First time in Perth: how do you get from the airport to the city, and how many days do you need?

How many days does Perth need? 4 to 5 days

Perth is Western Australia's capital, billed as Australia's sunniest capital city. Enjoy the Swan River, vast Kings Park and Indian Ocean sunsets, then take a train of about 25 minutes to the port city of Fremantle or a ferry to Rottnest Island, home of the quokka.

The guide suggests 4 to 5 days, including Rottnest Island. Give the city, Fremantle and Rottnest a day each, and use the last day for a museum or a Swan Valley trip.

• Day 1: Airport Line train to the city → check in → Elizabeth Quay and the South Perth ferry → sunset views from Kings Park
• Day 2: train to Fremantle → Fremantle Prison tour → Fremantle Markets (Fri-Sun) and the Round House → fish and chips → sunset at Cottesloe Beach
• Day 3: morning ferry to Rottnest Island → cycle the beaches and bays → evening ferry back
• Day 4: WA Museum Boola Bardip in Northbridge → Swan Valley or city shopping → airport

• First trip abroad checklist →
• Airport to city: which option to choose →

Airport to the city: about 18 minutes by train from T1 and T2

At Perth Airport (PER), the international terminals T1 and T2 are served by Airport Central Station, where Transperth Airport Line trains run straight to Perth Station in the city. The ride takes about 18 minutes and costs about A$3.50 or less (cash Go Anywhere fare), or about A$3.15 contactless. Use a SmartRider card or a contactless Visa or Mastercard.

If you land at T3 or T4, take bus route 292 to Redcliffe Station, then change to the Airport Line train. Redcliffe to Perth Station takes about 15 minutes, and the fare is about A$3.50 or less with transfers within 3 hours. Check the official timetable for the full trip.

A taxi helps with heavy luggage or late arrivals; check official information for fares. Major rental car companies are at the airport, handy if you plan trips outside the city.

• T1 and T2: Airport Central to Perth Station by train, about 18 min, about A$3.50 or less (about A$3.15 contactless)
• T3 and T4: bus 292 → Redcliffe Station → train to Perth Station (about 15 min)
• Taxi: check official information for fares
• Rental car: major companies at the airport

Getting around: use the free CAT buses and free Sundays

Transperth runs Perth's public transport. A 2 Sections trip (3.2 km or less) is about A$2.40 and a Go Anywhere fare (anywhere within 3 hours) is about A$3.50 in cash, cheaper with SmartRider or a contactless Visa or Mastercard. Always tag on and off.

The color-coded CAT buses in the city center are free and run every 5-15 minutes. Trains are free between City West, Elizabeth Quay and Claisebrook stations when you tag on and off with SmartRider or contactless.

Travel on Transperth is free every Sunday when you use SmartRider or contactless payment; cash tickets are not included. From Elizabeth Quay, Transperth ferries cross the Swan River to South Perth in about 10 minutes.

• 3.2 km or less: about A$2.40 / Go Anywhere: about A$3.50 in cash
• CAT buses: free, every 5-15 minutes
• Free train zone: between City West, Elizabeth Quay and Claisebrook (tag on and off)
• Sundays: free with SmartRider or contactless (not cash tickets)
• Ferry: Elizabeth Quay to South Perth, about 10 min

Days 1 and 2: Elizabeth Quay and Kings Park, then Fremantle and Cottesloe

After checking in, walk Elizabeth Quay, the city's riverside waterfront precinct, and take the ferry across to South Perth. At sunset head to Kings Park, a 400-hectare city park with sweeping views of the skyline and Swan River, free to enter and showcasing more than 3,000 species of WA flora.

On day two, take the train to Fremantle, about 25 minutes away. Fremantle Prison was built by convicts in the 1850s and is World Heritage-listed as one of the Australian Convict Sites; visits are by guided tour, so check official information for times and fees. More than 150 stalls fill the 1897 Fremantle Markets building, open only Friday to Sunday and public holiday Mondays. Nearby, the Round House is WA's oldest building, with a cannon fired daily at 1pm.

Have fish and chips around the Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour, then on the way back get off the Fremantle Line at Cottesloe Station and walk about 600 m to Cottesloe Beach. Swim between the red and yellow flags when lifeguards are on patrol.

• Kings Park: 400 hectares, free entry
• Fremantle Prison: guided tours; check times and fees officially
• Fremantle Markets: Friday to Sunday and public holiday Mondays
• Round House: cannon fired daily at 1pm
• Cottesloe Beach: about 600 m from Cottesloe Station

Days 3 and 4: Rottnest Island, Northbridge and the Swan Valley

Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) is largely car-free, with 63 beaches, 20 bays and quokkas. Ferries take about 25 minutes from Fremantle, 45 minutes from Hillarys and 90 minutes from Barrack Street Jetty in the city. The island admission fee is included in your ferry fare; the adult day fee is about A$21.50 (2026-27).

Get around by bike, on foot or by island bus. The full 22 km Island Ride takes 3-5 hours, so plan for your fitness level. Don't touch or feed the quokkas: feeding is illegal, and interfering with wildlife brings on-the-spot fines and possible fines of up to about A$10,000.

On the last morning, visit WA Museum Boola Bardip at the Perth Cultural Centre in Northbridge. Its highlight is Otto, a 24-metre blue whale skeleton; it opens 9:30-17:00, and you should check official information for fees. In the afternoon, take a trip to the Swan Valley, about 25 minutes from the city, or shop in the city before heading to the airport. Don't drive if you plan to drink at the wineries.

• Rottnest ferries: about 25 min from Fremantle, 45 min from Hillarys, 90 min from Barrack Street Jetty
• Island admission: included in the ferry fare; adult day fee about A$21.50 (2026-27)
• Quokkas: no touching or feeding
• WA Museum Boola Bardip: 9:30-17:00; check fees officially
• Swan Valley: about 25 min from the city; don't drink and drive

When to go: September to March for beaches and wildflowers

The guide picks September to March as the best time for wildflowers and beach days. In spring (August-October) wildflowers bloom in Kings Park and the Swan Valley; in summer (December-February) February is usually the hottest, and the cooling afternoon sea breeze known as the 'Fremantle Doctor' brings relief. Winter (June-August) is cool.

On average, February has a high of 32°C, a low of 18°C and 13 mm of rain. October has a high of 24°C, a low of 12°C and 37 mm, good for walking, while July has a high of 19°C, a low of 8°C and the most rain of the year at 142 mm. These are the 1991–2020 normals for Perth Metro station from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology submission to the WMO normals collection (NOAA NCEI). Check the official forecast before you go for this year's weather.

• February: high 32°C, low 18°C, 13 mm of rain
• October: high 24°C, low 12°C, 37 mm of rain
• July: high 19°C, low 8°C, 142 mm of rain

Sun, sea swimming and entry preparation

WA's UV levels are among the harshest in the world. Even on cool or cloudy days, cover up, use SPF50 or SPF50+ sunscreen, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and seek shade.

Swim between the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches, and check the WA Government's SharkSmart app or website for shark activity information. If you rent a car, remember Australia drives on the left.

Entry conditions (such as the ETA) and biosecurity rules can change, so check official Australian government or embassy information before you travel.

• Sun: cover up, SPF50 or SPF50+, wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses
• Sea: swim between the red and yellow flags; shark info on SharkSmart
• Entry conditions and biosecurity: check official information

• Full Perth travel guide →
• Paying abroad: cash vs card vs travel card →

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