Getting around

​​​Driving in Western Australia

Visit the Department of Transp​ort website​ to find out about:

• driving on an overseas licence in Western Australia (different rules apply to visitors and permanent residents from overseas); and

• driver rules, penalties and infringements.

Vehicle insurance

Western Australia operates a compulsory third party insurance scheme (TPI), paid as part of your vehicle licensing. This ensures that every vehicle using public roads in Western Australia is insured for third party personal injury. The scheme also covers people injured by uninsured or unidentified vehicles. Visit the
Department of Tran​sport website​ for more information.

You can also purchase various levels of cover from a motor vehicle insurance company so both you and your vehicle are covered in the event of an incident.

Public transport

Perth metropolitan area

Perth has a modern, inexpensive public transport system incorporating trains, buses and ferries. There is also a free central area bus service, known as CAT which runs within the Perth central business district (CBD) and the Fremantle and Joondalup city centres.

See the Transp​erth website​ for more information.

Regional Western Australia

Most towns offer a local bus service and many schools operate a bus service to pick up and take students home​ each day.

Coaches, buses and some trains travel regularly to and from regional areas. Visit the TransW​A website​ for more information.

Air services

Perth’s international and domestic airport is only 12 kilometres from Perth’s CBD.

It is approximately 17 flying hours from London, 15 hours from Frankfurt, 10 hours from Dubai and South Africa, seven hours from Hong Kong and approximately five hours from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.