Car Rental at Perth Airport

Airport travel guide

The capital of Western Australia, Perth is an amazingly remote destination. Located on the coast of the Indian Ocean, it is so far from the more populated parts of Australia that it is, in fact, closer to the capitals of Indonesia and East Timor than it is to Australia’s own capital, Canberra. Despite this extreme isolation, those who visit it will discover a modern metropolis that is home to an interesting history, thriving culture, and unique nature. In addition, Perth is known for its beautiful beaches and relaxed lifestyle, as well as being the sunniest capital city in the world!

The sites in Western Australia are spread out, and so Perth is the ideal place to start a Western Australia road trip to explore all this beautiful state has to offer. You may wish to do a Perth to Exmouth road trip, a Perth to Broome road trip, or even do the journey from Perth to Esperance to explore all the stunning white sand beaches!

These are some of the best destinations in and around Perth:

• Western Australian Museum. Made up of six different branches, three of which are in or near Perth (the other three are in different parts of the state), this is one of the most impressive museums in all of the country. Whether you visit the immense Boola Bardip museum which has exhibitions on everything from Indigenous Australian culture to the natural history of the region and contemporary Australian society or the more specialized Maritime and Shipwrecks Museums, you’re bound to have a great time. Visit the museum’s official website to find more about admission hours and purchasing tickets online. 
• Kings Park. A vast public nature area and a place of learning, Kings Park is one of the most visited places in Perth. Attractions include a large botanic garden, the DNA tower built in the shape of a double helix, the Aboriginal Art Gallery, and a network of bushland hiking paths. Located along the north bank of Swan River, the Kings Park and Botanic Garden can be easily accessed from anywhere in the city. Kings Park is one of the largest inner-city parks in the world and offers stunning views of the city skyline and the Swan River.
• Beaches. Although Perth is very distant from other big Australian cities like Sydney, Melbourne, or Adelaide, these places all have one thing in common — they are surrounded by absolutely beautiful beaches. Perth’s most famous beaches include Cottesloe Beach and Scarborough Beach. You can easily visit the rest of the beaches on the Sunset Coast with a rental car, as well as all the other beaches up and down the coast.
• Fremantle. Fremantle is a beautiful historic port city located about 30 minutes south of Perth. Visit The Fremantle Prison to learn about its convict history, and check out the Fremantle Market - a great place to explore on the weekends!
• Nambung National Park. Taking up a large portion of the Pinnacles Desert, Nambung is primarily known for its limestone formations, as well as thrombolites, unique natural structures made up of microorganisms that have been cemented together. All of this makes for an otherworldly landscape. Despite the arid conditions, the national park is also home to diverse fauna such as various species of kangaroos, bobtail lizards, and black-faced woodswallows. The drive from Perth takes about two hours along the coast, and while the park can be visited on a day trip, there are also some lodging options in the area.
• Jurien Bay. Jurien Bay is a lovely beachside holiday town located 220 km north of Perth (just 30 minutes drive from Nambung National Park). Jurien Bay is full of gorgeous white sand beaches, turquoise waters and it is the best place in Western Australia to swim with sea lions! These cute animals are so playful and curious, they are so fun to watch!

Top international routes

• Melbourne
• Sydney
• Denpasar (Bali)
• Brisbane
• Karratha
• Adelaide
• Port Hedland
• Kalgoorlie
• Singapore
• Kuala Lumpur

Main airlines

Virgin Australia, Qantas, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, Alliance Airlines, Scoot and Jetstar Airways

Terminals

There are four main passenger terminals: T1, T2, T3, and T4. T1 and T2 are located next to each other as are T3 and T4. A free 24/7 shuttle runs between the two sections. T1 has both international and domestic sections, with Virgin Australia based out of the domestic part. T2 is used by Virgin Australia Regional and Alliance Airlines. T3 and T4 are used by Qantas with T3 used for international flights and T4 for domestic flights.

Location

Perth Airport is about 10 km (6.2 miles) from the city center. The Great Eastern Highway is the main road connecting the airport to the city. It should take around 20 minutes to drive from the airport to Perth CBD via State Route 8. There are no toll roads within Perth or WA.

Note that there is no speed buffer in Australia, so even if you are driving 1 or 2 km over the speed limit you could get fined. There are plenty of speed cameras around. Always stick to the speed limit (usually 100 km/h on freeways, and 50 km/h in built-up residential areas) and obey the signs.

Most popular types of rental car

• Small cars - from $20 per day
• Large cars - from $26 per day
• SUVs - from $21 per day
• Medium cars - from $36 per day
• Vans - from $78 per day
• Convertibles - from $99 per day
• Station wagons - from $124 per day
• Premium cars - from $104 per day

Car rental desks

Europcar and Alamo (serviced by Enterprise) have desks in both sections of the airport. Atlas Car and Truck Rentals is located close to the airport on the Great Eastern Highway and the company provides a shuttle from all terminals to its location. Perth Rent-a-Car is located a little further from the airport on Abernethy Road and charges a small fee for a shuttle from the airport.

Services and facilities

You’ll find shops and duty-free stores, as well as a number of restaurants and bars. There are also ATMs, lounges, parenting rooms, children’s play areas, first aid rooms in all terminals, a pharmacy, showers, and a quiet room for prayer and meditation. There are self-service luggage lockers in each terminal. Oversized baggage can be left at the SmarteCarte kiosk in the check-in area on the ground floor of T1. The airport offers special assistance to travelers with reduced mobility. You can find more information on the airport's official website.

Nearest gas station

A Caltex station located at 961-963 Abernethy Rd. is convenient if approaching the airport from the north and returning a car to T1 or T2.

A BP station located at the intersection of the Great Eastern Hwy & Resolution Dr is the best station if coming to the airport from the city and returning a car to either Atlas’ off-airport location or to T3/T4.

Finally, if coming from the north, a BP station at 419 Great Eastern Hwy is the best station for both Atlas and T3/T4.

Popular one-way rentals

• Bunbury (174 km / 108 miles)
• Busselton (228 km / 142 miles)