Getting around Perth
GETTING AROUND PERTH & SUBURBS
USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Public transport within the Perth metro area is operated by Transperth. Transperth operates public buses, trains and ferries.
Transperth suggests that all users of public transport should (1) Plan your journey - you can use the Transperth Journey Planner , (2) Buy your ticket and (3) Get on board.
Transperth has services for mobile phones. If you prefer to have the information on your fingertips, you can download the Transperth Phone App which contains details of all Transperth services.
Smartrider cards can be used on all modes of transport. If you plan to use primarily public transport during your stay in Perth, it is worth getting one as you get up to 25% discount on the fare for every journey.
PUBLIC BUS
Bus Timetables. It is a good idea to plan your journey to save yourself a long wait at the bus stop, especially if the weather is too hot, too cold or raining.
FREE CAT BUSES
CAT is the abbreviation for the Central Zone Transport services and operates in the Perth CBD as well as Fremantle and Joondalup. These buses have low ground clearance to allow people of all ages to get on and off safely and easily. The Red, Blue and Yellow CAT run within the Perth CBD.
The Red CAT runs from Queens Gardens in East Perth to Outram Street in West Perth in an east west direction.
The Blue CAT runs in a north south direction from Barrack Street Jetty to Northbridge.
The Yellow CAT runs from East Perth to West Perth from Monday to Friday from 6.50 am till 6.20 pm.
The Fremantle CAT services the Fremantle central business and tourist precinct and runs everyday from 7.30 am to 6.30 pm except Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
The Joondalup CAT services Joondalup central business and tourist precinct from 7.30 am to 6 pm on weekdays.
TAXI
Catching a taxi. The Taxi Council of WA has the following suggestions:
1. Ring a Taxi Company
The main taxi companies in Perth are:
- Swan Taxis Phone 131330
- Black & White Taxis Phone 131008
2. Use your smartphone
Both Swan Taxis and Black& White Cabs have smartphone apps which make booking a taxi easier than ever before.
3. Go to a taxi rank
Perth boasts two types of taxi rank stands, being:
- Conventional ranks located at shopping centres, hotels, airports, main rail stations and in and around the CBD
- supervised taxi ranks (security guards patrol these special night ranks)
4. Hail a cab
Waive your hands and signal to a driver of a passing taxi. Don’t get too upset if the taxi doesn’t stop - they could be on the way to pick up a passenger or be delivering a parcel.
Taxi fares follow the meter. Fares vary depending on whether it is a weekday, weeknight or weekend. Please click on the link for details.
TRAIN
There are five main train lines: (1) Armadale Thornlie line (2) Fremantle line (3) Joondalup line (4) Mandurah line and (5) Midland line.
If you are staying anywhere along these train lines, taking the train beats driving if you plan to be in the city for several hours as you will save money on parking and petrol.
As always please plan your journey and be mindful of the morning and evening peak hour crunch times.
FERRY
There is only one public ferry service in Perth; the one that serves Barrack Street Jetty and Mends Street Jetty in South Perth. If you are in the area it is a pleasant ride on a sunny day and an inexpensive way to get to the Zoo or the cafes in South Perth.
SELF-DRIVE
This is one of the most pleasant ways to get around Perth if you avoid the peak hour crunch.
Please be mindful that your require a valid driver's license to drive in WA. Please see this link to the Department of Transport on license requirements for overseas or inter-state drivers.
Please see details on our page on Driving around in Perth.
TOURIST SIGHTSEEING HOP ON & OFF BUS
City Sightseeing operate the hop-on-hop-off open top bus tour in Perth. Please see their site for details on prices and schedules.
CYCLING AND WALKING
If you have the time and inclination walking and cycling around Perth can be refreshing.
Please be mindful that cyclists are required to wear safety helmets and use safety lights and wear reflective strips when they are cycling at night.
There are many pleasant cycle paths all over Perth. One of the most pleasant is the one that runs along Matilda Bay from UWA to the City and along the Kwinana Highway.
Please be mindful of other road users escpecially pedestrians and while motor vehicles must keep at least a meter from cyclist, this can be difficult in peak hour traffic. Try to use the cycle paths wherever possible.
See the Department of Transport link for details on cycle paths and maps in Perth.
Bikes on public transport. There are some restrictions on taking your bike on public transport, please see the link for details.
There are many tour and cruise operators in Perth. You can either enquire and book online or see the companies profiled on My Guide Perth.
There is a cluster of operators at the Barrack Street Jetty so that would be a good place to find out about cruises to Rottnest Island, Fremantle or up the Swan River.
