Getting around
Contents
Car & motorcycle
Car
To really see and explore this enormous state, and for flexibility, many people end up hiring or buying a car. Bear in mind that WA is not only enormous, it’s also sparsely populated, so make safety preparations if you plan to travel any significant distance.
There are many spectacular, enticing areas of the state that don’t have sealed roads, and a 4WD is recommended for places such as the spectacular Kimberley, even in the Dry. You can hire one in Broome or Kununurra.
For up-to-date road information across the state, call 1800 013 314.
Bus & tram
Bus
Greyhound Australia (13 14 99; www.greyhound.com.au; 7am-9pm) buses run from Perth along the coast to Broome ($351, 31 hours) and Darwin ($630, 60 hours). If your trip is going to cross Australia, the Greyhound Aussie Kilometre Pass is purchased in kilometre blocks, starting at 2000km ($340), then 1000-kilometre blocks up to 10, 000km ($1275) and onwards to 20, 000km ($2450). You can get off at any point on the scheduled route and have unlimited stopovers within the life of the pass.
Perth-Goldfields Express (1800 620 440; www.goldrushtours.com.au) goes from Perth to Laverton via Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Integrity Coach Lines (08-9226 1339; www.integritycoachlines.com.au) runs between Perth and Port Hedland. South West Coachlines (08-9324 2333), in the Transperth City Busport, runs services from Perth to southwestern towns such as Augusta, Bunbury, Busselton, Dunsborough, Nannup and Margaret River.
Government-operated Transwa (1300 662 205; www.transwa.wa.gov.au) goes to Albany, Augusta, Esperance, Hyden, Kalgoorlie, Pemberton and York, and north to Geraldton, Kalbarri and Meekatharra.
Train
Transwa (1300 662 205; www.transwa.wa.gov.au) operates WA’s domestic rail network. It provides services between Perth and Kalgoorlie (Prospector), Northam (AvonLink) and Bunbury (Australind).
Air
Qantas (13 13 13; www.qantas.com.au) has regular flights to Broome and Kalgoorlie; it’s also worth checking internet specials to Broome with Virgin Blue (13 67 89; www.virginblue.com.au). Skywest (1300 660 088; www.skywest.com.au) operates flights to many regional centres, including Albany, Esperance, Exmouth, Carnarvon and Kalgoorlie. Northwest Regional Airlines (08-9192 1369; www.northwestregional.com.au) shuttles travellers between Port Hedland, Fitzroy Crossing, Broome, Halls Creek and Karratha as well as offering scenic flights.
