Western Australia Local Transportation

Northbridge and the CBD are both compact and easy to navigate on foot. Free CAT buses whisk passengers around central Perth and Fremantle, and central Perth is a free transit zone for all buses and trains (though you must have a Smartrider card for the latter). The blue CAT runs a north-south loop from the Swan River to Northbridge; the red CAT runs east-west; and the yellow CAT connects West Perth and East Perth via Wellington St. The Free Transit Zone is bounded by the Swan River to the south and east, Newcastle St. to the north, and Thomas St. to the west. (☎13 62 13. Blue CAT: every 7min. M-F 6:50am-6:20pm; every 15min. F 6:20pm-1am, Sa 8:30am-1am, Su 10am-6:15pm. Red CAT: every 5min. M-F 6:50am-6:20pm; every 25min. Sa-Su 10am-6:15pm. Yellow CAT: every 10min. M-F 6:50am-6:20pm; every 30min. Sa-Su 10am-6:10pm.)

The TransPerth network of buses, trains, and ferries is divided into nine fare zones connecting to outlying areas; a 2-zone ride costs $3.40 and will get you from the CBD to the airport, Fremantle, or the beach. Save your ticket stub; it allows transfer between bus, train, and ferry services. Tickets are valid for 2hr. or more depending on how far you are traveling. All-day passes ($8.10) and SmartRider cards, which can be credited with any amount of money after the initial $10 to activate one, are available at TransPerth InfoCentre machines and newsagents. It may be tempting to ride without paying, but $50-$250 penalties await freeloaders who get caught, and ticket-checking officers abound.

Maps, timetables, and additional information are available by phone, online, (☎13 62 13; www.transperth.wa.gov.au) or at the four TransPerth InfoCentres: Plaza Arcade, Wellington St. Bus Station, City Busport, and the train station.

It’s also easy to get around by taxi; a ride between the international airport terminal and Northbridge costs $30-40. Swan Taxi (☎13 13 30), Independent Taxi (☎08 9375 7777), or Black and White Taxi (☎13 10 08) can be hailed around the city, especially along Wellington or William St. Fares start at $3.40 on weekdays and $4.90 on weeknights and weekends, and then increase by $1.39 per km. The visitors center has maps of bike routes. The Bicycle Transportation Alliance, 2 Delhi St. (☎08 9420 7210; www.multiline.com.au/~bta), has information, maps, and advice on bike routes. (Open M and W 8:30am-4pm.) Bikes can be rented through About Bike Hire (☎08 9221 2665), at the corner of Plain St. and Riverside Dr., for $10 per hr. and $33 per day and $70 per week. (Open daily 9am-5pm; 9am-6pm during daylight saving time.)