Updated in October 2026, this Fremantle Prison guide covers ticket prices, opening hours, parking or transport, accessibility and what to see.
Fremantle Prison is a World Heritage listed convict-built prison at 1 The Terrace in Fremantle, Western Australia. Tour prices are fixed until 30 June 2027, and day tour tickets are bought at the ticket office rather than online. This guide was last updated in October 2026 and confirms the current prices, the booking rules and the free entry to the Gatehouse Complex.
Quick facts: Fremantle Prison
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Gatehouse 9am to 5pm daily. Tours from 10am to 5pm. Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day. |
| Ticket prices | Gatehouse free. Convict Prison, Behind Bars or True Crime tour: adult $25, concession $22, child $15, family $73. |
| Address | 1 The Terrace, Fremantle WA 6160 |
| Nearest transport or parking | Paid car park on The Terrace via Fothergill Street. Fremantle Station is a short walk or bus ride away. |
| Typical time needed | About 2 to 3 hours |
Fremantle Prison opening hours
The prison is open 7 days a week from 9am to 5pm. It is closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day. The Gatehouse hours are the same all year, and there are no seasonal changes to the daytime hours.
Tour times differ from the Gatehouse hours:
- Convict Prison Tour: departs every hour from 10am to 5pm.
- Behind Bars Tour: departs daily, hourly from 10.30am to 4.30pm.
- True Crime Tour: departs daily, hourly from 11.45am to 4.45pm.
- Tunnels Tour: departs at 9.00am, 9.45am, 10.40am, 12.20pm, 1.40pm, 2.40pm and 3.25pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Weekday times vary, so check the online booking calendar.
- Torchlight Tour: departs on Wednesday and Friday evenings, with several tours each night. Tours start from 6.30pm from April to October and from 7.00pm from November to March.
Arrive 15 minutes before any tour departs. For the Tunnels Tour this is compulsory, and latecomers are not admitted.
Fremantle Prison ticket prices
Entry to the Gatehouse Complex is free. It includes the Visitor Centre, the Convict Depot and the Gift Shop. Everywhere else in the prison is reached on a guided tour only.
- Convict Prison, Behind Bars or True Crime tour: adult $25, concession $22, child $15, family $73.
- Two prison tours: adult $35, concession $32, child $25, family $113.
- All three prison tours: adult $45, concession $42, child $35, family $153.
- Torchlight Tour: adult $30, concession $26, child $20, family $90.
- Tunnels Tour: adult $70, concession $60, child $50, family $215.
- Tunnels and one prison tour: adult $80, concession $70, child $60, family $255. This adds a prison tour to the Tunnels Tour for $10.
A family pass covers two adults and two or three children aged 4 to 15. Accepted concession cards include Seniors, Pensioner, DVA Gold, Student and Backpacker cards. Carers with a Companion Card are admitted free at a ratio of one to one.
Payment is by cash, EFTPOS, Visa or Mastercard. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, so keep your ticket until the end of the visit. Opening hours and ticket prices were checked on the official website and last updated in October 2026.
5 great things to do in Perth
- 🚲 Take the ferry to Rottnest Island – then cycle to the beaches and quokkas.
- 🌌 Dine in the desert and go stargazing – on an evening Pinnacles tour.
- 🐬 Swim with wild dolphins – on a wildlife adventure to Rockingham.
- 🍷 Combine a Swan River cruise with wine-tasting in the Swan Valley.
- 🏟️ Go behind the scenes – on an Optus Stadium tour.
How to get to Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison is on The Terrace, a short walk uphill from the centre of Fremantle. The Fremantle Line train from Perth takes about 25 to 30 minutes.
- By train: take the Fremantle Line to Fremantle Station, then walk about 10 minutes or take a bus.
- By car: the drive from Perth takes about half an hour. Use the paid car parks listed below.
Parking at Fremantle Prison
A paid car park with 60 bays is directly outside the prison, on The Terrace via Fothergill Street. Another large paid car park is at the bottom of Fairbairn Ramp, reached from Parry Street.
Parking fees apply at both. Plan on at least three hours of parking.
Accessible bays are in City of Fremantle car park 29 on The Terrace (two bays) and car park 1 on Parry Street (three bays).
How long to spend at Fremantle Prison
Plan about 2 to 3 hours for a first visit. Each daytime prison tour takes 1 hour 15 minutes, and the Gatehouse Complex needs extra time.
The Torchlight Tour takes 1 hour 30 minutes, and the Tunnels Tour takes 2 hours 30 minutes.
Accessibility at Fremantle Prison
Parts of every tour are not accessible by wheelchair. A discounted ticket at the child rate is offered to visitors who cannot use all areas of a tour.
The Convict Prison Tour has many stairs and is not recommended for visitors with mobility issues. Wheelchair access is about 90% on the Behind Bars Tour, about 80% on the True Crime Tour and 100% on the Torchlight Tour. The Tunnels Tour is not accessible.
Facilities include two accessible parking bays, accessible toilets, free upper-level manuals for areas that wheelchairs cannot reach, and free Auslan handheld guides. Prams can be left downstairs on most tours. Limited luggage storage is free.
What to see at Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison is Western Australia’s only World Heritage listed building. Convicts built it in the 1850s, and it housed prisoners until 1991.
The Visitor Centre is in the former Contact Visits Area. It shows artefacts, footage of prison life and panels on the prison’s history.
The Convict Depot is in the former Superintendent’s backyard. You can search a convict database for ancestors and see convict-era artefacts and photographs.
The Convict Prison Tour covers the 1850s to 1886. It explains why almost 10,000 men were transported from Britain and Ireland and how they built their own prison.
The Behind Bars Tour covers the maximum security era from 1887 to 1991 and walks through the Main Cell Block. The True Crime Tour tells the stories of notorious inmates.
The Tunnels Tour descends about 20 metres below the prison on a vertical ladder. Guides lead a trek through dry tunnels built by prisoners, then visitors board replica convict punts to explore flooded passages.
The Torchlight Tour runs after dark with stories of executions and punishment. It includes the Gallows, the former place of execution, and has jump scares and sudden noises.
Tours cover themes some visitors may find distressing, including solitary confinement, executions, violence and suicide. Consider this before booking.
Tunnels Tour requirements: visitors must be over 12, fit and able to climb a vertical ladder alone. Weight must be between 40 kg and 140 kg, and visitors must not fear heights or confined spaces. Children aged 12 to 15 need an adult. Bags, phones and cameras are not allowed, and a free locker is provided. Wear socks, because boots are supplied.
Practical visitor tips
| Topic | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | Day tours leave every hour. Arrive 15 minutes early, and allow a few hours for several tours. |
| Crowds | Tours can sell out in school holidays and peak periods. Buy your ticket early in the day. |
| Layout | Start at the Gatehouse Complex, where the ticket office, toilets, baby change and Gift Shop are. |
| Entry process | The Gatehouse is free. Day tour tickets are sold at the ticket office or by phone on (08) 9336 9200. |
| On-site logistics | Only water is allowed on tours. Stay with your group, wear shoes and watch your step on uneven surfaces. The prison cafe is closed for renovations. |
Frequently asked questions about Fremantle Prison
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Fremantle Prison free to enter? | The Gatehouse Complex is free. Entry beyond it needs a guided tour ticket. |
| Is Fremantle Prison suitable for children? | Children can join the Convict Prison and Behind Bars tours at the child rate. True Crime and Torchlight tours are not recommended under 10, and the Tunnels Tour is for ages over 12. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for Fremantle Prison? | Convict Prison, Behind Bars and True Crime tours need no booking, but phone bookings are recommended at peak times. Torchlight and Tunnels tours need booking and prepayment, online until 3pm the day before. |
| Is Fremantle Prison open on Sundays? | Yes. It is open seven days a week from 9am to 5pm. |
| Is Fremantle Prison wheelchair accessible? | Partly. The Torchlight Tour is 100% accessible and Behind Bars about 90%. The Convict Prison and Tunnels tours are not. |
Things to do near Fremantle Prison
- Round House: the oldest public building in Western Australia, built in 1831 on Arthur Head overlooking Bathers Beach.
- WA Shipwrecks Museum: a museum in an 1850s commissariat building on Cliff Street, with items from the Batavia wreck.
- WA Maritime Museum: a museum on Victoria Quay Road that holds the America’s Cup winning yacht Australia II.
- Fremantle Markets: a market in a building from 1897, open Friday to Sunday.
- Cappuccino Strip: a row of cafés and restaurants on South Terrace, five minutes from Fremantle Station.
Alternative attractions
- WA Museum Boola Bardip: a state museum in the Perth Cultural Centre, with eight permanent galleries, about 25 minutes from Fremantle by train.
- Wadjemup Museum, Rottnest Island: a museum in the Old Mill and Hay Store that tells the island’s history, including Aboriginal imprisonment.
- Old Court House Law Museum: Perth’s oldest surviving building, completed in 1836.
- Perth Mint: a heritage mint at 310 Hay Street with tours and a gold pour.
- Guildford Courthouse and Colonial Gaol: a National Trust heritage site in Guildford, north-east of Perth.
More Perth travel
Other Perth travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Visitor tips for the Western Australian Botanic Garden in Perth.
- Practical Perth beach guides: Plan a visit to Scarborough Beach, Cottesloe Beach or Coogee Beach.
- Quokkas by the beach on Rottnest Island.
- Practical tips for visiting the Caversham Wildlife Park.
- Why the Swan Valley is a perfect stopover.
