Rottnest Island, Wadjemup to the Whadjuk Noongar, is a limestone island off Fremantle with 63 beaches and 20 bays.
Cycle past pink salt lakes to the wild West End, swim in The Basin, and share the path with quokkas.
Island entry, explainedThe admission fee is inside every ferry fare
Three operators, one pageRottnest Express, SeaLink and Fast Ferries
Free cancellationEach listing shows its own deadline
Secure checkoutBooked and paid on GetYourGuide
Ferries
Choose your Rottnest ferry
In the centre, SeaLink's return ferry from Fremantle with the island entry built in. Either side, the fast ferry
from Hillarys and Rottnest Express from Fremantle's two terminals. Every card opens a full ticket page.
The only ferry from Hillarys, north of Perth, with free all-day parking at the harbour. Out at 7:30 or 10:00, back from the island at 4:30 in the afternoon.
A plain return ferry from Victoria Quay with the island admission fee built in. Pick a same-day or an extended return and choose your sailing each way.
A return Rottnest Express ferry from B Shed in Fremantle or from Northport, which you can only reach by car. The longest free cancellation window of the three.
Three questions sort it out. Which jetty is easiest for you to reach? Do you want a bike, a guide or just the boat?
And how early do you want to be on the island?
Check in 30 minutes before sailing. Same-day return unless the listing offers an extended stay. Bikes on the
ferry must be pre-booked; packages include a hire bike on the island.
Before you book
One island, four jetties.
Every Rottnest ticket sells the same thing: a seat on a fast boat across about 19 kilometres of the Indian Ocean, and the
government's island admission fee, which is built into the fare. What differs is where you board and when the boats run.
From Fremantle it is about 30 minutes. From Hillarys, north of the city, about 45. From Barrack Street Jetty in Perth it is 75 to 90
minutes, because the boat first runs down the Swan River.
Booking on GetYourGuide does not change the boat, the jetty or the island fee: you travel on the operator's own sailing. That makes
the booking question a timetable question. Want the first boat? SeaLink and Rottnest Express both leave Fremantle early. Staying in the
CBD? SeaLink runs one morning sailing from the city. Driving? Hillarys has free parking, and Rottnest Express's Northport terminal can only
be reached by car.
4
Places to board: Barrack Street Jetty in Perth, Victoria Quay (B Shed) in Fremantle,
Northport in North Fremantle and Hillarys Boat Harbour. Your ticket names one of them, so check it twice.
Rottnest ExpressSeaLinkRottnest Fast FerriesFerry + bike
Quokkas are wild and protected: look, photograph, but never touch or feed them.
01
Is entry included?
Yes. The island admission fee is part of every ferry fare to Rottnest.
02
How early?
Thirty minutes before sailing. Boarding closes 5 to 10 minutes before departure.
03
Missed the boat?
The fare is usually lost and ferries do not wait. Call before departure if you are running late.
04
Bring lunch?
Yes, food is fine. Alcohol only at licensed venues, never on the beach.
Your day
How a Rottnest ferry day runs
An early boat out, an afternoon boat back, and six or seven hours on the island in between. This is the shape of it.
01
Get to the jetty
Train to Fremantle and a short walk to Victoria Quay, or drive to Hillarys or Northport. Parking in Fremantle fills early.
Allow 30 to 40 minutes
02
Check in and board
Show your e-ticket, drop any checked bag, collect a bike voucher if your package has one. Sit outside if you get seasick.
30 minutes before sailing
03
Cross to Thomson Bay
Open water from Fremantle and Hillarys; a river cruise first from Perth. Some days the crossing is bumpy, and in spring you may see whales.
30 to 90 minutes
04
The island
Bike, bus or walk to the bays, the lighthouse and the West End, then be back at the jetty before your return sailing.
Your own bike crosses only if you pre-book it, for a fee, and spaces can sell out.
Ferry-and-bike packages put a hire bike with a helmet on the island for you instead.
Carry-on is limited (SeaLink allows one item, Rottnest Express two); bigger bags travel checked and can be delivered to your accommodation.
E-bike batteries travel with you in your hand luggage on SeaLink.
Under-4s travel free if they do not take a seat.
Rottnest Express's Quokka Club lets registered WA kids aged 4 to 12 ride with a paying adult for the cost of the island fee.
SeaLink's bike packages are adult bikes only and not for under-16s; Rottnest Express has children's bikes and baby seats on request.
The Basin is the easiest swim for children, a short walk from the jetty.
FremantleAbout 30 minVictoria Quay (B Shed) and Northport, the shortest crossing.
HillarysAbout 45 minRottnest Fast Ferries from the northern suburbs, free parking.
Perth75 to 90 minBarrack Street Jetty, down the Swan River first.
Check-in30 min beforeBoarding closes 5 to 10 minutes before sailing.
The island63 beachesAnd 20 bays, along a coast you can cycle in a day.
IncludedIsland entryThe admission fee is inside every ferry fare.
Where the boats leave
Where the ferries leave
Four jetties, one island
Victoria Quay (B Shed), Fremantle · Northport, North Fremantle · Barrack Street Jetty, Perth · Hillarys Boat Harbour
Fremantle is the easy one without a car: the Victoria Quay terminal is about a five-minute walk from Fremantle train station.
Northport, where some Rottnest Express sailings leave, is inside the working port and can only be reached by car. Barrack Street Jetty sits at
Elizabeth Quay in the city, and Hillarys Boat Harbour is in the northern suburbs, with free parking.
Already on the island? Skydive Geronimo flies from the Rottnest airfield, a short walk from the jetty, and lands you on the beach. Book it with a ferry that leaves you time: the operator suggests a late-afternoon boat home. Ages 16+.
Three companies, four jetties, one island 19 kilometres offshore. The tickets look alike, and in one way they are:
the fare is set by the route, not by where you click. Here is how to read them.
What a ticket really buys
Every return ferry to Rottnest bundles two things: the crossing itself and the Rottnest Island Admission Fee, which the Rottnest
Island Authority charges every visitor and spends on the island's facilities and conservation. You never pay it at the jetty; it is
already in the fare. The fee comes in a day version and a slightly dearer version for when you travel out and back on different days,
which is why an extended-stay return costs a little more than a same-day one.
Beyond that, the price follows the distance. Fremantle is the short hop. Hillarys, up the coast, is a little further. Perth adds a
cruise down the Swan River before the open-water leg, and it shows in both the time and the fare. Packages then add a bike, a bus tour,
a Segway ride or a guided day with lunch.
Rottnest Express and SeaLink both sail from Fremantle, from Victoria Quay.
Rottnest Express, SeaLink or Fast Ferries
Rottnest Express has the most departure points: B Shed in Fremantle, Northport in North Fremantle and Barrack Street Jetty in the city.
It runs the Quokka Club for WA children and an annual pass for WA residents. SeaLink sails from Victoria Quay and once a day from Perth,
with a free hotel pickup for that city sailing. Rottnest Fast Ferries is the only company at Hillarys Boat Harbour, where parking is free.
Crossing times from Fremantle are the same either way, so pick the sailing time you want and book whoever runs it.
The honest small print: "Fremantle" on a ticket can mean two different terminals. Rottnest Express sails from both
B Shed and Northport, and Northport is inside the port, reachable only by car. Check the terminal on your booking before you set off.
Bike, bus or your own feet
The island is about 11 kilometres long and there is little traffic, which makes it one of the nicest bike rides near Perth. The full loop
is around 22 kilometres, and the listings allow three to five hours to ride it with stops. If cycling is not for you,
the Island Explorer bus stops at 19 points round the coast, and the guided bus tours add commentary on the lighthouse, the wrecks and the
seals at Cathedral Rocks. Walkers have the Wadjemup Bidi trails, 45 kilometres in five sections.
The loop road runs past bay after bay; the lighthouse on the hill is the island's centre point.
Wadjemup, and the quokkas
Wadjemup is the Whadjuk Noongar name for the island. Between 1838 and 1931 it held a prison for Aboriginal men and boys, and the island
contains one of Australia's largest Aboriginal burial grounds; the Rottnest Island Authority and the Whadjuk Noongar are working on how it is
remembered. The quokkas, the small marsupials Willem de Vlamingh mistook for rats in 1696, are why the island has its European name. They are
wild and protected. Take the photo, keep your distance, and never feed them.
Timing it
Take the earliest boat you can, especially from Fremantle, and the island is quiet for the first couple of hours. Summer weekends, Easter
and the WA school holidays are when sailings sell out, so book those ahead. In spring the humpbacks pass on their way south, and on calm
days you may see them from the ferry deck.
Hire bikes wait at the jetty on the ferry-and-bike packages.
Straight answers to what people ask most about the Rottnest ferry.
How much does the Rottnest ferry cost?
It depends on three things: where you leave from, whether you come back the same day, and your age. A same-day return from Fremantle is the cheapest standard ticket; Perth costs more because of the Swan River leg, and an extended-stay return costs a little more than a day return. The island admission fee is already inside every fare. The fare guide explains what moves the price.
Which is better, Rottnest Express or SeaLink?
Neither wins outright. Both cross from Fremantle in about 30 minutes and from Perth Barrack Street Jetty. Rottnest Express also sails from Northport and runs the Quokka Club for WA kids; SeaLink has one morning sailing from Perth with a free hotel pickup. Pick the one whose timetable fits your day. Details in Rottnest Express or SeaLink.
Do I need to book the Rottnest ferry in advance?
In summer, at weekends, over Easter and in the WA school holidays, yes: popular sailings sell out, and bike spaces go first. On a winter weekday you can often book the day before. Booking ahead also locks in your sailing time, which matters more than anything else on a day trip.
How early should I arrive for the Rottnest ferry?
Thirty minutes before departure at Rottnest Express and SeaLink. Rottnest Express closes boarding 5 minutes before sailing, SeaLink 10 minutes before. Rottnest Fast Ferries at Hillarys lets passengers with a barcoded ticket walk straight to the boat. Allow extra time to park in Fremantle.
What happens if you miss your Rottnest ferry?
Usually you lose the fare. Rottnest Express charges the full fare for a no-show and does not hold ferries, and SeaLink tickets are non-refundable. If you know you will be late, call the operator before departure: changes are possible up to an hour before sailing. More in the ferry tips.
What is the cheapest way to get to Rottnest Island from Perth?
Take the train to Fremantle and catch a same-day return from there instead of sailing from the city. Look out for the operators' weekday early-sailing deals and advance-booking discounts, and bring your own lunch. See cheaper Rottnest tickets.
Is the island admission fee included in the ferry ticket?
Yes. The Rottnest Island Admission Fee is charged by the Rottnest Island Authority and is built into every ferry fare to the island, so you never pay it separately when you arrive by ferry. Two Rottnest Express listings do not mention it on the page; the operator's own fares include it.
Is one day enough for Rottnest Island?
For the highlights, yes. Take a morning ferry, hire a bike or ride the island bus, swim at The Basin, see the West End and catch an afternoon boat back. Cycling the full loop takes about three to five hours. Our day trip guide has a plan by ferry times.
Can you take food to Rottnest Island?
Yes, you can bring your own food and drinks, and plenty of people pack a picnic. Alcohol is only allowed at licensed venues, not on beaches or jetties. Fill your water bottle in Thomson Bay: refill points are few away from the settlement.
Can you take a bike on the Rottnest ferry?
Yes, if you pre-book it, for a small fee, and spaces can sell out. Many visitors skip that and book a ferry-and-bike package instead, where the hire bike waits on the island. Compare them on the tours page.
Which departure point should I choose?
Fremantle is the shortest crossing and a short walk from the train station. Hillarys suits the northern suburbs and has free parking. Perth Barrack Street Jetty is the slowest but adds a Swan River cruise. See Perth, Fremantle or Hillarys.
Ready to book
Pick your jetty, catch the early boat.
Island entry included and free cancellation on every ticket here.
Northern suburbs
★ 4.8Same-day returnFree cancellation
