The Western Australian government is following through on a major election promise, announcing a $152 million investment to introduce a suburban flat fare for public transport.
The cash boost will see the existing Transperth nine-zone system abolished and fares, already benefiting from a two-zone cap introduced in January 2022, further reduced to a suburban flat fare.
From January 2026, passengers on WA’s public transport system will pay no more than $2.80 to get anywhere on the network when using SmartRider’s autoload function.
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The one-zone fare cap will also be extended to Transregional bus services.
“Transport costs are one of the biggest expenses many WA households have to budget for and that’s why we made this major commitment to the people of Western Australia,” transport minister Rita Saffioti says.
“Unlike the Liberals and Nationals, who put forward no plan for public transport and spend their time attacking our initiatives, our government is getting on with what we promised.”
This change is expected to make WA one of the most affordable states to catch public transport, saving commuters hundreds of dollars a year.
“Over the past three years we’ve seen how beneficial the two-zone cap has been for the tens of thousands of people who have to commute each day, and from 1 January next year, that will become even cheaper,” Saffioti says.
“For an average commuter in Dawesville, who in 2021 was paying $13.10 for a one-way cash ticket to the city, it means their commute will cost no more than $3.50 (or $2.80 if they’re using a SmartRider) – a saving of up to $100 a week.”
The government also announced it would invest $18.2 million to halve the cost of all Transwa fares.
The 50 per cent cut to all Transwa fares will take effect from January 1 2026, making it cheaper to travel to and from more than 200 destinations across regional WA.
As part of the new fare structure, an adult with a return ticket will save up to $100 on the Prospector between Perth and Kalgoorlie, $36 on the new Australind train between Perth and Bunbury, $107 on a road coach between Perth and Esperance and $93 on a road coach between Perth and Kalbarri.
“The savings are not just for our city commuters – public transport users in several regional centres will also get to enjoy a cap on their fares, while our permanent 50 per cent reduction in Transwa fares will make it cheaper to get to and from hundreds of regional destinations,” Saffioti says.
“All up, this will mean huge savings for tens of thousands of Western Australians and their families.”
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