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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Perth
Give Perth 4 nights: 2 in the city or Northbridge, 1 for Fremantle, 1 for Rottnest Island. Skip it only if your trip is under 10 days on the east coast.
Perth is the capital of Western Australia and one of the most isolated big cities on earth: the nearest city over 100,000 people, Adelaide, is 2,120 km away. It spreads along a coastal plain on the Swan River, with the Indian Ocean to the west and the Darling Scarp to the east. Beaches, Kings Park, Fremantle and Rottnest Island fill four days; the wine and hills country fills more.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (heat over 36°C), Jun–Aug (wet and cool)Dec–Feb (heat over 97°F), Jun–Aug (wet and cool)
- Stay
- 4 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–150 excl. bed · Mid A$180–280 excl. bed · High A$350+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From mobiles 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$4–6 |
| Counter lunch or a takeaway meal | A$15–25 |
| Beer: schooner in a pub / can at a bottle shop | A$8–12 / A$4–7 |
| Train fare, city to Fremantle | A$3.50 Go Anywhere (check) |
| 5 km taxi or rideshare3.1 mi taxi or rideshare | A$20–30 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PER · Perth Airport
- Four terminals in two precincts: T1/T2 east of the runway with a direct rail link to the city (flat A$5), T3/T4 west, served by Redcliffe Station about 15 min on foot or a shuttle bus. A free bus links the two precincts in about 15 min.
- JAD · Jandakot Airport
- General aviation; not used by scheduled airline flights.
Typical fares
- Airport line, T1/T2 to the city
- flat A$5, about 20 min (check)
- Train Perth to Fremantle
- A$3.50 Go Anywhere, about 30 min (check)
- Rottnest Island ferry, return
- about A$90 from Elizabeth Quay or Fremantle (check)
Get around
Transperth runs trains, buses and the Swan River ferry. Pay with a contactless Visa or Mastercard, a SmartRider card (A$10, refundable as travel value), or a cash ticket. A 2-section fare is A$2.40; a Go Anywhere fare covering three hours with transfers is A$3.50. Trains and buses inside the CBD Free Transit Zone cost nothing, and the five CAT bus routes are free end to end. Trains run every 5–10 min at peak, about every 15 min off-peak, roughly 5am to midnight, with extra 1am and 2am departures from Perth on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Tag on and tag off: a default fare or a A$100 fine applies otherwise.
See and do
Known for
- Kings Park and the Swan River
- Cottesloe and City Beach
- Rottnest Island quokkas
- Fremantle port and markets
- Swan Valley wine
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fremantle | Fremantle line train from Perth station | About 30 min |
| Rottnest Island | Ferry from Elizabeth Quay or Fremantle | 1–1.5 h |
| Swan Valley | Train to Guildford or Midland, then bus or taxi; or a guided tour | About 1 h |
| The Hills | Midland line train to Midland, then bus or car | 1–1.5 h |
Sleep
- Perth City (CBD)
- Walk to Elizabeth Quay, the cultural centre and the free CAT buses; best for a short stay with bags.
- Northbridge
- Restaurants, bars and clubs just north of the CBD; walkable to the station, livelier at night.
- Fremantle
- Historic port with markets and a food scene; 30 min by train from Perth station, good for a night or two.
- The Coast (Cottesloe, Scarborough)
- Beach base; 20–30 min by train or bus from the CBD.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thanks |
| Where is the station? | Where's the station? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I tap my card? |
| Just water, please | Just water, thanks |
| How far is it? | How far's that? |
| No worries | No worries |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer days regularly pass 36°C and can top 40°C; the afternoon Fremantle Doctor cools the coast but not the hills.
- Tag on and tag off every trip; fare evasion fines start at A$100 and double monthly if unpaid.
- Perth is far from everything: Adelaide is 2,120 km away and driving there takes the best part of a week.
- Bikes are banned on peak-direction trains and through the CBD stations at peak hours.
- Weekend trackwork closes parts of lines and replaces trains with buses; check before you travel.
Perth is a safe city by Australian standards; the real risks are summer heat, sunburn, surf rips and long distances between stops. Carry water, swim between the flags, and keep an eye on fire-danger ratings if you head for the hills.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Perth yet. Suggested stay: 4 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kings Park and the Swan River
- Cottesloe and City Beach
- Rottnest Island quokkas
- Fremantle port and markets
- Swan Valley wine
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of Perth: perth.wa.gov.au/
- Visit Perth: visitperth.com/
- Transperth: www.transperth.wa.gov.au/
- Perth Airport: www.perthairport.com.au/
- Wikivoyage: Perth, revision 5319955 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5319955
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Perth
To this address, thanks
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US consulate-general is in Perth; the UK, Canada and New Zealand have consulates or honorary consulates here (check addresses). Other countries: embassies in Canberra.
Perth has no daylight saving; clocks stay on UTC+8 all year.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/perth). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.