Getting from Perth Airport to the city

An ordinary train to an airport

• The Airport Line is part of the Transperth suburban network, which is the important thing about it: no premium airport surcharge, no separate operator, no special ticket.
• Airport Central station is 18 minutes from Perth Station in the CBD, and 3 minutes from Redcliffe.
• Redcliffe itself is 15 minutes from Perth Station.

Which terminals

• Airport Central serves Terminals 1 and 2. Perth's terminals are split across two sides of the airfield and are a real drive apart.
• Check which terminal your airline uses before you plan the train. Qantas domestic and international have historically not been in the same place here.

Paying

• A SmartRider card gives 10 per cent off the cash fare, and works across the network.
• Cash fares are available, so arriving without a card is not a problem.

Why this is worth using

• Perth is a long way from everywhere and most arrivals are tired. A train that takes 18 minutes, runs to a suburban timetable and costs a suburban fare is the rare airport link that is simply better than the taxi.
• Perth is UTC+8, the same as Singapore and Hong Kong, and two or three hours behind the east coast. That catches people connecting from Sydney or Melbourne.