Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(7
1
⁄
2
miles) north of the city center.
The district is a little tatty with an
oversupply of cheap takeout food
outlets, but if you like sun, sand,
and surf, this is the place to be. You
will find bars, restaurants, and surf-
gear rental stores here. Allow 15 to
20 minutes to get there by car,
35 minutes on the bus.
GETTING AROUND
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Transperth
(www.transperth.wa.gov.au)
runs Perth's buses, trains, and ferries. For route, bus stop, and timetable infor-
mation, call
&
13 62 13
in Western Australia, or drop into the Transperth Info-
Centres at the Plaza Arcade off Hay Street Mall, the Perth Railway Station, the
Wellington Street bus station, or the City Bus Port on Mounts Bay Road. You
can transfer from bus to ferry to train on one ticket within its expiration time of
2 or 3 hours. Travel costs A$1.90 (US$1.20) in one zone (to Subiaco, for
instance), and A$2.90 (US$1.90) in two, which gets you most places, including
Fremantle. Non-West Australian seniors and students don't qualify for dis-
counted fares; kids ages 5 to 14 do.
By Bus
The Wellington Street Bus Station, located next to Perth Railway Sta-
tion at Forrest Place, and the City Bus Port on Mounts Bay Road, are the two
main depots. The vast majority of buses travel along St. Georges Terrace. Dri-
vers do not always stop unless you hail. Buy tickets from the driver. Buses run
from about 5:30am until about 10:30 or 11:30pm, depending on the route.
Tips
Take a Free Ride
A welcome freebie in Perth is the
Free Transit Zone (FTZ).
You can
travel free on trains and buses within this zone any hour, day or night.
It is bounded by Kings Park Road, Fraser Avenue, Thomas Street, and
Loftus Street in the west; Newcastle Street in the north; and the river
in the south and east. Basically, this means you can travel to Kings Park,
Northbridge, east to major sporting grounds, and anywhere in the city
center free. Signs mark the FTZ boundaries; just ask the driver if you're
unsure. FTZ boundaries for trains are City West station on the Freman-
tle line and Claisebrook on the Midland and Armadale lines.
MultiRider
passes give you 10 trips at a savings of 15%; they come
in a range of prices good for various numbers of zones. A
DayRider
pass allows 1 day's unlimited travel after 9am on weekdays and all day
on weekends and public holidays, and costs A$7.30 (US$4.75). A Fami-
lyRider pass is valid for unlimited all-day travel to any destination and
back, for a group of seven people with a maximum of two adults.
FamilyRiders are aimed at Perth families and so are valid only week-
ends, public holidays, after 9am weekdays, and during Western Aus-
tralian school holidays, after 6pm year-round Monday through
Thursday, and after 3pm Friday. They cost A$7.30 (US$4.75). Passes, col-
lectively known as FastCards, are sold at newsagents and at Transperth
InfoCentres. To use the passes, validate them in the machines located
on board in the case of buses, and on the platform or wharf in the case
of trains and ferries.
