*Update*
Having came back from the trip, I hate to admit but having a car is still the easiest way to enjoy the sights and scenaries of Western Australia.
With that out of the way, that does not mean this guide is useless though, it is still good for reference if you have such situations:
1) No one in your group drives or no one feels like driving
2) Only you can drive and you are worried about fatigue driving
Overall, I feel it would be better taking buses for long haul distances, while renting a car in each town that you will be staying. This way, you can avoid fatigue driving. Remember, safety comes first!
Recently my partner and I have been planning for our trip to Perth. We will be going there in early Aug for 12 days and visiting the southern regions of Perth.
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| Another 8000 more steps and we will reach our destination! |
During the planning stage, I had to choose between the more common tourist travel option for Perth (car) or other less convenient means of transportation.
Since the driving for each leg can stretch for hours, and I was the only driver, we decided against fatigue driving and go for the long haul point to point bus rides instead. This is also how some locals travel and would definitely fit in with the theme of this website.
So in short, if you are looking for driving tips in Perth, there are already a lot of such articles online. However, if you are looking for how to explore Perth using other means of transport, I hope this post can give you some inspiration.
In the end, to suit the bus timings, we decided to split the itinerary like this:
- Busselton (including Dunsborough, Margaret River) : 3 days
- Albany : 4 days
- Perth (including King's Park, Fremantle) : 5 days
We had a late flight into Perth (read here for tips to laying over in Perth Airport). The plan was to spend a night in airport and take the earliest South West Coach Lines to Busselton (transit via Burnbury).
Pro Tip: Buy online and choose the NetSaver fare for a 10% discount.
For reference, two tickets = AUD $99.57 inclusive of GST, estimated travelling time is 3 hr 20 mins.
For our Busselton to Albany, Albany to Perth legs, we have to go via Transwa because South West Coach Lines does not serve such routes.
For reference, Busselton to Albany leg, two tickets = AUD $119.40 inclusive of GST, estimated travelling time is 8 hrs (transit via Burnbury).
For Albany to Perth, two tickets = AUD $125.20 inclusive of GST, estimated travelling time is 6 hrs 5 mins.
For this Perth trip, I decided to try something different for accommodation. As I wanted to really get to know the locals lifestyle, I booked my Busselton and Perth accommodation via AirBnB. Only the Albany leg is still booked in a hostel because the AirBnB options were quite expensive.
*Update*
The AirBnB experiences were great! and we got a great experience of local way of life.
Meanwhile for my fellow explorers who would like to experience local lifestyle, why not give AirBnB a try?
Pro Tip: If you sign up via this link, you get $34 off your first booking.
Disclaimer, I get some referral credit if you sign up via my link, but why not enjoy the rewards together :)
Disclaimer, I get some referral credit if you sign up via my link, but why not enjoy the rewards together :)
Some useful links that help me plan for the trip:
Perth Airport Terminal Maps
Perth Airport Terminal Transport
Southwest Coachlines Stop Locations
Transwa Coach Stop Locations
Western Australia Public Bus Timetables
Perth Journey Planner
Perth and Fremantle CAT Buses
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