Learn how to use Transperth, Perth’s public transport system, for the cheapest way to travel from Perth Airport to the city centre under S$5 within 40 minutes!
One of the best ways to get to know a city is through their public transport system. Thankfully, Perth’s public transport system, Transperth, is similar to Singapore’s and it’s just as intuitive. In this guide, we’ll show you how to use Transperth and how much you can save by relying on Perth’s public transport system.
Perth Airport to City Centre via Transperth Bus 380
Upon arriving at Perth Airport, catch Bus 380 from Terminal 1 to the city centre. You can pay for the fare by cash or just use a Transperth SmartRider Card.
Not many travellers know this, but you can actually purchase the Transperth SmartRider Card from Smarte Carte Baggage Services at Terminal 1 (open 24 hours) for just A$10 (S$9.25).
To incentivise card usage, Transperth gives a 10% discount for all regular fares and even a whopping 20% discount if you choose to autoload with a credit or debit card!
The fare from Perth Airport to the city centre is A$4.90 (S$4.53) by cash. It costs A$4.41 (S$4.08) if you pay with a SmartRider Card, and even cheaper at A$3.92 (S$3.63) if you choose to autoload your SmartRider Card.
If you’re a university student in an Australian institution, you can also apply for a Concession SmartRider Card, but here’s the catch: you’ll need to have an Australian address for Transperth to mail you the card. Other concession fares are also available, but they only apply to children, seniors, pensioners etc.
Once you’ve boarded Bus 380, you can chill out while it takes you from Perth Airport to the city centre. There are racks for you to store your luggage on the bus too!
The 40-minute Bus 380 journey also stops at these hubs:
- Belmont Forum Shopping Centre (suburb hub)
- Victoria Park Transfer Station (suburb hub)
- Elizabeth Quay Bus Station (city centre)
Perth Underground Station and Perth Busport
Bus 380 terminates at Elizabeth Quay Bus Station, which is the city centre. From Elizabeth Quay Bus Station, simply walk 10 minutes to Perth Underground Station to access the train interchange for Perth’s train services, where you can find 8 train lines that sprawl throughout Perth.
If you prefer to take buses, you can head to Perth Busport instead. Perth Busport is one street across Perth Underground station, so just walk across Yagan Square and you’ll see it.
Where to Buy and Top Up Transperth SmartRider Card
Topping up your SmartRider Card is as simple as topping up your EZ-Link card. However, do note that there are two different types of machines: “Ticket” machines that only sell cash tickets and “Add Value” machines that can top up your SmartRider Card. Don’t queue at the wrong machine!
If you’re topping up the SmartRider Card with your YouTrip card via the “Add Value” machine, you’ll be presented with 3 options:
- $20
- $30
- $50
For me, I spent an average of A$10 (S$9.25) on rides per day, and I was in Perth for only 3 days, so I chose to top up A$30 (S$27.76).
There’s also the option to buy a DayRider Pass which gives you unlimited rides for A$13.10 (S$12.12), but that requires you to hold on to the paper ticket throughout the day. If you lose the paper ticket, you’ll have to purchase another one. Oh, there are timing restrictions to use the DayRider Pass too.
So for the sake of convenience, I chose to stick to my SmartRider Card. Another plus point of the SmartRider Card is that there’s a daily cap of A$13.10 (S$12.12), no matter how many rides I take. It makes absolute sense for me to just rely on the SmartRider Card.
Side note: if you were like me, who paid cash on Bus 380 because you totally missed Smarte Carte Baggage Services at Perth Airport, you can buy your SmartRider card at Perth Underground Station’s InfoCentre instead. If you’re not near it, you can check this list for retailers nearest to you that sell the SmartRider card.
Transperth Journey Planner, Zone Map, and Free Transit Zones
Transperth has a useful tool on their website called the Journey Planner. You can input your destination and time, and it will show you the best way to reach your destination with their services. You can also see the fare breakdown of your expected journey.
There’s also a Free Transit Zone in Perth where every ride you take will be free of charge! This is definitely something you can take advantage of.
Speaking of zones, Transperth charges fares based on the zone number you depart and alight from. This handy visual and its corresponding fares should prove useful!
Cost Breakdown from Perth Airport to City Centre
| Fare | Public Transport |
| A$4.41 | Bus 380 from Perth Airport to Elizabeth Quay Bus Station |
| Free | Train from Perth Underground Station to Glendalough Station |
With just A$4.41 (S$4.08), I travelled about 19km in less than 50 minutes to reach my cute Airbnb from Perth Airport. What a steal!
Conclusion
Navigating is one of the most essential skills that any traveller should have. With good planning, you can save a lot of money and hassle. Hopefully this Transperth guide can help you out the next time you’re travelling in Perth too!
Also, remember to bring your YouTrip card to utilise YouTrip’s Wholesale Exchange Rates for favourable Australian dollar (AUD) currency exchange rates!
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Enjoy a travel experience with no fees worldwide!
