Plan your journey
We have different passes that help your child or young person travel:
- on special coaches and buses just for schools
- on public buses in East Sussex
- by train in East Sussex
Please read the leaflet for more information about getting to school. It is for parents, carers, and pupils.
Plan a journey on public transport
You can plan a journey and check travel information using Traveline.
Plan a coach journey to and from a school
Your child can access their coach journey using the Education Travel Permit.
Plan a journey on a public bus
Your child can use a Freedom Pass to take a public bus.
How to use your Rail Key smart card
We will send you a link by email. You use this link to confirm your details with Southern Rail. Then, Southern Rail will send you your Key smart card.
How new cardholders activate their card and tickets through the Southern On Track App
- Use the Southern app or go to a train station with your card.
- If you use a smartphone with NFC (the thing used for contactless payments), open the Southern On Track app.
- Go to the menu and choose ‘View/Activate your Key tickets’ or ‘Load your Key tickets’ if the card is already active.
- Hold the card to the back of the phone.
- You can use any phone with the app; it doesn’t have to be your child’s phone.
- You can also activate the card at a Southern train station:
- Touch the Key card on the barrier or the card reader (if there are no barriers).
- The card is now ready to use.
- This works only at Southern stations. It is best to use the app if you can.
If you have trouble activating your card, call Southern Customer Services on 0345 127 2920. Choose option 4 to talk to someone.
How to use the rail service
Your child must carry their Key card when they travel by train.
If your child loses their Key card, you need to get a new one. Fill in the replacement travel pass form to ask for a replacement.