Getting There

By Plane

Qantas, or its subsidiary Qantaslink (tel. 13 13 13 in Australia; www.qantas.com.au), flies at least once a day from all mainland capitals as well as Broome, Alice Springs, and Uluru (Ayers Rock). It also services several mining towns in Western Australia. Virgin Blue (tel. 13 67 89 in Australia; www.virginblue.com.au) flies direct from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Kalgoorlie, and Broome, with connections from other cities. Jetstar (tel. 13 15 38 in Australia; www.jetstar.com) has daily flights from Melbourne, with connections from other eastern states cities. Skywest (tel. 1300/660 088 in WA; www.skywest.com.au) connects Perth to all significant towns in WA and to Melbourne and Darwin.

Perth Airport is 12km (7 1/2 miles) northeast of the city. Be aware that the domestic terminal is seriously overcrowded, and delays and long waits for taxis are common. Luggage trolley hire is an expensive exercise, except for international arrivals; you will need A$4 in coins. Allow 20 minutes to transfer between the international and domestic terminals. Both have ATMs, showers, baby-changing rooms, a mailbox (newsdealers sell stamps), and limited tourist information. Internet kiosks and currency-exchange bureaus are in the international and Qantas domestic terminals. The international terminal has cellphones for rent. At the international terminal, look out for volunteer Customer Service Officers called "Gold Coats," mostly in departures, and "WOWs" (West Oz Welcomers) wearing ocher jackets and Akubra hats in arrivals.

Avis (tel. 08/9277 1177 domestic terminal, 08/9477 1302 international terminal), Budget (tel. 08/9277 9277), Europcar (tel. 08/9237 4320), Hertz (tel. 08/9479 4788), and Thrifty (tel. 08/9464 7333) have desks at both terminals.

The Perth Airport City Shuttle (tel. 08/9277 7958) aims to meet all flights within 30 to 45 minutes of Customs clearance, or luggage collection for domestic flights. The shuttle services hotels, motels, and hostels in the city and Northbridge. There is no need to book. Prices are on a sliding scale depending on numbers in a group. Transfers to/from the international terminal cost A$20 (US$18/£9) one-way and A$30 (US$27/£14) return for one passenger, up to A$40 (US$36/£20) one-way, and A$65 (US$58/£34) return for four passengers; from the domestic terminal, from A$15 (US$14/£7) one-way, A$25 (US$22/£11) return for one passenger.

The Fremantle Airport Shuttle (tel. 1300/668 687 in Australia, or 08/9335 1614; www.fremantleairportshuttle.com.au) operates regular services each day from both airport terminals to anywhere in Fremantle, or to nearby suburbs, at a A$5 (US$4.50/£2.25) surcharge. Bookings, in both directions, are recommended. The fare is A$30 (US$27/£14) per person and gets cheaper the bigger your group is -- down to A$10 (US$9/£4.50) per person for five or more people traveling together.

Transfers between terminals operate regularly from 5am to 5pm daily, with a limited service until 9:30pm. Qantas/One World interflight transfers are free, otherwise it will cost from A$12(US$11/£5.50) for one passenger, to A$30 (US$27/£14) for four; taxis between the terminals are about A$24 (US$19/£7.75).

Public bus no. 37 runs to the city from the domestic terminal. No buses run from the international terminal. A taxi to the city is about A$40 (US$36/£18) from the international terminal and A$32 (US$29/£15) from the domestic terminal, including a A$2 (US$1.80/UK90p) fee for picking up a taxi at the airport.

By Train

The 3-day journey to Perth from Sydney via Broken Hill, Adelaide, and Kalgoorlie aboard the Indian Pacific, operated by Great Southern Rail (tel. 13 21 47 in Australia; www.gsr.com.au), is a great experience. It has the world's longest straight stretch of rail (over 483km/300 miles) along the Nullarbor Plain. The train runs twice a week in each direction, and can carry your vehicle. The one-way fare ranges from A$1,890 (US$1,700/£850) in Gold Service with meals and an en-suite bathroom, to A$1,320 (US$1,188/£594) in comfy but cramped (if you're large or tall) Red Sleeper class (meals cost extra, and bathrooms are shared), down to A$690 (US$620/£310) for sit-up-all-the-way coach class (for the young budget traveler). Rail passes are available. There are connections from Melbourne on the Overland train, and to Alice Springs and Darwin from Adelaide with the Ghan. The Prospector train makes the 6 3/4-hour trip from Kalgoorlie daily; call the Public Transport Authority (tel. 1300/662 205 in Western Australia; www.transwa.wa.gov.au).

All long-distance trains pull into the East Perth Terminal, Summers Street off Lord Street, East Perth. A taxi to the city center costs about A$18 (US$16/£8).

By Bus

Greyhound Australia (tel. 13 14 99 in Australia) has no service from the eastern states; there's only a daily service from Darwin via Kununurra and Broome (about 57 hr.), and the fare is about A$740 (US$666/£333). The Western Explorer Pass may give greater flexibility, which is valid for 183 days and costs A$819 (US$738/£369).

By Car

There are only two interstate routes -- the 4,310km (2,694-mile) route from Darwin via Broome in the north, and the 2,708km (1,679-mile) odyssey from Adelaide, which has some of the world's straightest and most featureless roads on the trek across the Nullarbor Plain. Arm yourself with up-to-date details on sightseeing (including whale-watching) and the limited accommodations before setting off. The South Australian or Western Australian state auto clubs can provide advice and information. Both routes are pretty boring, with very few towns en route, but they really bring home how big and empty much of Australia is.