Perth commuters’ early stocking filler: free summer public transport

The state government will forgo $10.4 million in ticket revenue to offer free public transport from December 24 to January 28.

It was a Christmas bonus to help address the soaring cost of living and encourage people who don’t usually use public transport to get on a train, bus or ferry, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti told Radio 6PR.

“Around this time, like normal, our ‘board’ is normally a bit lower, just because it’s around the Christmas time; so we’ve got capacity. We thought it’d be a great idea to offer that capacity free of charge to the WA public,” she said.

She said regular commuters to the CBD could save $10 a day, meaning those working through the Christmas and New Year period could save more than $200 over the period.

She said motorists could also save up to $30 a day by taking the train or bus avoiding large costs like parking.

Saffioti said there was potential for the free travel to become an annual Christmas event.

“We really want to make it successful and encourage people to get on a bus or train,” she said.

To be eligible for the free transport, commuters must have a Smartrider.

The WA government has developed a habit of using the Transperth network to bolster its response to cost of living pressures.