Airport Guide to Perth (PER)

Airport Overview

Terminal Transfer | Getting into Town | Car Parking | Information Desks | Airport Facilities

Perth Airport has two domestic terminals side by side about 12km (7.5 miles) from the Perth CBD, while the International Terminal is about 17km (11 miles) away from town. The airport has seen a huge increase in passengers in recent years, so if you’re travelling at peak times, be prepared for crowds and queues.

Although the airport’s facilities have been criticised for being outdated and run-down, there is more than enough by way of restaurants, shops, baby-changing facilities, prayer rooms and other standard facilities so that your stay at the airport should be fairly enjoyable and uneventful.

Perth itself is isolated in a vast and empty stretch of Western Australia. The city is quiet and safe, with miles of spectacular, uncrowded beaches close by. If you have time, head for the zoo in the CBD, where kangaroos are allowed to hop right up to visitors.

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Terminal Transfer

There are three terminals at the airport – international arrivals and departures are at Terminal 1, to the east of the airport complex. All domestic arrivals and departures go through the terminal building to the west, which is divided into Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. Terminal 2 is owned by Qantas, and handles all Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar domestic flights, while all other domestic flights go through Terminal 3. There is a shuttle between Terminal 1 and the domestic terminals. It costs AUD 8 (£5) to use unless you’re flying with Qantas and certain other airlines. Check when you make your booking, and collect the free ticket from the Qantas ticket counter.

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Getting into Town

Train: There’s no train station at the airport, but you can get to the main railway station via the Perth Airport Shuttle.

Shuttle: The Perth Airport Shuttle travels to the train station and to several suburbs around the airport. It’ll cost between AUD 2 and AUD 10 (between £1 and £6) to get from the airport, depending on the zone you’re travelling to. A ticket buys you up to three hours of travel on any Transperth bus, train, or ferry service. If you stay in Fremantle, the shuttle can drop you off or pick you up from home.

Bus: Transperth’s bus No. 37 runs from the domestic terminal building to Esplanade Bus Port, Victoria Park Transfer Station and Belmont Forum Shopping Centre. The journey should take about an hour. Coming into the International Terminal, you’ll need to catch the airport’s shuttle bus to the domestic terminals first.

Taxi: There are covered taxi ranks on the ground floor of all three terminals. It’ll cost about AUD 40 (£26) to get to Perth’s CBD, although whatever the fare, remember that there’s an additional charge of AUD 2 for taxis leaving from the airport complex.

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Car Parking

There’s a wealth of parking options at Perth Airport. There’s a drop-and-go area directly in front of the entrances to the terminal buildings. The short-term car parks, also right in front of the terminal buildings, are free for the first 20 minutes, AUD 4 (£2.60) for 30 minutes, AUD 9 (£6) for two hours and an additional dollar for every hour thereafter. There are also several long-term car parks, some quite far from the terminal buildings. Free shuttle buses are on hand to take you to the terminals.

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Information Desks

There are self-help information stands on the ground floor of Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. Look out for volunteer Customer Service Officers, identified by their bright gold jackets.

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Airport Facilities

Money and communications: ATMs and currency exchange in both terminal buildings.

Luggage: There are self-service left-luggage lockers between the car park and the main entrance to Terminal 1. They cost AUD 6-AUD 12 (£4-£8) depending on the size of the locker. A baggage-wrapping service costs AUD 10 (£6.50). Luggage trolleys are available at various points throughout the terminal buildings for AUD 4 (£2).

Conference and business: There are no business facilities as such at the airport. The Comfort Inn Bel Eyre Hotel is just 1 mile (2km) away and has a well-equipped business centre. Qantas, Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Emirates have their own lounges in the International Terminal, while Terminal 3 has lounges available if you’re travelling with Virgin Blue or Alliance Airlines.

Other facilities: Prayer rooms, baby-changing facilities in all three terminals. Terminal 1 also has a children’s play area outside the building, on the west side. Free Internet kiosks in each terminal and a post office in Terminal 3.

Wi-Fi: There is Wi-Fi coverage in the international departures section in Terminal 1 and in both the arrivals and departures sections in Terminal 3, including the restaurants. Unfortunately, it’s not free – you can connect via the service provider Azure, and pay online.

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