Bus Éireann School Transport Services will commence on Friday, 26th August 2022
Families that apply for and receive a school transport ticket for the academic year 2022/23 will not be charged a fee for their school bus ticket this year: read details of the announcement. .
No payment or medical card details will be needed but families will be requested to confirm that transport is required for the 2022/2023 school year through a new confirmation process which is available on the Bus Éireann family portal.
To secure your child’s place for the coming school year, you must log in and request your ticket on the Bus Éireann family portal at the link below before Friday 29 July 2022.
For existing family account holders, Bus Éireann will issue instructions to you in an email. Please follow the instructions in this email when you receive it to ensure your application is considered for the 2022/2023 school year. Please check your email account that you registered on the Bus Éireann portal for updates.
- Families who have already applied for their tickets for the 2022/2023 school year will have their application processed in the usual way, but without a fee being charged
- Families who had already paid/entered medical card details for their ticket prior to announcement that there would be no charge do not need to take any further action. Where fees have already been paid, these will be refunded in the coming period
- Families who have not yet paid for their ticket will need to confirm they still require a ticket by 29 July 2022 in line with the process which is available on the Bus Éireann family portal
If you do not complete your ticket request by Friday 29 July 2022, your request will be treated as a late application and you are not guaranteed a ticket for the 2022/2023 school year.
Please be sure to complete your ticket request as soon as possible and before Friday 29 July 2022 to ensure you are considered for the school transport scheme this year.
Normal eligibility criteria will apply and tickets will be allocated accordingly.
The closing date for making an application for the 2022/23 school year was 29 April 2022. A late application process is available and these late applications will be processed in the normal way. However, as these applications are late, a ticket is not guaranteed.
Bus Éireann have put in place a dedicated customer-care call centre to assist families specifically with school transport queries. Call (01) 5229991, during regular office hours.
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary school/education centre as determined by the department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
This eligibility criteria remains unchanged. Families who normally would pay an annual ticket charge will not be charged a fee for their school bus ticket for the 2022/23 school year.
The closing date for applications for the 2022/23 school year was 29 April 2022. A late application process is available. These late applications will be processed in the normal way and a ticket is not guaranteed.
Bus Éireann will refund you the payment that you have made in the new school year.
Bus Éireann have informed the department they are currently adapting their IT and management systems and the planning process for the new school year.
Bus Éireann will process a full refund to families who have already made payments for the new school year. While Bus Éireann will endeavour to provide refunds to customers as soon as possible, the system will prioritise the issuing of school transport tickets so that students can travel on school transport in the coming year. It is expected that refunds will issue in late August/early September 2022.
If families have already paid/entered medical card details no further action is required. Full refunds will be processed as soon as possible in the new school year. Tickets will be allocated in line with normal procedures.
Families who have received a notification from Bus Éireann to pay/enter medical card details but who have not yet paid, will need to verify on the Bus Éireann family portal that they still wish to be considered for a ticket by the closing date of 29 July 2022.
Bus Éireann will send updates to customers in relation to action required by customers as part of the new process, social media updates will also be used to notify customers in relation to the reopening of the family portal.
Bus Éireann operates the school transport schemes on behalf of the Department of Education.
As part of the scheme, transport is provided to and from school for:
- children who live far from their nearest primary and post-primary school
- children with special educational needs.
Primary schools
The primary school transport scheme supports the transport to and from school of children who live more than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school.
For information on the scheme, including eligibility criteria see:
Primary School Transport Scheme
DownloadPost-primary schools
The post-primary school transport scheme supports the transport to and from school of children who live more than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary education centre/school. It is subject to exceptions for:
- children who choose to attend their nearest minority religious denominational school due to religious ethos may be eligible for school transport to that school, even if it is not their nearest school
- children who choose to attend their nearest all-Irish school/unit may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school
- children who choose to attend their nearest all-English school/unit may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school
For information on the scheme, including eligibility criteria see:
Post- Primary Transport Scheme
DownloadThe closing date for applications for the 2022/23 school year was 29th April 2022. A late application process is available. These late applications will be processed in the normal way and a ticket is not guaranteed
Apply online now at www.buseireann.ie\schooltransport .
School Transport Services will resume on Friday, 26th August 2022 for the 2022/23 school year.
To use School Transport Scheme Services, pupils must be in possession of a valid ticket for travel.
In cases where the department is satisfied that your nearest school is full, eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance you live from your next nearest school in relation to ethos and language.
To establish that the nearest school is full you must provide:
- evidence that an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school, and
- a letter from the school authorities confirming that the school was full,
The school transport scheme supports the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs that come from a diagnosed disability.
For information on the scheme, including eligibility criteria see:
School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs arising from a Disability
DownloadClick here to download
Application for School Transport for Children with Special Educational Needs
DownloadApplication forms should be completed and signed by the parent, school principal and the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO).
Parents or pupils who are over 18 years of age may appeal a decision made by the department under the terms of the school transport schemes or grant aid under the terms of the school transport schemes.
See the School Transport Appeals website for further information.
Address: Department of Education, School Transport, Portlaoise Road, Tullamore, County Offaly, R35 Y2NS
Phone:
| Telephone | County |
| 0579325466 | General |
| 0579325469 | General |
| 0579325467 | General |
| 0579325461 | Dublin |
| 0579325462 | Cork, Kilkenny |
| 0579325436 | Monaghan, Offaly, Wexford |
| 0579325458 | Carlow, Cavan, Kildare, Laois, Waterford, Wicklow |
| 0579325465 | Donegal, Kerry, Longford, Louth, Meath, Westmeath |
| 0579324482 | Sligo, Leitrim, Limerick, Mayo |
| 0579325460 | Clare, Galway, Roscommon, Tipperary |
