Booking choice: The Rottnest Express ferry from Fremantle. Book this Tour details
The government admission fee sits inside every fare, and no deal touches it. The ferry part is where the savings are, and they come with catches: early sailings, weekday travel, booking ahead or a non-refundable ticket.
Below are the deals the operators and the Rottnest Island deals page publish, and the trade-off behind each. Deals change and blackout dates apply, so confirm the terms on the day you book.
The quick answer
Start from Fremantle, not Perth, and ride the train there. The lowest published fares are SeaLink's Weekday Saver on the 7:00am Fremantle boat, Monday to Friday, and Rottnest Express's TELETHON code, valid most days outside the Christmas blackout. Booking SeaLink 7 or more days ahead takes a percentage off the ferry part. WA children ride free on each operator's kids' scheme. The catch: these fares are non-refundable.
What is the cheapest way to get to Rottnest Island from Perth?
Take the train to Fremantle and book a Fremantle same-day return, ideally a weekday saver or promo fare. Boarding in Perth costs far more because you pay for the river cruise.
Transperth trains run from Perth to Fremantle in about half an hour, and travel is free on Sundays if you tap on with a SmartRider or a contactless card (Transperth fares). From Fremantle station, SeaLink's desk is about 5 minutes on foot and Rottnest Express's B Shed is a short walk. Avoid Northport if you're on foot: it is car-only.
The other routes cost more. Perth fares cover a 75 to 90-minute trip down the river. Hillarys is a little dearer than Fremantle but has free parking, which can tip it for a family with a car. Seaplanes and air taxis exist, and they are in a different price class altogether. Our departure guide has the full comparison.
Are there discount codes for Rottnest ferries in 2026?
A few official ones. Rottnest Express's TELETHON code gives a low same-day return from Fremantle or Perth, and each operator's kids' club sends WA families a code for free child fares.
The deals that are published by the operators or on the Rottnest Island site:
| Deal | Operator | How it works | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telethon Saver | Rottnest Express | Code TELETHON; same-day return from Fremantle (B Shed or Northport) or Perth, admission included | Limited seats September to April; no travel 24 Dec to 11 Jan; non-refundable, cancel for credit only |
| Weekday Saver | SeaLink | Applied automatically on the 7:00am Fremantle sailing, Monday to Friday | Not valid on the 4pm boat back; non-refundable; blackout dates |
| Book-ahead discount | SeaLink | Applied automatically when you book at least 7 or 8 days ahead (the deal pages differ) | Not on the admission fee; non-refundable; blackout dates |
| WA kids' clubs | All three | Sign up, get a code, children ride free with a paying adult | WA residents only; child admission fee still payable |
| Red Rider Annual Pass | Rottnest Express | Up to 10 returns in 12 months from Fremantle, for WA residents | Admission fee extra each trip; 2026 passes sold out |
Coupon sites list plenty of other codes. Most are expired or single-use. Rottnest Fast Ferries does not advertise a public promo code for 2026 on its own site; its Kids Club code is the official one. Conditions on every deal change, so check the operator's offer page before you pay.
No code needed: the plain Rottnest Express return from Fremantle, with free cancellation up to 2 days before, per the listing.
Book thisWhat is the cheapest day to take the Rottnest ferry?
A weekday outside school holidays. SeaLink's cheapest fare runs Monday to Friday on the 7:00am boat, and the timetable adds sailings Thursday to Sunday because that is when people travel.
The Weekday Saver needs you on the 7:00am sailing from Fremantle and back on a weekday, and it isn't valid on the 4pm return. That suits a full day anyway. SeaLink's timetable runs 5 departures on quieter weekdays and up to 10 from Thursday to Sunday, which tells you where demand sits.
Dates to avoid if your budget is tight: the WA school holidays (26 September to 11 October 2026, 17 December 2026 to 31 January 2027, 10 to 25 April 2027) and 24 December to 11 January, when the Telethon fare is blacked out. Popular sailings can sell out over summer, weekends and holidays, says SeaLink.
Are ferry tickets cheaper in advance or closer to the date?
In advance. SeaLink discounts bookings made a week or more ahead and prices dynamically until you pay; Rottnest Express says its best rates on select services go to those who book ahead. No operator says fares drop at the last minute.
SeaLink's terms say fares are subject to variable and dynamic pricing until paid in full (SeaLink terms). Waiting risks a higher fare on a busy day and a sold-out sailing on a peak one. Booking ahead with the operators' own discounts is never dearer than the standard fare.
The trade-off is flexibility. Promo fares are non-refundable. A plain ticket on GetYourGuide costs the standard fare but refunds in full if you cancel in time: up to 24 hours before on the SeaLink return, up to 2 days before on the Rottnest Express return. If the weather or your plans are uncertain, that flexibility is worth more than a deal you might lose.
Standard fare, full flexibility: SeaLink from Fremantle with island entry included and free cancellation up to 24 hours before, per the listing.
Book this Tour detailsCan WA kids travel free on the Rottnest ferry?
Yes. Rottnest Express, SeaLink and Rottnest Fast Ferries each let WA children ride free with a paying adult through a kids' club. You still pay the child admission fee.
- Rottnest Express Quokka Club: WA children aged 4 to 12, up to two per paying adult, with a passport of rewards.
- SeaLink WA Kids Travel Free: ages 4 to 12, one child per paying adult; sign up for a code, use it within three months; proof of residency may be asked for.
- Rottnest Fast Ferries Kids Club: WA children 12 and under, up to two per full-paying adult, on day and extended returns; book at least 24 hours ahead.
Visitors from outside WA pay child fares, which are well below adult fares. Infants ride free with Rottnest Express if they don't take a seat, and Rottnest Fast Ferries carries children up to 3 free.
Is a ferry and bike package cheaper than hiring a bike on the island?
Not always. A package mostly saves you a queue and guarantees a bike; the total can land close to a plain ferry plus a bike hired on arrival. Compare both totals before you book.
Packages bundle the ferry, the admission fee, a bike and a helmet: Rottnest Express from B Shed, SeaLink from Victoria Quay (adult bikes only, not for under 16s) and Rottnest Fast Ferries from Hillarys. SeaLink also hires bikes separately, collected as you leave the ferry, and Pedal & Flipper hires them in the settlement.
Bringing your own bike carries a pre-booked freight charge on each operator. If someone in your group won't cycle, the Island Explorer hop-on hop-off bus costs about the same as a day's bike hire and runs a 19-stop loop. Rottnest Fast Ferries sells a ferry and bus-pass combo (details).
Ferry, bike, helmet and admission in one booking from Fremantle B Shed. Your bike is waiting; no hire queue in the settlement.
Book this Tour detailsIs the shuttle or the ferry cheaper?
There is no road to Rottnest, so a shuttle only gets you to the wharf. The free hotel pick-ups that come with some tickets, and the train to Fremantle, are the cheapest ways to reach the boat.
Two courtesy pick-ups come with a ferry ticket at no extra charge. Rottnest Fast Ferries runs complimentary transfers from major hotels in the CBD, Northbridge, Scarborough and along the Sunset Coast to Hillarys (Rottnest Fast Ferries FAQ), and SeaLink offers a free hotel pick-up for its 8:30am Perth sailing, booked by 5pm the day before. The Hillarys return lists hotel pick-up as an option.
A taxi or rideshare to the wharf costs more than the train, and parking at Victoria Quay is paid. If you have a car, Hillarys has free parking all day. The cheapest combination for most visitors stays the same: a Transperth train to Fremantle, free on Sundays, and a Fremantle return.
Do regular visitors and groups get a better deal?
Yes. WA residents who visit often can buy Rottnest Express's Red Rider Annual Pass, and groups of 10 or more booking a week ahead qualify for group fares.
The Red Rider Annual Pass covers up to 10 return trips in 12 months from B Shed and Northport; the admission fee is paid on each trip. The 2026 passes are sold out and the 2027 release is due later in the year. Rottnest Express's terms offer group fares for 10 or more passengers on the same sailing booked at least 7 days ahead.
Winter is the other window. In past years the WA Government and the operators ran winter campaigns with ferry discounts, such as a 2025 Rottnest Express fare discount and a 2024 seniors' return fare. No repeat has been announced for 2026, so treat them as a reason to watch the Rottnest Island deals page from June.
Fremantle with SeaLink: same-day or extended return, admission included, cancel free up to 24 hours before.
Book thisFrequently asked questions
Is the Rottnest ferry cheaper on GetYourGuide?
Not cheaper and not dearer: the plain return tickets sell at the operators' standard fares. What GetYourGuide adds is free cancellation; the operators' own promo fares are cheaper but non-refundable.
Is the Island Explorer bus or a bike cheaper?
They cost about the same for a day. A bike reaches more beaches; the bus suits anyone who won't ride. Rottnest Fast Ferries sells a ferry and bus-pass combo.
Do seniors get cheaper Rottnest ferries?
Yes: all three operators sell concession fares for seniors. A WA Government seniors' return fare ran in winter 2024; no repeat has been announced for 2026.
Are promo ferry fares refundable?
No. The Telethon Saver, the Weekday Saver and SeaLink's book-ahead discount are non-refundable. Rottnest Express lets you cancel a Telethon fare for credit towards a full fare.
Ready to book
Choose your ferry
Free cancellation on every option; each listing shows its own deadline. The island admission fee is part of every ferry fare.
Rottnest Express Return Ferry from Fremantle
- Return ferry from B Shed or Northport
- Choice of departure terminal
- Hotel pickup listed (confirm with the operator)
SeaLink Ferry & Admission from Fremantle
- Return ferry, same day or extended stay
- Rottnest Island admission fee
- Onboard bar and wifi
Rottnest Express Ferry & Bike from Fremantle
The bike waits on the jetty, island entry included
