Travel to school

Using Adelaide Metro services to get to and from school helps kids build their independence and gives parents and carers flexibility, too.

Lots of schools have partnered with Adelaide Metro to set up dedicated school bus services. Only students, teachers and parents or carers accompanying a student to the school are allowed to travel on these buses. Either speak with your school for details, or search by school name on our timetables page to find out what services may be available. Please note that any school buses run by private companies won’t show up on our website.

If there are no dedicated buses for your school, the journey planner on our home page can help you work out the best way to get to where you need to go.

Before you start your school travel

Plan ahead to make your public transport experience safe and simple. We suggest parents and care givers work together with kids to:

  • find the right route and timetable, and learn how to understand them
  • plan how to get to and from Adelaide Metro services, such as the route they’ll walk, street safety, footpaths and lighting
  • learn how to use Adelaide Metro services, including getting on and off the vehicle, paying a fare and how passengers should behave
  • find out about getting a metroCARD, the fares you’ll pay, and how to register and recharge your metroCARD
  • work out what they need to do when things don’t go to plan, including:
    • if a metroCARD is lost or stolen
    • if there are any service disruptions and the bus, train or tram is delayed
    • missing the bus, train or tram
    • catching the wrong bus, train or tram
    • getting off at the wrong stop or station
    • who to contact when they need help, such as a grandparent or trusted friend.

Doing few practice runs together is a great way to build everyone’s confidence and to make sure the systems you’ve put in place work for you.

You can also learn more about:

Safety tips for using public transport

Supervise younger children on the way to the stop, station or interchange, and hold hands when crossing the road. Remind children to:

  • STOP one step back from the kerb
  • LOOK both ways for traffic
  • LISTEN for the sounds of approaching traffic
  • THINK about whether it is safe to cross.

At the end of the journey, make sure the child knows where to walk or wait, and who will be meeting them. Wait on the same side of the road or platform that they will leave the service, then cross the road or track safely together.

It can also be a good idea to:

  • give the child a list of important phone numbers, in case something goes wrong, and explain where they can make a phone call if they don’t have a mobile phone
  • set up a regular phone or text system, to let each other know where you are, expected arrival times and that everything is ok
  • arrange for kids to travel with friends.

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