Post-16 travel guide 2024

If you're aged 16 to 19, interested in further study, worried about how to get to your training provider, or worried about how much it might cost to travel - this guide is for you!

This guide covers:

• how to get to your school, college or training provider
• how to get the best deal for travel

Students with Special Educational Needs:

Students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities applying for help with their home to school/college transport should contact West Berkshire Special Educational Needs (SEN) Team. Their needs will then be considered under West Berkshire Council's Special Educational Needs Transport Policy. If the student is eligible for transport assistance they will need to pay a contribution towards the cost. Contact West Berkshire's SEN team.

Students with a disability:

West Berkshire Council issue Off Peak National bus passes for free travel, to help people who are affected by disability to access public transport. For more information, visit our bus passes for older and disabled people page, or contact the Concenssionary Fares Team: call 01635 519 800 or email farepayers@westberks.gov.uk.

Thinking about your journey

Before looking at what support may be available, we advise students to check for public transport travel options using the Traveline journey planner or call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 (calls cost 12 pence per minute plus network charges).

For further details of transport in West Berkshire, including public transport, you can visit our journey planning and timetables page. Alternatively, you can contact the Transport Services Team - email farepayers@westberks.gov.uk or call 01635 503494.

Once you have thought about your journey, you should use the contact details in this guide to help you.

Next steps

Next, you can:

• contact your chosen college, school or training provider
• ask them for details of travel services they offer
• find out whether they can offer financial support - bursary funding
• contact travel companies direct for tickets for all other public transport services
   

Colleges and training providers

Newbury College

Bus services stopping at Newbury College are operated by Newbury and District. The service 103 and 2 stop at the college. Students from households with lower incomes may apply to the bursary fund for support with the cost of train and bus travel. For more information and an application form, visit the Fees, Funding and Financial Support page on the Newbury College website or contact Information Services on 01635 845000.
 

West Berkshire Training Consortium (WBTC)

WBTC is located a short walking distance from Newbury Train Station and Newbury Bus Station. For directions, visit the WBTC website or call 01635 35975.
 

Basingstoke Technical College (BCOT)

BCOT is a 10 minute walk away from Basingstoke railway station and accessible by bus, including Stagecoach's 'The Link' bus route from Newbury. For more information, visit the BCOT website or call 01256 354141.
 

Berkshire College of Agriculture (BCA)

BCA operates their own bus services to the college and students can purchase a bus pass through the college. For more information, visit the BCA website or call 01628 824444.
 

Henley College

The majority of students travel to Henley College on public buses and trains, as well as coaches provided by the college. There are many public bus routes with frequent services which connect Henley to local towns and villages. Henley railway station connects Henley to Reading, Maidenhead, Slough, London and many other destinations via Twyford. For more information, visit the Henley College website or call 01491 579988.
 

Queen Mary's College (QMC)

QMC is in walking distance from Basingstoke train/bus stations. South West trains services stop in Basingstoke. A Stagecoach bus also runs past the college. College buses run from Andover, Burghfield and Newbury areas. For more information visit the QMC website or call 01256 417500.
 

Reading College

Reading College offer travel schemes and funding towards travel. For more information, visit the Reading College website or call 0800 6126008.
 

Sparsholt College

Sparsholt College offers subsidised travel passes and private coaches. The number 7 Stagecoach bus also runs throughout the day from Winchester/Winchester train station to Sparsholt College. For more information go to Sparsholt College website or call 01962 776441.
 

University Technical College (UTC) Reading

The UTC college site in Crescent Road, Reading is accessible by public transport. For more information, visit the UTC Reading website or call 01189 381020.
 

University of West London, Reading and Slough

For travel information for the Reading or Slough sites, visit the University of West London website, or call them on 0800 036 8888.

Fare Payer Scheme

The West Berkshire Fare Payers Scheme offers seats to students on transport services that are operated under contract to the council, including contracted school buses and subsidised train services. Applications should be made online - application forms will be available on our farepaying home to school transport page from 15 April 2024.

Students attending their nearest or catchment sixth form will be guaranteed a space on existing bus routes, provided they apply before the guaranteed place deadline of 24 July 2024. In all other cases, students may apply but there is no guarantee that a seat will be available.

School bus

For information about routes please email the Transport Services Team - email farepayers@westberks.gov.uk or call 01635 503494.

Please refer to the Fare Payer Scheme Policy on our farepaying home to school transport page.

Public transport: planning your bus or train journey

First of all, use the Traveline journey planner to check for public transport travel options. Then discuss travel options with your chosen college, school, or training provider. We recommend that you also contact the transport operator or operators to confirm ticket and travel arrangements.
 

Public buses

Kennections, Newbury and District, Reading Buses and West Berkshire Council Transport Services Team 'Connect Services'.

Connect tickets are available on all services operated by Kennections, Newbury and District, West Berkshire Council Transport Services and on the Reading Buses Jetblack service between Newbury and Colthrop Turn. Connect tickets enable passengers to make cost effective bus travel. Connect Child fares are available for full-time students under 19, providing you show valid ID. For more details, visit our transport tickets and fares page.
 

Reading buses

Reading buses offer 'Boost' fares which offer under 19's cheaper travel on their network. They also have a range of 'Simply' tickets that provide savings for regular travellers. For more details, visit the Reading buses website.
 

PlusBus

PlusBus is a discounted price ticket for unlimited local bus travel around town that individuals can buy with their train ticket. Bus travel can be included at the start, the end or both ends of the train journey. It is widely available in many areas including Newbury, Reading, Basingstoke, Swindon, Wokingham, Maidenhead and Slough. For more details, visit the PlusBus website.

Trains

16-25 railcard

Young People aged 16 to 25 can purchase a 16-25 Railcard. This card enables young people to save a third on most train fares. For more details, visit the 16-25 railcard website.
 

Season tickets

Train season tickets are available for seven days or any period between one month and a year. Season tickets and travel cards usually save individuals money compared to buying daily tickets, and can be used on weekdays and at weekends. Some season tickets have restrictions on what time of day you can travel. For more information, visit the Great Western Railway website or the National Rail website.
 

Train passes

Students who require a train pass (with a PlusBus pass, if required) can ask West Berkshire Council to purchase reduced-rate 
scholars tickets on their behalf, where it is cost-effective to do so. Passes will not be sent out to students until payment has been received by West Berkshire Council. For further information, call 01635 503494.

To apply for school bus or special rate train passes, please complete our farepaying scheme application form.