation following your payment of the balance due.
7. If you have a private transfer booking which is significantly delayed into after hours time and we have no driver availability when your flight arrives, we will pay 100% of the taxi or Uber cost to Port Douglas. We will make this offer to you before you arrive. Simply keep the receipt and email to us together with your BSB and account details.

D: Online booking less than 24 hours before first travel

1. Online booking under 24 hours before your first transfer may not be processed. On all our booking forms we advise that passengers wishing to book less than 24 hours before travel should contact us before making an online booking.
2. If using our shuttle book and pay form to book for your shuttle service less than 24 hours before travel your booking may not be processed. You will be advised if your booking is unsuccessful.
3. Your credit card will not be charged if your booking is not processed.

E: Liability limited to refund of transfer cost or redelivery of service.

1. The maximum liability and remedy accepted by Excellence Coaches or any of our affiliates for any dispute regarding our shuttle transfer service is the cost of the transfer provided, or redelivery of the service at no additional charge.
2. No liability is accepted by Excellence Coaches for any amount greater than the shuttle transfer cost already paid. No liability is accepted by Excellence Coaches for any other loss or consequential loss such as the cost of airfares, accommodation costs, labour costs, missed wages or any other loss whatsoever resulting from the events just mentioned or any delays including but not limited to delays caused by other passengers, accidents, landslides or inundations which close the Captain Cook Highway, or any unforeseen circumstance which prevents the shuttle from gaining access to the airport or gaining access before a flight check in has closed or any similar event to that just mentioned which affects the delivery of the shuttle service.
3. No liability beyond refund or redelivery of service is accepted by Excellence Coaches for any loss, or any claim made, whatsoever, against any affiliate shuttle service providing contracted services to our business.

F: Cancellation fees and refunds

1. To secure a refund less cancellation fee, cancel requests must be made at least 24 hours prior to travel time in writing by email or phone.
2. Return seat on shared shuttle cancellation more than 24 hours before travel attracts $18 fee per adult ($9 per adult one way) and $9 fee per child 0-15 years ($4.50 per child one way). These fees cover non refunded bank fees, insurances, vehicle costs, labour costs, airport access fees and administration associated with the shuttle we have booked for you. Cancellation of any booking means capacity has been directly allocated to your transfer and has cost implications for all service providers.
3. Cancellation of private transfer more than 24 hours before travel is $30 for one way private transfer, and $50 for return. Cancellation of any private transfer less than 24 hours before travel is a $100 fee to cover the cost of the dedicated vehicle allocated to your group.
4. We reserve the right to alter private transfer cancellation fees for tailored group packages where additional resources have been organised and allocated. If we have elected to alter the private cancellation fees this will be expressly noted in your quotation and invoice which will then form the cancellation terms component for your travel agreement with us in addition to the terms and conditions on this page.
5. Cancellations may alternatively request 100% credits which can be issued for travel within 24 months. You will keep the same booking reference.
6. If cancelling a credit once issued, the same cancel fees and process above applies.
7. When using a credit you will only need to pay the fare difference if prices have increased, or for example if you have added more passengers or new services like Cairns accommodation pick up of drop off. We will advise the fare difference at the time of rebooking with your credit, and provide an updated confirmation following your payment of the balance due.
8. We usually make refunds by online banking direct deposit. We do this because we do not retain credit card details, retrieved from an online vault using two step authentication access, after processing your booking. We will ask you for your BSB and account details. Please allow 5 business days for us to process your refund and another 1-2 business days to show in your account. We will send you an email receipt when we process the refund.
9. International refunds (for passengers outside Australia) please contact us by phone to advise your credit card details over the phone so that we can process your refund back to your card. Our system does not retain card details once we process your payment. Additionally there may have been several months between your payment and your need to refund. This process ensures the security of your card details. Thank you for your understanding.
10. For all cancellations less than 24 hours before transfer no refund is payable.
11. For discounted return bookings, cancellation of one of your transfers will mean your booking is taken to be a one way price and the cancellation fee conditions F(3)-F(4) as above apply.
12. Passengers at the airport who do not make themselves known to the driver by the time their flight has cleared or who are not at a designated point of meeting at the time arranged, or are not contactable on their nominated mobile will be regarded as a NO SHOW and no refund will be made if the bus has already departed. For passengers who are non-contactable and later make contact we will try (but are under no obligation) to allocate a later bus if possible, but this may involve extra costs.

G: Delays or frustrations to delivery of service can happen. Events beyond everyone’s control may cause a delay, or frustrate our ability to deliver your transfer, but the goal is to minimise any impact for passengers. Passengers must be contactable to help us manage delivery of service.

1. Usual wait is 20 minutes or less after all checked bags are collected from your flight’s baggage carousel. The 20 minutes target is our usual practice, and our clear goal, but not a binding term of carriage.
2. The most common event that has occurred over the past few years is that the Captain Cook Highway sometimes gets closed for several hours if there is a traffic accident on the road. This is an event beyond the control of our business. This most acutely impacts departures from Port Douglas to Cairns. This is one of the reasons we always work to a target of leaving Port Douglas approximately three (3) hours before scheduled flight departure, and earlier for international flights.  To assist the comfort and reliability of our service for all travelling passengers on a shared shuttle we are unable to alter the departure window for individual requests. We also recommend passengers have the potential to leave earlier if needed.
3. We recommend travel insurance for any passengers who may be affected by unforeseeable circumstances or events beyond our control, or events which affect delivery of our service. Examples include, but are not limited to, events which are: any accident where the shuttle company vehicle has been directly or indirectly involved; delays caused by road closures, accidents, landslides or inundations on the Captain Cook Highway between Port Douglas and Cairns, or in and around Cairns affecting access to the airport; severe weather events or tropical cyclone; delays caused by road or traffic conditions preventing the shuttle company from getting to the airport or getting to the airport on time; and any other events of the nature described here.
4. Any passenger on our shuttles must be actively contactable on the mobile number indicated on the booking form, and specifically actively contactable on the day of their departing transfer from Port Douglas, Palm Cove, Cairns or other location we are collecting you from. On arrival into Cairns Airport please have your mobile phone switched on as soon as permitted, and on departure for several hours before collection in Port Douglas, Palm Cove, Cairns or other location. By being actively contactable – including checking for missed calls or text messages – your assistance will help any shuttle company minimise delays and manage unforeseen circumstances.
5. Our business actively minimises delays by monitoring flight status before you arrive in Cairns and before your departure from Port Douglas. This includes shuttle drivers being able to monitor flights from the drivers waiting shed at Cairns airport where flights are indicated in real time as landed, on the block and then arrived – which means passengers are disembarking.
6. Shuttle services may be affected by any pick up or drop off changes implemented by Cairns Airport, and these are beyond our control.
7. If, through circumstances not foreseeable or beyond our control, shuttles are delayed or unable to transfer you we cannot be responsible for any financial or material losses which may be incurred by passengers. This is another important reason why we recommend travel insurance for any passengers who may be affected by unforeseeable circumstances or events beyond our control, or events which affect delivery of our service. Examples include, but are not limited to, events in clause G(3) which include: accidents where the shuttle company vehicle has been directly or indirectly involved; delays caused by road closures, accidents, landslides or inundations on the Captain Cook Highway between Port Douglas and Cairns, or in and around Cairns affecting access to the airport; severe weather events or tropical cyclone; events like Cairns Iron Man which closes the road annually for 12 hours once per year; triathlon or cycling events in Port Douglas with road closures and diversions which cause delays and prevent the shuttle company from getting to the airport or getting to the airport on time; COVID-19 lockdowns, border closures or announcements which restrict liberty and movement between Port Douglas and Cairns; and any other events of the nature described here.
8. If through circumstances beyond the control of our business we are unable to transfer you we will seek to arrange for you alternative and reasonably similar road transport to the service you booked at no additional cost. Examples of these alternatives may be Uber or Taxi. This may also mean redelivery on the day following your initial transfer, if for example, the road was closed and Cairns was inaccessible when you needed to travel.
9. We will not fly passengers in a helicopter or a plane, or charter a boat, if the road is closed. We will only transfer passengers by road.
10. For delays caused by circumstances within the control of the shuttle the maximum liability and remedy for any dispute regarding this transfer service is the cost of the transfer provided, or redelivery of the transfer.
11. It is standard practice for all shuttle companies to monitor incoming flights as planes can arrive early or late. Planes that arrive a few minutes late may mean a slightly longer wait for those passengers who have arrived on an earlier flight.  We ask those passengers for patience on these limited occasions – as it could be your flight that is running late or arriving early and nobody wants to be left stranded. If a severe delay in a plane’s arrival occurs, passengers on that delayed flight will be transferred to the next available bus or we will make alternative arrangements for their transfer to minimise the waiting time for those already at the airport. There may be an additional costs incurred by the delayed flight if arriving after 1900 (refer clause C above: Unplanned late arrivals above)

H: Safety. Please obey Australian traffic regulations and driver safety advice.

1. All passengers, including all children, must wear a seat belt in our shuttles or vehicle. Failure of any passenger to wear a seat belt will mean the vehicle will not move.
2. All vehicles associated with this booking service are equipped with safety belts. Front facing, rear facing or booster child seats are available and can be installed in our iMax and 13 seater vehicles if booked at the time of your booking. Our vehicles must comply with Queensland Transport authority’s rules and are regularly checked by that authority for compliance.
3. Child seats are not compulsory in Queensland on buses that carry 13 or more people (including driver). See: https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/children/exemptions
4. All shuttle bus drivers are experienced drivers who must have Queensland Transport issued Drivers Authority (DA) to transfer fare paying passengers. This DA issued by Queensland Transport ensures a driver has passed a medical exam, eye examination and criminal records check. Drivers must also hold an upgraded Queensland driver’s license for either LR (Light Rigid) or MR (Medium Rigid) vehicle – depending on the vehicle they are driving.
5. For many reasons it is the policy of our business not to carry unaccompanied minors, and therefore all children must be accompanied by their legal guardian, parent or adult who is travelling together with the children.

I: Pick up and drop off points, pick up delays, buses cannot access a street with no turning ability or one that has a gate with no key code, unsealed roads.

1. Due to the design and access issues of some streets we may not be able to enter some areas of Murphy Street, some gated real estate like Beachfront Mirage or Bougainvillea Way Villas and some caravan parks where there is no turning option for our bus and trailer. These drop off and pickup are then available only at the street corner, front gate or nearest practical access point.
2. Shuttle buses are prevented from entering unsealed roads due to insurance and damage liability issues.
3. Our shuttles drop your party at one location only. If you need to collect keys from an agency, we will drop your party at either the accommodation OR the agency. Due to the nature of being transferred in ‘seats in shared shuttle’ service and timetabling, we are unable to keep passengers waiting while other passengers collect keys.

J: Passenger obligations on public passenger vehicles in Queensland.

Passengers are not permitted to drink alcohol or eat food or consume any non water beverage on public passenger vehicles in Queensland. The following common courtesies are for the comfort and enjoyment of your travelling party and all passengers on our shuttles, limousines or private transfers. Queensland Government fines and cleaning charges can result if these courtesies are not followed.

1. Bottled water is permitted to be consumed on our shuttles, however all other food and beverages are not permitted to be consumed on our shuttle service. This Queensland food and beverage restriction on public passenger vehicles is in the Transport Operations (Passenger Transport) Regulation 2018 (Qld) s 232(2). Thank you for your help to keep our shuttles clean and tidy.
2. A cleaning charge of $175 including GST applies to any non-water spillages or mess in the shuttle that in the assessment of the driver needs to be professionally cleaned. This cleaning charge applies to spillages of carbonated beverages like Coke, Pepsi, Fanta and the like. Spillages of sunscreen, perfume or of non-carbonated beverages like orange juice or apple juice, and foods like yoghurt, sandwiches, kebabs, pies and any type of food spillage will also attract the cleaning charge. Any bodily fluids including vomit, urine, faeces will automatically attract the cleaning charge independent of the driver’s assessment. If cleaning is required we will provide an invoice for payment due within 7 days. Your assistance is appreciated.
3. Please take rubbish with you.
4. Animals are not permitted on PortDouglasShuttleBus.net.au shuttle services, unless they are an approved guide, hearing, or assistance animal.
5. Smoking is not permitted on our shuttle service. This includes electronic cigarettes.
6. Passengers are required to use earphones when listening to music or watching videos on a personal device, and keep the volume at a reasonable level.
7. For the comfort of all travelling passengers musical instruments are not permitted to be played on our shuttle service.

L: Entire Agreement

1. When we offer a quote or provide a transfer service these Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) are applicable to any and all bookings made or subsequently made.  A link to these T&Cs is linked from emailed confirmation documents, and our shuttle book and pay forms. It is the responsibility of any travelling passenger to be aware of these terms and conditions related to our service.
2. It is understood that in all cases no booking can practically be submitted through our booking system without accepting these T&Cs.
3. These Terms and Conditions form the entire agreement between Excellence Coaches, any travelling passenger on our vehicles, and anyone who has purchased the transfer on behalf of a travelling passenger.
4. No additional terms, conditions or warranties may be implied into this agreement unless required by statute in the State of Queensland, or as required under Australian Consumer Law (Queensland) rights and guarantees which apply here.

Updated May 2023