Long Distance Coach Travel subsidy
Long Distance Coach subsidy is for students where coach travel is required from a train line to either the school or home.
This page is for Long Distance Coach Travel applications. If you want to apply for other travel assistance for boarding students, you will need a different page. If the boarding school student:
- requires NSW TrainLink travel to either home or school, you can apply for either a weekend or vacation Boarder Rail Pass.
- resides away from home but not at the school, and you want to apply for free daily travel, go to apply for a school travel pass
- lives in areas where there is no public transport, you may be able to get a subsidy for driving the student to school or from the nearest NSW TrainLink coach point. Read more on School Drive Subsidy.
Who can get a Long Distance Coach subsidy
Boarding school students who cannot access regular scheduled services on NSW TrainLink train services and coach network may be eligible.
The student must:
- be a resident of NSW, or an overseas student eligible for free government education.
- be aged 4 years 6 months or older. Pre-school children are not eligible.
- be living away from home so they can attend school on a daily basis.
Students who board at school
- may be eligible for weekend and holiday travel on NSW TrainLink train and coach services
Students who board in town near school
- may be eligible for subsidised travel between the family home and the place of boarding at weekends and school holidays.
What trips you can claim
- Passenger travel for Long Distance Coach must be greater than 40 kilometres.
Things to know before applying
Completing the form
- Download and complete the paper form.
- You will need a valid email address.
- The school will need to endorse the application before you submit the application with any supporting documents via transportnsw.info/concessions-application
Please note:
- If you're under 16 years of age, applications must be made by a parent or legal guardian
- If you're 16 years or older you need to complete and submit the application form yourself.
Apply for a Long Distance Coach subsidy (pdf 283KB)
Things to know after applying
After the school has verified your application and you have submitted it, Transport for NSW will process the application. This may take several weeks, and you will be informed of the outcome of your application by email.
- A student may have either a weekend/vacation pass or receive a Long Distance Coach Subsidy reimbursement.
- The student may also be entitled to a School Drive Subsidy to get them to or from the nearest NSW TrainLink or Long Distance Coach pick-up/drop-off point.
- Passenger travel for Long Distance Coach must be 40 kilometres or greater.
Entitlement is subject to the following conditions:
- No other form of free travel has been approved (i.e. NSW TrainLink weekend/vacation pass).
- A maximum of two return trips per term can be claimed. However students have the option of making one additional trip in one school term of their choosing.
- The number of journeys cannot be combined from term to term.
- Parents or schools must pay the cost of the coach fares initially, and then request reimbursement from Transport for NSW.
- Long Distance Coach Subsidy is paid for up to nine journeys per school year.
- Application for refund of coach fares is made by the school principal at the end of each semester.
- Long Distance Coach Subsidy fare refund payments are made direct to the applicant listed.
- Original receipts or passenger’s copy of coach tickets must be uploaded with the claim form for any refund to be processed.
- Download and complete the claim form, and submit via transportnsw.info/concessions-application