Perth’s public transport was built for a car city and then, in 2022, got an airport line that beats the taxi. The result is a network that is cheap, simple and, on one day a week, entirely free. Learn four rules for getting around Perth and you never need to look at a fare table again.
One Flat Fare Covers the Whole Network
Transperth charges by time, not by distance, which is the single most useful thing to know about getting around Perth. A Go Anywhere fare, about AUD 3.50 (around US$2.50) in cash, lets you use any bus, train or ferry anywhere on the network for three hours. A 2 Sections fare, about AUD 2.40, covers a one-way hop of 3.2 km or less.
Prices in this guide are approximate and were last checked on 5 October 2026.
Above that, a DayRider caps the day at about AUD 7, and SmartRider or contactless users hit the cap automatically. Fares were last revised on 1 January 2026, so check the current schedule.
What this means for you: a trip to Fremantle, a wander and the train back inside three hours costs one fare, and nothing you do in a day costs more than AUD 7. The fares and SmartRider explainer runs the sums for a three-day and a seven-day stay.
Sundays Are Free, and That Should Shape Your Plan
Every Sunday, travel on all Transperth buses, trains and ferries is free for SmartRider holders and contactless payers, from first service to last. Tag on and off as usual and the fare reads zero no matter how far you go.
- Who it covers. Anyone tapping a SmartRider or a Visa or Mastercard. Cash-ticket users still pay, and SmartRider cards must not be in negative balance.
- What it excludes. Late-night services after midnight on Saturday, so a Saturday night out is not covered. Check the current free-Sunday rule before relying on it.
- How to use it. Put your longest-distance day on the Sunday: Fremantle, Cottesloe or the Rockingham train for Penguin Island. The day-trips guide marks which trips reach by rail.
The Free Transit Zone and CAT Buses Cover the Centre
Inside the city, most of your travel is free even on weekdays, and that changes which hotel makes sense.
The Free Transit Zone covers buses and trains in the centre. For trains, the boundaries are City West, Elizabeth Quay and Claisebrook stations, and you must tag on and off with SmartRider or contactless to ride free; for buses, start and finish inside the zone marked by the FTZ logo at stops. Check the current zone map.
The CAT buses go further: Blue, Green, Purple, Red and Yellow loops run free every five to 15 minutes, and the Surf CAT runs every 10 minutes, every day of the year, from Stirling Station to Scarborough Beach. The Blue CAT reaches Kings Park, which is otherwise a 15-minute walk. Stay inside the zone and your weekday fares drop to almost nothing; the where-to-stay guide maps which precincts qualify.
Tap a Bank Card or Buy a SmartRider
You have three ways to pay for getting around Perth, and the right one depends on how long you stay.
- Contactless bank card. Visa and Mastercard, debit or credit, including phone wallets. Tap on and off with the same card; you pay the cash fare with the three-hour and daily caps applied, and Sundays are free. For a stay under a week, this is the answer.
- SmartRider. About AUD 20 for the card with AUD 10 of travel loaded, 10% off every fare and 20% with Autoload, non-refundable. Buy it at a Transperth InfoCentre at Airport Central, Elizabeth Quay Bus Station, Perth Busport, Perth Station or Perth Underground. It pays over longer stays.
- Cash tickets. From machines at stations and jetties, or from the driver on a bus, but drivers give no change, so carry exact fare. Train and ferry tickets must be bought before boarding.
From the Airport in 18 Minutes
Perth Airport sits about 17 km from the centre and has four terminals in two precincts on opposite sides of the runway, which is the one thing to check before you land.
From Terminals 1 and 2, Airport Central Station is linked by a Skybridge, and the Airport Line reaches Perth Station in about 18 minutes for a standard fare of about AUD 3.50. From Terminals 3 and 4, take the free Route 292 shuttle, a three-minute ride every 12 to 15 minutes, to Redcliffe Station, 15 minutes from the CBD by train. A free terminal transfer bus links the two precincts in about 10 minutes.
A taxi starts at about AUD 45 and takes 20 to 25 minutes, with a AUD 4 airport fee on every taxi and rideshare pick-up. Confirm your terminal with your booking; the full guide to Perth Airport covers both precincts, transit connections and overnight options.
Ferries and Trains Reach the River, the Beaches and Fremantle
Perth’s eight train lines, Airport, Armadale, Ellenbrook, Fremantle, Mandurah, Midland, Thornlie-Cockburn and Yanchep, radiate from Perth Station, and two of them plus a ferry do most of the visitor work.
The Fremantle Line is the sightseeing line: Cottesloe station for the 600 m to 1 km walk to the beach, and Fremantle, the terminus, in about 30 minutes. The Mandurah Line reaches Rockingham for Penguin Island. The Transperth ferry crosses from Elizabeth Quay to South Perth in about 10 minutes for the zoo and the skyline view, and it takes the same fares and the same free Sunday.
So the honest answer to “do I need a car” is no for the first three days. The Perth-to-Fremantle guide times the port trip stop by stop, and the Perth travel guide shows where a car finally earns its keep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can two adults and three children travel all day on one ticket?
Yes, with a FamilyRider cash ticket of about AUD 7 for up to seven people, at most two paying full fare, but only at set times: any time on weekends and public holidays, after 6pm Monday to Thursday and after 3pm Fridays in term time, and after 8.30am on weekdays in Western Australian school holidays. Outside those windows, tap cards and let the daily cap work.
Does the Go Anywhere fare cover the airport train too?
Yes. The Airport Line is part of the ordinary Transperth network, so the ride from Airport Central to Perth Station in about 18 minutes costs the standard fare, about AUD 3.50 in cash, and sits inside the three-hour window for a connecting train or bus. On a Sunday with a card tap it is free.
What happens if I tap on with a card and forget to tap off?
You lose the time-based pricing and are charged a default fare rather than the trip you took, so tap off at the gate or reader every time, with the same card you tapped on with. Keep one card for the whole stay; switching between a phone wallet and the physical card breaks the pairing.
Is there public transport to the Rottnest ferries from the airport?
Yes, by train. Take the Airport Line to Perth Station in about 18 minutes, change to the Fremantle Line for about 30 minutes, and walk to the B Shed terminal; the whole journey sits inside one three-hour fare. Allow 90 minutes door to door and book a mid-morning sailing rather than the 7.30am.
Do I need a SmartRider if my bank card works?
Not for a short stay. Contactless gives you the same caps and the same free Sundays at the cash fare, while a SmartRider costs AUD 20 with AUD 10 loaded and saves 10% per trip. The card only pays for itself over a longer visit or if you want to buy a FamilyRider-style cash ticket on top.
Booking Your Flight and Stay
Pick a flight into the terminal precinct with the Skybridge if you can, and a room inside the Free Transit Zone; the train does the rest.
