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The metropolitan area of Perth is covered by a large land area. Fortunately, the capital of Western Australia provides great public transportation in Perth for international students and everyone else, so going places is enjoyable and easy. Continue reading to know more.
Common Public Transportation Options for International Students in Perth
The common public transportation systems in the metropolitan area of Perth are train and bus. However, there is also a ferry service in the city centre, so it is also worth considering.
Train
To cover the large area of Perth, seven train lines are passing 76 train stations to the northern, western, southern, and eastern parts of the metropolitan area. Thanks to those lines, places like Perth Airport, the University of Notre Dame Australia, and Lake Joondalup are connected to the CBD directly by train.
Train in Perth is great to be used for long-distance journeys as it is quick and not clogged by traffic and intersections. Unfortunately, train coverage area is limited due to the nature of railway routes that are not as versatile as regular roads.
Bus
The total number of bus stations in Perth is 14 plus 37 for bus-train interchange. Some examples are Curtin Central bus station at Curtin University and Perth Busport in the CBD. From those stations, the buses serve hundreds of routes divided into standard routes with 281, school bus routes with 270, and nine Central Area Transit routes.
Perth provides many bus routes to allow people to move conveniently between suburbs, universities, railway stations, hospitals, tourist attractions, shopping centres, and many other interesting places.
Ferry
Cutting from the east to the west, the Swan River is making a huge body of water passing the centre of Perth. To cross that large river, people can use bridges or a ferry service that connects the Perth CBD with South Perth.
There is only one ferry route which is from Elizabeth Quay Jetty near Elisabeth Quay tourist attraction to Mends Street Jetty near South Store Shopping Centre. However, there are three ferries ready to serve there.
Tips on How to Save Money on Public Transportation in Perth as an International Student
The two factors that decide how much you have to pay for public transportation in Perth for international students are zone and time no matter if you use a train, a bus, or a ferry.
There are nine zones in Perth with Zone 1 located within eight kilometres from Perth’s centre. Add nine kilometres more, and you find Zone 2 with Zone 3 within another nine kilometres. The remaining zones are detected by adding 10 kilometres each.
As for the time, if you are travelling four zones or less, the limit is two hours. On the other hand, the limit becomes three hours if you are travelling five zones or more. During that time, you can change between transportation services unless you use the two-section fare.
The fare prices are $2.30 for two sections, $3.40 for one zone, and $5.10 for two zones. You can pay those fares with cash, or you can follow these tips to save your money.
Use a SmartRider Card
If you plan to live in Perth as an international student and about to use public transportation often, you better purchase a SmartRider card. Not only you do not need to bring cash anymore, but you can also get a 10% discount on fares.
You can buy a standard SmartRider card at bus or train stations in the Perth CBD or a retail outlet. Initially, you should prepare $20 for the card and the minimum credit.
Use Free Transportation
In the centre of Perth, there is a Free Transit Zone allowing people to use a bus or a train for free. The free travel is valid if you do your entire trip in the free zone, and you must have a SmartRider car for the free train.
Moreover, there are Central Area Transit (CAT) buses serving free rides in central areas of Perth, Joondalup, and Fremantle. Lastly, the city also offers First Sunday Free where you can have free train, bus, and ferry on the first Sunday of every month if you have a SmartRider card.
Choose Accommodation Near Your Campus
You do not need public transportation to go studying if your campus is just a walking distance from your living place. Plus, you do not need to wait for the next bus or train to pick you up either. With that, you will save both money and time.
Related: Australian Accommodation Tips: Only for International Students!
In conclusion, always remember to be cautious whenever you are in a public vehicle. Public transportation in Perth for international students is developed to be safe and secure for everyone, but that does not mean that you can be careless when using it.