Perth Railway Lines

Author: Klau S.

With the release of numerous Metronet projects over the past few years, there are now around seven different separate railway lines. Unfortunately not all of them are created equal - some take you on a journey through numerous biomes, while others make you feel that walking is a preferable alternative.

The Ranking

6 - Fremantle Line
Thoughts: This was the easiest decision of my life, the Fremantle Line is the definition of painful public transportation. I'll start with the good attributes - it's the only line to feature stunning views of the Indian Ocean, Fremantle Station's heritage makes it feel like a tourist destination, and Subiaco Station being underground is neat. However, those are the line's only positive traits… There are way too many stations for the distance covered, you'll honestly probably spend a similar time at each station in total than you are actually moving. There's nothing even unique about most these stations either, with most being the typical flat stations found throughout the heritage lines. The views from along the line aren't thrilling either, primarily following a trench for the majority of its runtime. I really hope they do something to simplify this line one day!


5 - Airport Line
Thoughts: The Airport Line is nothing too special. Similarly to other eastern lines, the beginning portion is rather slow and not too exciting. Alike the Ellenbrook line, the Airport line divots from Bayswater Station, finding itself tunnelling underground for the entirety of its length. The tunnelling portion is cool, especially for Perth where we have negligible amounts, but the novelty of it runs out quite quickly. Airport Central is great though - it feels rather grandiose compared to the typical station. High Wycombe station has some decent views of the surrounding area, while Redcliffe is a typical interchange although painful if you actually want to use it to access terminal 3 or 4.


4 - Midland Line
Thoughts: As with all eastern tracks, the beginning of the Midland Line is slow and without much to see. Unlike the two splinter tracks, the Midland track continues to be more of the same after Bayswater Station, with nothing really that interesting to look at unless you like housing and industrial areas. The areas around and after Guildford station at least has some greenery/nature to view at least, while the Maylands strip is something different. Midland Station does feel a bit unique in that it's platforms feel as if they're longer than other terminals. The rest of the stations aside from East Perth, face a similar issue to the Fremantle Line in which they're all incredibly samey and have no uniqueness. East Perth station feels like a proper transport hub thanks to it being the terminus for all long distance busses/trains, although the other eastern lines also share it so it can't be counted uniquely for the Midland Line.


3 - Yanchep Line
Thoughts: There's nothing inherently special or lacking with the Yanchep line. The vast majority of its length is served down the median strip of the freeway, meaning there's nothing exactly mind-blowing in terms of views. A couple of the older stations - namely the Warwick and Whitfords stations, are quite unique with their bus interchanges being directly placed into/atop the railway portion. Meanwhile, Joondalup station is directly built into/under Lakeside Joondalup, which is wholly unique across the Perth railway network.


2 - Ellenbrook Line
Thoughts: The second-most recent line to open, the Ellenbrook Line feels like a shorter course of the same dish when compared to the Mandurah line. Following the eastern corridor, it features the same painfully slow start that every other line on the same corridor experiences, but it improves drastically once it gains its independence after Bayswater station. The latter of which is the highlight of the beginning portion, with its elevation providing great views of the surrounding area. You're then thrust into the Perth classic, railway in the middle of a highway, but thankfully this portion doesn't last too long, and you're also treated to great views of the hills along the way. The path then dips under the highway temporarily and returns to the surface at Ballajura station. You then travel through the sprawling fields of south Whiteman Park, before travelling alongside its shrubby eastern border up to Ellenbrook Station. The only stop on the way is Whiteman Park station, another elevated station and my personal favourite - it looks uniquely imposing from a distance.<br>While not as long as the Mandurah Line and thus missing out on the vastness of experiences the former possesses, the Ellenbrook Line provides similar yet shorter experiences while also having the benefit of numerous elevated stations that provide additional great views.


1 - Mandurah Line
Thoughts: Being the longest available, the Mandurah Line is a journey through numerous different areas, with numerous great views along the way. After leaving the Perth CBD area, you're instantly treated to captivating views of Swan River, which last for around 10 minutes until you finally cross Mt Henry bridge. Afterwards, the route does become typical center of freeway views, although both it and the freeway eventually start to enter less developed areas. The track then divots from the freeway, taking a separate path towards Rockingham. After which is the real crown jewel of the track - for almost the entire rest of the journey, looking eastwards rewards you with constant lush forest and lakes. It almost feels like you've entered the wilderness despite not actually being that far from built up areas.