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Travelling to school

How your child travels to school will depend on where you live, how far away the school is and how old your child is.

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You’re responsible for getting your child to school and home again. We recommend checking the transport options in your area before you enrol in a school.

We can give support if:

Public transport

Some children are more ready to travel on their own than others. Before your child is ready they need to know:

It’s a good idea to do a test run or two to see how your child handles the trip. It’s also important that they want to travel this way.

From 1 January 2026: while your child is aged 17 and under, they can travel for free on public transport through a youth myki card. Once they turn 18 they may be able to travel with a Victorian Student Pass or a concession ticket. See Transport Victoria’s myki types for how to apply.

Walking and riding

Walking or riding to school with your child is a great way to start the day. You can use the time to talk about what’s happening at school and reinforce road safety.

Some schools have walking groups where parents and children walk to school together.

Read about pedestrian safety(opens in a new window) and bicycle safety(opens in a new window) at the Raising Children Network.

By car

It’s important you and your child are aware of general car safety(opens in a new window) and driveway safety(opens in a new window).

Make sure your child is using the right restraint or booster seat(opens in a new window).

Allow plenty of time to drop off and pick up your child so that you are calm and relaxed, not in a rush.

Respect the speed limits, road markings and parking signs around your school.

Help with the cost of travel if you’re in rural or regional Victoria

If you live more than 4.8km from your closest school you can apply for the conveyance allowance.

This is a payment towards the cost of transporting your child to school by public transport (if your child does not qualify for free travel), car or school bus. The payment is a contribution and does not cover the full cost of transport.

You must meet certain criteria to be eligible for the conveyance allowance. Speak to your school first to check and get an application form. You can also read the conveyance allowance information given to schools(opens in a new window).

School bus program for rural and regional Victoria

The Department of Education runs a school bus network in rural and regional Victoria.

School bus program eligibility priority seat guide

There are different categories that decide if your child is eligible for transport assistance, and the priority order in which they might be approved for travel on the bus. Speak to your school for more information or read the eligibility guide below.

Application forms

Use these application forms to apply for the school bus program. We recommend speaking to your school first. They can give advice and help you fill in the forms.

You can also read the school bus program information(opens in a new window) given to schools.

Students with a disability

You can get help with travel if your child goes to their designated government specialist school.

Support may include:

Your child must:

Speak to your specialist school first. They can talk to you about what options are available.

You can also read the transport information given to specialist schools(opens in a new window).

Special consideration and appeals

You can apply for special consideration or appeal a transport decision we have made.

You must apply through your school. They will help you complete the application.

In most cases we will consider the application and let your school know the outcome within 15 working days.

If the request is complex, the Transport Special Case Consideration Panel will review. The panel meets 6 times each year. In most cases the panel will let your school know the outcome about three weeks after they’ve met.

You can read the special consideration information given to schools(opens in a new window). It includes the dates the panel will meet.

Education & trainingParents & carers

Updated 26 March 2026

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