WA Labor to deliver cheaper public transport

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will deliver more cost of living relief for Western Australians, with public transport fares to be slashed under a new suburban flat fare – saving commuters hundreds of dollars each year.
  • WA Labor to deliver a one-zone fare, providing real savings for Western Australians
  • New suburban flat fare will be $2.80, the same as a current one-zone trip
  • Change will save tens of thousands of regular commuters up to $625 every year
  • Cheaper fares will extend to regional towns that operate TransRegional services
  • Fare reforms part of WA Labor’s cost of living plan for WA households

A re-elected Cook Labor Government will deliver more cost of living relief for Western Australians, with public transport fares to be slashed under a new suburban flat fare – saving commuters hundreds of dollars each year.

WA Labor will overhaul the public transport fare system by abolishing the current nine-zone structure and replacing it with a single suburban flat fare for all public transport.

The changes will benefit tens of thousands of households across WA, with between 70,000 and 80,000 people making journeys of two zones or more on a typical weekday.

The cost of the new suburban flat fare will be the same as the existing cost for a single zone of travel, meaning passengers will be able to go anywhere on the network for no more than $2.80 when using SmartRider Autoload.

This will benefit Western Australians from Stirling to Yanchep, Bassendean to Midland, Morley to Ellenbrook, Queens Park to Byford, and Bull Creek to Mandurah.

The policy will also extend to TransRegional services in communities including Geraldton, Bunbury, Kalgoorlie and Albany, which currently operate on a two-zone system.

The reforms mean most regular public transport users would save about $625 every year, building on the Cook Labor Government’s existing two-zone fare cap, which is already saving commuters thousands of dollars.

A person living in Dawesville who uses public transport regularly to get to work in the city will save a further $625 each year in transport costs, on top of the more than $3000 already saved under the two-zone fare cap.

Existing reforms to public transport fares under WA Labor has driven massive growth in public transport use, with 20 million extra boardings last financial year.

If re-elected, WA Labor’s new fare structures would take effect from 1 January 2026, with an estimated cost over the forward estimates of $107 million.

Under the reforms, the existing two-section fare for journeys less than 3.2 kilometres will be retained.

Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:

“WA Labor has delivered on our commitment to build METRONET, connecting thousands of Western Australians to work, training and entertainment, including the Ellenbrook Line, the Yanchep Rail Extension, Airport Line and Byford Rail Extension."

“This change to public transport fares will deliver genuine cost of living relief to tens of thousands of households across Perth and WA and builds on our range of initiatives to make travel cheaper for Western Australians."

“We are making public transport more accessible and affordable than ever before, and these changes will encourage more people to jump on the train or bus and reduce congestion on our roads."

“Only WA Labor can be trusted to provide affordable and reliable public transport to Western Australians.”

Back to media