Cottesloe without a car

Cottesloe Train Station is on the Fremantle Line, between Mosman Park Train Station and Grant Street Train Station. But resist the temptation to step off the train and immediately make a beeline for the ocean.

One of the nicest things about arriving this way is that Napoleon Street comes first.

The shops and cafés make a good first stop, especially if you need coffee or picnic supplies before heading to the beach.

Then head west towards Marine Parade. And yes - eventually you'll see the blue at the end.

Transperth: Live Train Times

Rather than walking all the way back to Cottesloe Train Station, keep heading north.

The simple version is:

Cottesloe Station → Napoleon Street → Cottesloe Beach → North Cottesloe Beach → Grant Street Beach → Grant Street Train Station

This suggested route leaves room for lunch or a swim along the way. With Grant Street Station at the far end, there's no need to retrace your steps.

Cottesloe Beach may be your longest stop. The Cottesloe Groyne gives you a view back towards Indiana Teahouse, while the grass above the sand is a good place to settle in.

There are Main Beach public toilets, showers and change rooms underneath Indiana at Main Beach, with drinking water along the foreshore.

Town of Cottesloe: Cottesloe Foreshore

From Cottesloe Beach, the rest becomes very simple. Keep the ocean on your left.

Follow the foreshore’s Shared walking and cycling path towards North Cottesloe Beach, with stretches of sand and grass along the way for a break.

North Cottesloe has another set of North Cottesloe public toilets and showers beneath Magic Apple Wholefoods.

On a hot day, this is a walk with swims in it.

On a winter afternoon, it can be an entirely different experience - bigger ocean, fewer people and a good excuse to keep moving or find somewhere to grab a drink or bite to eat out of the wind.

There isn't really a wrong season for this one.

Once you've had enough beach, keep heading towards the Grant Street end of the coast. Then turn inland along Grant Street and head back towards the railway.

Grant Street Train Station is the next station towards Perth after Cottesloe, so you've effectively used the railway line to turn a coastal wander into a simple point-to-point trip.

Of course, you don't have to complete it. If Cottesloe Beach is enough for the day, wander back through the village and leave from Cottesloe Train Station.

Transperth: Grant Street Station

Cott also makes a lot of sense by bike, or scooter, or possibly even skateboard.

The Shared walking and cycling path (the railway’s Principal Shared Path) runs beside the Fremantle railway corridor, giving Cottesloe a direct connection into the broader Perth cycling network.

Then comes the useful part: Cott has east-west connections from the railway towards the ocean. Forrest Street has the easiest shared path through to Cottesloe Beach, while the newer Shared walking and cycling path along Eric Street provides another connection between Curtin Avenue and Marine Parade.

Riding around Cottesloe on quieter streets gives a good feel for the vibe, and parts of Broome Street and Marmion Street have street calming to make them feel more welcoming to riders.

At the beach the whole of Marine Parade is 40 km/h and a new wider shared path will make off-road riding even more enjoyable.

The closer you get to the foreshore, the more mixed the environment becomes.

There are people walking, kids, dogs, driveways, playgrounds, people stepping sideways without looking and visitors who have absolutely no idea they're standing across the path you're riding on.

That's Cott.

Give people room, ride to the conditions and slow right down through busy areas.

The rule of thumb is: if you can say hi to someone as you ring your bell and ride past and can hear them say hi back, then you're riding at a good pace to share the path.

Make it a fun ride at John Black Dune Park and Cottesloe Skatepark

If you want a bit more of a challenge for yourself or any kids tagging along, there is also a new skatepark near the beach on Napier Street at John Black Dune Park. It has a bowl, street and pump track for riding, scooting and skating.

Town of Cottesloe: Cottesloe Skate Park

Town of Cottesloe: Active Transport

You can also mix the two.

Ride one way and train the other. Catch the train to Cott and continue north or south by bike. Or use the railway to cut out the less interesting part of a longer ride.

Just know the Transperth rules before relying on it. At the time of writing:

Off-peak: bikes can travel on trains, space permitting.

Morning peak: bikes can't travel towards Perth between 7am and 9am.

Afternoon peak: bikes can't travel away from Perth between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.

Transperth: Cycling

If you've only ever experienced Cott from Marine Parade, there's another little piece worth knowing about.

The Cottesloe Civic Centre and grounds at 109 Broome Street are open to the public, even though parts are regularly booked for weddings and events.

Inside you'll find lawns, mature gardens, a Cottesloe Civic Centre Playground, seating, a barbecue area and some unexpectedly quiet corners away from the beachfront.

It's a nice counterpoint to the coast - particularly if the beach is windy.

There are Civic Centre public toilets - Napier Street on the Napier Street side of the Main Lawn, and the Town asks visitors to respect weddings and other private functions taking place in the grounds.

Town of Cottesloe: Civic Centre Grounds

Arriving without a car gives the places between your stops a chance to catch your eye: the village shopfronts, gardens and changing stretches of coast.

Walk the one-way route or bring a bike and connect it with the rail corridor and east-west shared paths.

Before you go

Check live train departures and current service changes rather than relying only on a saved timetable, particularly if you're planning a one-way walk or bringing a bike.

Facilities, train access and transport restrictions can change, so use the current Town and Transperth information if any part of the trip is essential to you.