We haven’t posted much news about the railways beyond Europe for a while, but developments in Western Australia are well worth a look, for example from January 1, public transport across the state has become significantly cheaper, following a wide-ranging fare reform announced by the Cook Government.
At the heart of the changes is a complete overhaul of the Transperth and Transregional fare structure, with the introduction of a new “Go Anywhere Fare”. Under the simplified system, passengers will be able to travel anywhere on the metropolitan and regional commuter networks for as little as $2.80 per trip when using a SmartRider with Autoload, or $3.50 when paying by bank card. Remarkably, fares across the network have not been this low since the mid-1980s.
Regular commuters are expected to see substantial savings. Passengers travelling to and from Perth’s CBD could save up to $625 per year, on top of existing reductions delivered through the Two-Zone Fare Cap. On a typical weekday, between 70,000 and 80,000 passengers make journeys covering two zones or more, all of whom stand to benefit.
DayRider and FamilyRider tickets will also be cut to $7, making public transport more attractive for families, visitors, and leisure travel around Perth.
The reforms extend well beyond the metropolitan area. From January 1, fares on Transwa services to 240 destinations across regional Western Australia will be permanently halved. A return journey between Kalgoorlie and Perth will be $100 cheaper, while passengers travelling from Esperance to Perth will save $107.
Alongside METRONET expansions and other initiatives, the changes represent a major push to make rail and bus travel a genuine, affordable alternative to the car—both in the city and across one the state.
