School buses are free when they operate wholly in a rural area and travel to the local school.

To travel on free school bus services you

• Must be a student under 19.
• Do not need a Student Bus Pass to receive free travel.

A rural area is entirely outside the urban area.

If the school is within the urban area, the bus will charge a fare. This is to ensure fairness between urban and non-urban students at the same school.

See urban area boundary maps.

A local school is the school within your intake area.

An intake area is the geographical boundary that surrounds each government primary and combined (district) school. Sometimes called school ‘catchments’ or ‘home areas’, intake areas are set by the Department of Education. Primary and district schools accept enrolments from their intake area. High schools accept enrolments from certain primary and district schools.

See intake area map – electronic.
See intake area maps – PDF.

Learn more about Department of Education intake areas.

School buses charge a fare when they travel to, from, or wholly within, an urban area. This is to ensure fairness between urban and non-urban students at the same school.

See urban area boundary maps.

If you travel on a fare charging service you may be eligible for a Student Bus Pass for Free Travel.

You can pay a fare on the bus using a smartcard or cash.

Smartcards

A smartcard is an electronic card that stores travel credit and can be topped up online.

When you use a smartcard you get a discount and can transfer between buses for free.

• Your fare is 20% cheaper than the cash fare.
• Within 90 minutes of getting on the first bus, you can transfer for free to another bus operated by the same company.

When you board simply tap your smartcard on the machine near the driver and your fare will be deducted.

Different bus operators use different smartcards.

Greencard

• The companies that use Greencard are Metro and Tassielink.
• You can use the same Greencard on all Metro and Tassielink services.

Learn more and apply for a Greencard.

Transportme

• The companies that use Transportme are MerseyLink, Derwent Valley Link, East Tamar Bus Lines, Manions Coaches, and Redline (Public Derby, Scottsdale and Bridport routes only).
• Transportme cards can’t currently be shared between companies.
  • For example, if you get your Transportme card from MerseyLink you can use it on MerseyLink services but not Derwent Valley Link services.

Learn more and apply for a Transportme card by choosing your bus operator from the list below:

• MerseyLink
• Manions’ Coaches
• Kinetic (East Tamar service) - George Town routes only
• Kinetic (North East service) - Derby, Scottsdale and Bridport
• Calows Coaches - St Helens and Coles Bay
• O’Driscolls (Derwent Valley Link).

Cash

You can buy a single-trip or 10-trip ticket from the bus driver using cash. Drivers appreciate it when you have the right change.

10-trip ticket

If your bus operator does not offer a smartcard option you can buy a 10-trip ticket. The 10-trip ticket offers a 20% discount compared to single-trip cash fares.

There are different fares for child students and adult students.

Child students

You are eligible for a child student fare until the end of the year in which you turn 18.

For example, if you turn 18 on 1 May 2021, you are eligible for an adult fare until 31 December 2021.

• If you are under 16 you don’t need to show proof of concession.
• If you are over 16 you
  • May be asked to show your student identification card to the driver when you board the bus.
  • Must be studying full time (600+ hours/year).
  • Must be attending an education facility recognised by the Department of Education, TasTAFE, University of Tasmania or College of English.

Adult students

You are eligible for an adult student fare from the start of the year in which you turn 19.

For example, if you turn 19 on 1 September 2021, you are eligible for an adult fare until 31 December 2021.

You must

• Show your student identification card to the driver when you board the bus.
• Be studying full time (600+ hours/year).
• Be attending an education facility recognised by the Department of Education, TasTAFE, University of Tasmania or College of English.

Child students

Child students pay a flat fare regardless of the distance travelled. Effective 1 January 2024 the child student fare is:

Cash:

• single-trip ticket: $2.00
• 10-trip ticket: $16.00 (20% discount).

Smartcard:

• all trips: $1.60 (20% discount).

Adult students

See adult student fares for different trips.

Child students

Student Bus Passes allow free travel for some or all of a journey between home and school and/or school and home.

You may be eligible if you

• Are listed on a Centrelink Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card or Department of Veterans’ Affairs Pensioner Concession Card.
• Travel entirely within the rural area and there is only a fare charging service available.
• Travel on more than one fare charging bus service (operated by different bus companies) between home and school and/or school and home.
• Are under a Care and Protection Order.

Learn more about Student Bus Passes.

Adult students

Special Circumstance Bus Passes allow discounted or free travel for some or all of a journey between home and school and/or school and home.

You may be eligible if you meet certain criteria.

Learn more about Special Circumstance Bus Passes.