Getting around Perth: public transport, passes and taxis

Perth rewards walking. Most of what a short visit needs — the railway station, the bus station, the High Street, the Tay bridges, the museum and gallery, the South Inch and North Inch parks — sits inside a 20-minute walk. Buses matter for the suburbs, the hospital, Scone Palace and some Perthshire villages. Trains and coaches are for leaving town. Taxis cover the gaps after the last bus and for luggage.

Prices below are 2026 estimates; fares change, so treat them as bands, not quotes.

The centre is compact and mostly level, with the Tay splitting the South Inch from the North Inch. The walk from Perth railway station to the High Street is about 10 minutes; the bus station sits closer still. Riverside paths connect the two inches and make a good early-evening loop.

Pavements are fine for most visitors, but some streets are cobbled and the riverside can flood after heavy rain. In winter, ice on pavements is the main hazard; in summer, the light lasts late, which makes evening walks easy.

Stagecoach and smaller local operators run the town network and most Perthshire routes. Buses are the practical option for the hospital, the retail parks and villages such as Scone, where the palace is a short walk from the village stop. Services thin out in the evening and on Sundays, so check the last bus before you commit to a late return.

Contactless bank cards and exact change are the usual ways to pay; some rural routes are cash-only. If you plan several local trips, ask the driver about a day ticket — it is often cheaper than two singles (check current prices).

Perth railway station is central and served by ScotRail, with longer-distance trains including LNER and the Caledonian Sleeper passing through. It is the easiest way to reach Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Inverness. Advance tickets bought ahead are much cheaper than walk-up fares, the same pattern as the rest of the UK.

Coaches from Perth's bus station are usually the cheapest option for Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Inverness, and they can be slower but more direct for some stops. For a day trip to Pitlochry or Kinross, compare train and bus times before choosing.

Taxi ranks sit at the railway station and around South Street and the High Street, and local firms take phone bookings. In town, most fares land in the £5–15 band (2026 estimate); airport runs to Edinburgh or Dundee cost far more, so compare with the train first.

Ride-hailing coverage in Perth is thinner than in Edinburgh or Glasgow — check the app before you rely on it, especially late at night. On race days at Perth Racecourse, concert nights and weekends, book a taxi ahead rather than hoping for a rank.

A car turns Perth into a base for Scone Palace, Gleneagles, Loch Tay, the Angus glens and the southern Highlands. Hire starts around £40–90 per day plus fuel (2026 estimate), and manual gearboxes are the default in the UK; automatics cost more and should be booked ahead.

Perth sits where the A9 and M90 meet, so the road network is straightforward. Parking in the centre is paid and time-limited; check signs carefully, as enforcement is active. In winter, Highland routes can close or need care; check conditions before setting out.

A day of local travel in Perth is cheap if you walk and take one or two buses. The bigger costs come from day trips and taxis. As a rough guide for one person:

Plan around the last bus and the last train if you are staying outside the centre. Sundays and public holidays run reduced services across Perthshire. Contactless payment is widely accepted on buses and at stations, but keep some cash for rural routes and small shops.

If you are using your phone for maps, tickets and ride-hailing, sort out data before you arrive.