Travel and concession cards

For free and confidential legal advice about this topic, please contact us here.

Can I get free travel?

You can only travel for free on public transport in Western Australia if you’re under 4.

School students

If you’re a student in primary school or high school, you can travel on a discounted concession ticket until the end of the year you turn 18 using a Student Smartrider card. You can get a Student Smartrider card from your school or apply online here.

• Primary school students in city areas: discount applied using a student concession card
• High school students in city areas: discount applied using a student concession card
• Students in rural areas: can apply for Transport Assistance here to provide transportation services to and from school using contracted school buses.
  • Are you unsure whether or not you live in a rural area? Check this map here.
    

Can I travel on a concession fare outside of school hours, like on the weekends?

Yes. Student fares apply throughout the year with the use of a valid Student SmartRider.

University students

If you go to university or TAFE full-time, you can travel on a discounted fare using a Tertiary Smartrider card. The process to obtain a Tertiary SmartRider depends on the institution you attend.

For participating institutions, this process is done internally or through an appointed Smartrider Retail Sales Outlet. Participating institutions include:

• Curtin University
• Edith Cowan University
• Murdoch University
• University of Western Australia

For non-participating institutions, this is done independently. For those in metropolitan areas, you can apply at a Transperth Infocentre / Transperth Retail Sales Outlet. For those in regional areas, you can fill out the Regional form and post it together with a $5.00 cheque to the address on the form. Non-participating institutions include:

• Notre Dame University
• TAFE Colleges

What happens if I buy a concession ticket without my concession card?

You must have your Student or Tertiary SmartRider card with you if you’re using a concession ticket.  It’s not enough just to have your university ID card.  If you’re caught travelling on a concession ticket without your Student or Tertiary Smartrider card, you could be fined $100.

What are rules about behaving on public transport?

When you’re travelling on public transport in Western Australia, you have to follow certain rules including:

• Standing for adults, especially those with special needs such as seniors, people with disabilities and pregnant women.  If you don’t stand up when asked to by an Officer, you will have to pay an adult ticket price for a month.
• Putting your feet on the seats
• No smoking
• No drinking alcohol
• Playing loud music without earphones
• Damaging the bus, train or ferry

If you do these things, you could be fined $100.

If you travel on a school bus and you misbehave in a serious way on repeated occasions, you could be banned from getting the bus for over 5 weeks.

If you have a question about travel and concession cards that we haven’t answered here please contact us here.