School transport for post-primary students

The school transport scheme provides transport for post-primary students who live more than 4.8 kilometres away from their nearest school. The scheme is funded by the Department of Education.

Bus Éireann runs the school bus service on behalf of the Department of Education. The Department and Bus Éireann decide what is the relevant school, considering:

• Ethos
• Language
• The shortest route from the child’s home.

The service is only provided where there are at least 10 eligible pupils in an area that can be economically serviced by a bus route. Even when a pupil meets the age and distance criteria for school transport, there is no legal entitlement to transport.

The closing date for new applications for school transport services for the 2024-2025 school year was 26 April 2024. You can submit a late application, but there is no guarantee of a ticket (see ‘Late applications’ below).

You can submit your application on the Bus Éireann website (see ‘How to apply for the School Transport Scheme’ below).

Pupils from Ukraine

Pupils from Ukraine should visit gov.ie/ukraine for details on how to apply for school transport. Pupils from Ukraine should not apply on the Bus Éireann website. Applications will continue to be accepted as families are relocated or as new families arrive.

Applications will continue to be accepted as families are relocated or as new families arrive.

Proposed changes to school transport scheme

A review of the school transport scheme has recommended changes to how the scheme works, so that more students can use buses by 2030.

It recommends:

• Removing the ‘nearest school' requirement, where there are existing bus routes or where there is enough demand for a new route (at least 10 pupils)
• Reducing the distance required for pupils to qualify for the school transport scheme

You can read a summary report (pdf) and the full final report (pdf) of the school transport review.

Budget 2025: reduced school transport fees for 2025-2026

It was announced in Budget 2025 that school transport fees for the 2025-2026 school year will remain at €50 for primary school students, €75 for post-primary school students and €125 for a family ticket.

To be eligible for school transport, a student must:

• Be enrolled in a recognised post-primary school, and
• Live 4.8 kilometres or more from the nearest school

Children with special educational needs are also eligible for free transport to and from special schools and to special classes.

Where are the pick-up points?

Parents must arrange to bring their child to the nearest pick-up point on the bus route. Generally, bus routes are organised so that no pupil has more than 3.2 kilometres to travel to a pick-up point.

There is provision for parents to pay for the bus service to be extended to a closer point, where this is feasible from the point of view of time and where it would not result in a major disruption to other pupils using the service.

Pupils attending a recognised post-primary school that is not the post-primary school for their area can use the service if there is room on the bus, provided they live at least 4.8 kilometres from the school in question.

Pupils may be given transport to enable them to attend the nearest all-Irish post-primary school or a post-primary school for their particular ethos if they live at least 4.8 kilometres or more from that school.

Remote area grants

A remote area grant may be paid at the end of the school year for a child who applied for school transport on time and are eligible under the school transport scheme, but where no transport service was available from Bus Éireann.

Towards the end of the school year, Bus Éireann provides a list to the Department of Education of children who are eligible but did not receive a transport service. The Department will then contact these families directly in relation to the grant.

It is generally based on the distance a family resides from their nearest eligible school. The maximum daily allowance payable under the remote area grant is €5.10 per day and will be calculated on the attendance record of the child for the relevant school year.

Standards

Children using school transport are expected to behave responsibly and to have regard for their own safety and the safety of others. There are guidelines (pdf) covering the standards expected and how any alleged misbehaviour will be handled.

Reduced fares on public transport

Dublin Bus, the LUAS and the DART offer concessionary fares for school children during school terms.

The fees for school transport in 2024-2025 are:

• €50 for a primary school child/concessionary
• €75 for a post-primary school child/concessionary

The maximum fee for a family is €125.

The closing date for payments was 7 June 2024.

If you make a late payment or submit medical card details after the deadline date, your application is considered late and you are not guaranteed a seat.

Concessionary transport

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application and payment process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated. These seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Pupils with medical cards

Pupils who are eligible for school transport and who hold a valid medical card are entitled to free school transport to the nearest school. To qualify, the medical card details must be submitted to Bus Éireann by the set deadline. The medical card waiver is not applicable for concessionary seats.

A medical card holder who is starting to attend a school further away than the nearest education centre is not entitled to free transport to that school.

If your child is enrolling in post-primary school for the first time, you can apply for school transport online on the Bus Éireann website. You can also contact Bus Éireann with questions about your application or ticket.

Late applications

The closing date for new applications for school transport services for the 2024-2025 school year was 26 April 2024.

You can submit a late application, but there is no guarantee of a ticket and this will only be considered:

• On a concessionary basis, at best
• If there are seats available
• If your child meets the criteria

Late applications will not be eligible for the remote area grant if there is no route available.

Can I appeal a decision on my application for school transport?

If you wish to appeal a decision on your application for school transport, you should complete the appeal form online. You can send any additional documents to the School Transport Appeals Board.

You can find out more about the School Transport Scheme in Bus Éireann’s list of FAQs and on Gov.ie.

If you have questions about school transport, you can contact Bus Éireann or contact the School Transport Section of the Department of Education.

To ask about timetables, pick-up points, routes and applications for transport grants, you should contact your local Bus Éireann school transport office.

Read more about the Post-Primary School Transport Scheme (pdf).