Concession regulation

Concessions make travel on participating NSW transport services more affordable and easier to access.

Transport for NSW (TfNSW) provides travel subsidies for students and other concession holders, including pensioners, seniors and war widowers.

Concessions and cards available for travel in NSW:

  • School Student Transport Scheme has been replaced by the School Opal Card
  • Proof of Age card
  • NSW Senior Secondary Student Concession Card
  • Regional Excursion Daily ticket (RED)

Opal concessions

For details on using concessions in conjunction with Opal, including card types and fares, visit the Opal website.

Who can use NSW travel concessions?

School Student Transport Scheme or School Opal Card

Students under 16 years of age (up until their 16th birthday) receive a half fare concession, and no concession card is required. If parents are unsure whether their child qualifies or how to apply, further information is available in the Rural and Regional school travel brochure (PDF, 418.14 KB).

Proof of Age card

These are used as proof of eligibility for concession/child fares when a student under 16 years of age looks older.

NSW Senior Secondary Student Concession Card

This concession card applies to full time NSW/ACT secondary school students who are aged 16 years and older. It is also valid for mature secondary students aged 19 years and older.

Students who fall outside of these brackets may still be entitled to apply for travel concessions.

Home schooled or distance education students who are registered with the Board of Studies can apply directly to the Transport Concessions Office for proof of age or Senior Secondary Student Concession cards.

International students on exchange programs up until 16 years of age or international secondary students who meet the criteria may also be eligible for concessions.

Regional excursion daily ticket (RED)

Multiple trips within one day on rural and regional bus services for anyone who holds a current:

  • Pensioner Concession eCard (NSW, Victoria or ACT) issued by Centrelink or Department of Veterans' Affairs (NB: some younger people hold Pensioner Concession eCards)
  • NSW Seniors card
  • War Widower/s card (NSW or Victoria)

How much do travel concessions cost?

  • School Student Transport Scheme – free
  • Replacements for Proof of Age cards - free
  • Replacements for NSW Senior Secondary Student Concession Card – fees apply
  • Regional Excursion Daily ticket (RED) - $2.50 per day

How long do concessions remain valid for?

School student concessions

These are valid from the start of one school year to the next (usually the 31st of March). School leavers must return their Senior Secondary Student Concession Cards once they are employed, in further education, training or if they receive any other type of concession.

Regional excursion daily tickets (RED)

Day tickets can be used for unlimited trips on valid services up until midnight on the day of purchase only. Only the person who purchased the ticket can use it, along with their concession card that proves they are entitled to the concession.

Transport operators

NSW transport operators play a key role in helping us to deliver travel services in NSW.

They also help by making sure their passengers are eligible for NSW transport concessions and schemes, and in some cases issue proof of eligibility cards.

Operators also often deal with school student behaviour on buses, as they transport 180,000 students to over 1,500 schools in rural and regional NSW on behalf of Transport for NSW.