How Much Does It Cost to Get from Perth Airport to the City?

Perth is not a cheap city, and airport transport reflects that. Here is what each option realistically costs in 2026.

Airport train

Since 1 January 2026 Transperth has charged one flat "Go Anywhere" fare to travel anywhere on the network, the Airport Line included: $2.80 with a SmartRider on Autoload, $3.15 with a contactless card, or $3.50 cash (Transperth, effective 1 January 2026). Fares are revised periodically, so check Transperth before you travel. A DayRider giving unlimited travel for the day is $7.00, and Sundays are free if you use a SmartRider or a contactless card. Trains run roughly every 10-15 minutes and the journey to Elizabeth Quay takes 18 minutes. This is by far the cheapest option.

SmartRider cards can be purchased at the airport station. If you plan to use public transit during your stay, it is worth getting one immediately — the Autoload rate is the cheapest fare on the network.

Rideshare fares

Uber pricing is dynamic — the app shows your fare before you confirm, and it climbs with demand at peak hours and late at night. There is no published rate to budget against, so check the app on the day. Perth Airport adds a $4.50 airport fee to every rideshare pick-up. Pickup is from designated areas in the terminal parking zones — a short walk from arrivals.

Taxi fares

Perth taxi fares are capped by regulation and run on the meter: $5.40 to start plus $2.13 per kilometre on the weekday daytime tariff, or $7.70 to start plus the same $2.13 per kilometre at night, at weekends and on public holidays, with waiting time charged at $61 an hour (Transport WA, Schedule 4 of the Transport (Road Passenger Services) Regulations 2020). Perth Airport adds a $4.50 taxi fee on top. Over the 12 km to the CBD that puts the fare around $35-40 before time lost in traffic. Maximum fares are reviewed every year against CPI, so check the current schedule before you travel. Tips are not expected in Australia but rounding up is appreciated. Taxis accept card payment.

Pre-booked private transfers

Private sedan transfers from PER to the CBD cost AUD $70 to $120. SUVs and minivans run AUD $100 to $160. The price is fixed at booking and includes meet-and-greet, luggage assistance, and direct door-to-door service. No surcharges, no surge pricing.

Fares to other destinations

Private transfer prices are fixed at booking. Taxi fares are not published per destination — they come off the regulated meter above, so work them out from the distance ($2.13 per kilometre on top of the flag fall, plus the $4.50 airport fee). Rideshare is quoted in the app on the day.

Fremantle: AUD $90-150 by private transfer. About 35 km from the airport — roughly three times the distance to the CBD.

Scarborough Beach: AUD $80-130 by private transfer.

Cottesloe: AUD $85-140 by private transfer.

Joondalup: AUD $110-170 by private transfer. This is a longer drive north of the city.

The train reaches the CBD on the flat fare regardless of how far you then travel on the network, so for a station-adjacent destination it stays the cheapest way in.

What affects the price

Time of day: Rideshare surge pricing hits hardest during morning rush (7-9 AM) and evening rush (4-6 PM), plus late weekend nights. Taxis switch to the higher $7.70 flag fall after 6 PM, at weekends and on public holidays. Train and private transfer prices stay constant.

Terminal location: Perth Airport's terminals are spread out. T3/T4 are slightly closer to the CBD than T1/T2, which can affect metered taxi fares by a few dollars.

Traffic: The Great Eastern Highway route to the CBD can be congested during peak hours. This increases taxi meter costs but does not affect fixed-price transfers or the train.

Tipping

Tipping is not customary in Australia. Taxi drivers, rideshare drivers, and transfer drivers do not expect tips. If you feel the service was particularly good, rounding up or adding a few dollars is generous but entirely optional.

Bottom line

Budget $2.80-$3.50 for the train, around $35-40 for a taxi on the meter plus whatever traffic adds, whatever the app quotes for a rideshare, or AUD $70-$120 for a private transfer. The train has genuinely changed the cost equation for Perth Airport — the flat fare introduced in January 2026 makes it cheaper still — so use it if you are traveling light and staying near the CBD. For everything else, factor in Australian prices and plan accordingly.