Save Money On Your Travel With Your Student Bus & Train Pass
You don’t need another excuse for missing your lecture…
Travelling is the bane of most of our lives. Whether it’s commuting to work or your uni lecture, travelling, especially on public transport, can be costly as well as unpredictable and long.
As a student, you’re going to want to save money wherever possible. And in England and Wales where the rail fares have increased by 4.9%, you’re going to need all the savings you can get.
While trains and buses aren’t always the cheapest options, they are the greener choices — at least compared to using a car or jumping in a taxi. Bustling cities like London and Manchester have excellent public transport services that will give you practically no need for a car if you have one.
Not everyone is in-the-know about how to save money on travel, so we’re here to help and tell you all about student bus and train passes. Aren’t we kind?
Loading …In this article:
- What is a student bus pass?
- What is a student train pass?
- Best student bus pass
- Best student train pass
- How to save money on travel
What is a student bus pass?
A student bus pass is a pass that allows unlimited bus travel during the day, week, month, or year (depending on which pass you purchase).
These bus passes tend to be cheaper than paying for each bus journey on the go, and gives you a bit of peace of mind knowing you don’t have to find change for each commute or use your contactless mindlessly. How much is on my card again?
What is a student train pass?
Much like a bus pass, a student train pass might allow you unlimited travel for a particular amount of time, or might be something like a Railcard which you can use for savings on travel cards and tickets.
Best student bus pass
We’re all about helping you to save money and thrive, so we’ve got a list of the best student bus passes in the UK for you to keep a note of.
First Bus student bus pass
First Bus have annual, monthly, and termly passes available and you’ll find them in several uni towns and cities across the UK.
Prices depend on where you’re based, but for example, if you’re a Leeds University student, a student annual bus pass will cost £430 for unlimited travel on First Buses across West Yorkshire.
Locations available:
- England
- Scotland
- Wales
Stagecoach Unirider
Stagecoach offers students amazing savings on bus tickets, even saving up to 40% on standard fares, and unlimited travel around the city you’re in.
If you’re a student in Manchester, you can get a summer holiday UniRider pass for £80 — this means unlimited travel on Stagecoach and Magic buses in Greater Manchester, as well as some services in Cheshire and Derbyshire. The ticket is valid for the summer hols (1st July-31st August) so it’s a really good deal if you’re spending your summer in Manchester.
Locations available:
- England
- Scotland
- Wales
P.S. Swot up on your Manny lingo with our dead good guide to Manchester slang and sayings.
Arriva student bus pass
Arriva is the town fave when it comes to bus operators, and thankfully, they have your back when it comes to saving money on student bus passes.
Their student tickets get you discounted fares, unlimited travel on Arriva services in the specified zones all day, every day, and a choice of Day, Weekly, and specific term/academic year tickets. These tickets are available to individuals post-16 in full-time education with a valid student ID (like your Student Beans iD).
If you’re a student in Durham, you can get a Student Week Durham Uni Zone ticket for £8 (£1.14/day) or if you opt for an annual ticket, it will cost you just £0.55 per day (£200 for an annual ticket).
Locations available:
- England
- Wales
Translink
If you’re aged 16-23 and in Northern Ireland, you can apply for a free yLink card where you can enjoy 50% off travel on bus and rail services within Northern Ireland. Plus, you don’t have to be a student, so you can use this even after you graduate!
If you’re 24 or over and a student, you can apply for a Student Translink 24 Plus Travelcard. It’s valid for the academic year (Sept to Aug) and can get you ⅓ off day, weekly and monthly tickets.
Locations available:
- Northern Ireland
Young Persons’ Free Bus travel
In Scotland, if you’re between the ages of 5 and 21, you have access to a Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel card. You must be a resident in Scotland for most of the year — at least six months. You don’t need to be a student.
You can apply for it online.
Locations available:
- Scotland
Oyster Card
London is a bustling hub of tube lines, buses, and railways, making it an amazing city for getting about.
London is pretty much cashless, and that includes the buses. You’ll need to either get an Oyster Card, or tap in/out with a contactless debit/credit card.
If you’re 18+, a student, and living in London, you can get an 18+ Student Oyster card. It can save you up to 30% on adult-rate tickets. You can also apply for a 16-25 Railcard which can help you save 34% on fares.
Available locations:
- London
Best student train pass
Trains are a fab way to get around the country and cities, although they can be a bit pricey for students. But, your prayers have been answered because there are ways you can get train travel for a more affordable price.
16-25 Railcard
A 16-25 railcard is suitable for people aged between 16 and 25. This includes students, non-students, teenagers, and young professionals.
The 16-25 railcard grants ⅓ off train tickets, so it’s great for students who travel regularly using the train.
You can purchase a 1-year 16-15 railcard for £30. Or, purchase a 3-year 16-25 railcard and save £20, meaning you only pay £70 for 3 years.
26-30 railcard
If you’re an older student, have already graduated, or are a young professional, you can grab a 26-30 railcard and enjoy ⅓ off train tickets.
You can purchase a 26-30 railcard right up until your 30th birthday. Like a 16-25 railcard, this one is also £30 per year.
Merseyrail Railpass
If you’re in the Merseyside area (Liverpool, St Helens, Birkenhead, Wirral kind of area) you can get a Merseyrail Railpass that gives you unlimited travel in the zones you purchased.
They have weekly, monthly, annual, and term time tickets (valid Mon-Fri till 8pm, term times only).
A weekly ticket for all zones will cost £36.80 for the week, but if you’re just commuting to and from your university, then a term time ticket (including travel on the City Line) will cost you from £136.30.
How to save money on travel
Transport is, unfortunately, an expensive thing for many of us. Whether it be driving a car, using the train or bus, or even cycling (hey, bikes cost money too!), commuting costs a bit, and as a student, it can amount to a decent chunk of your monthly budget.
Here are some tips and tricks that might help you save a few extra quid on your travel — every little helps!
- Avoid travelling during peak-times (like rush-hour periods), tickets tend to be pricier at these times.
- Don’t buy tickets last minute if you’re travelling further afield — just like buying flights, train tickets can cost more last minute.
- If you travel via train or bus a lot, buy monthly or annual tickets as it can save you some cash compared to buying each journey as you go.
- Check if you’re entitled to free or discounted travel (like over 60s or apprentices).
Check out our Student Beans travel student discounts for amazing savings on travel brands and companies like Trainline and National Express.
