Bike or Bus on Rottnest Island

The best way to get around Rottnest Island is by bike: there are no private cars, the roads are quiet, and the 22 km loop takes three to five hours with stops. If you do not want to cycle, the Island Explorer bus loops the island and the bus tours add a commentary. The easiest way to have a bike waiting is a ferry package such as SeaLink’s Ferry and Bike Hire from Fremantle: the bike, helmet and lock are handed over by the ferry crew, from US$89 a person (checked October 2026), rated 4.8 from 508 reviews.

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Can you drive on Rottnest Island?

No. Private vehicles are not allowed on the island; the only vehicles you will see are service vehicles, the buses and the tour coaches. That is why the bike is the island’s main transport, and why the roads are pleasant to ride.

By bike

The full loop is 22 km, and the Rottnest Island Authority puts it at three to five hours. The roads are sealed and signposted, with some long climbs, especially out to the West End. Wearing a helmet is compulsory under Western Australian law, and every bike package here includes one. On SeaLink’s package an adult has to collect the bike and anyone under 18 hiring one needs a parent or guardian with them; for children’s bikes, e-bikes, baby seats and trailers, the ferry operator points you to the hire shop on the island. One guest on this package said they would hire an e-bike next time.

Is it worth hiring a bike?

Yes, if you are reasonably fit: it is the cheapest way to reach the bays you choose, at your own pace, and most of the bike and ferry packages cost only a little more than the ferry alone. Guests on the most reviewed of them, Rottnest Fast Ferries’ bike and ferry day from Hillarys, mostly praise the freedom. A few recent reviews on three different packages mention bikes in poor condition (a rear brake that did not work, gears that would not change), so check your bike before you ride off.

Is the bus free?

No. The Island Explorer is a hop-on hop-off bus that loops the island past 19 stops, and its all-day ticket is paid; some ferry packages include it. Its operator says it is not a tour and has no commentary. The bus tours are a separate, priced product: SeaLink’s ferry and bus tour includes a 90-minute tour with a live commentary, and the bus tour page compares the others.

With a guide: Segway or e-bike

Segway Tours WA’s 1.5-hour Fortress Adventure takes you off-road to the Bickley Battery gun emplacements and the Jubilee Hill lookout, after a training session; the 1-hour Settlement tour stays around Thomson Bay. Both are for ages 12 and up. Pauls Eco E Bike Tours’ 3-hour guided e-bike tour rides out to the West End with a stop for lunch at Narrow Neck; one guest this September said the e-bike let them ride the whole island, which they could not have done on a normal bike, and another warned there was no time to swim.

Which to choose

Pick how you get around:

Prices and review counts as listed on GetYourGuide in October 2026, not a quote.

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