Sunday public transport free travel to be made permanent as part of 2026 State Budget
Free public transport on Sundays will become permanent as part of a $70.1 million State Budget measure.
Prime Minister Roger Cook and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti will introduce the budget measure on Sunday and will also announce that the Free to School Scheme will become permanent.
“My government’s 2026-27 State Budget is committed to providing real cost-of-living support for Western Australians,” Mr Cook said.
“Our responsible budget management and focus on maintaining Western Australia’s status as the strongest economy in the country means we can make cost-of-living measures such as free Sunday travel permanent.”
The Free Ride to School Program was established in 2024 and provides free transportation to and from school for approximately 300,000 students with a valid SmartRider.
Free transportation on Sundays was also introduced in 2024, and more than 8 million passengers have made the most of this initiative since its implementation.
Travel is also free for WA Seniors Card holders during off-peak hours, Monday to Friday and all weekend long.
Since January 1, passengers have been able to travel anywhere in the network on a SmartRider with Auto-Load for as little as $2.80 per ride, or $3.50 if they pay with a credit or debit card.
Transwa fares for regional train and bus services have also been halved.
According to government figures, a record 15.7 million passenger boardings were broken on train, bus and ferry services in March.
This follows a record year for public transport use in 2025, with ridership exceeding 150 million for the first time.
“With petrol prices continuing to rise and putting pressure on households across Western Australia, we know these practical initiatives are providing real relief to families; a record number of people chose to use our public transport network last month,” Ms Saffioti said.
“Our government is committed to using our strong economic position to deliver real cost-of-living support to Western Australians, and more will be included in our 2026-27 State Budget.”
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WA) estimates that fuel prices in Australia have risen by 38 per cent since the US conflict with Iran began in late February.
Figures released by Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson’s office showed fuel averages in the Perth metropolitan area on Friday were $2.01 for unleaded and $3.06 for diesel.
