Right across West Yorkshire:
- children under 5 travel for free on buses and trains;
- 5 to 18 year-olds in full-time education can get half fares on buses and trains; (When they reach 14, they need a Young Person PhotoCard as proof of their age and when they reach 16, they need a Scholar’s PhotoCard.)
- people in full-time education up to the age of 19, who meet their Local Education Authority requirements, can also get a School Card for free travel to and from school each day;
Young people who like to get out and about on the bus and make lots of journeys, will find they can save even more money with a School Plus MetroCard.
Used in conjunction with a Metro Young Person’s or Scholar’s PhotoCard, School Plus MetroCard gives unlimited bus travel for a fixed weekly or monthly price. With a School Plus MetroCard, journeys are paid for in advance so there’s no need to carry around fares or worry about having the right change.
Below are details of who qualifies for reductions, what the reductions are, where they can be used them, when they can be used and how people can get them.
Children Under 5 Years Old:
- can travel anywhere in West Yorkshire free on all trains and most buses displaying the Metro symbol, at any time of the day when accompanied by a fare-paying passenger;
- Up to three infants aged under 5 can travel free with each fare-paying passenger* (two on rail journeys that go out of West Yorkshire);
"fare paying passenger" is anyone who has paid an appropriate fare, including full and half fares, concessions and pre-paid tickets.
5 to 10 Year Olds:
- can travel anywhere in West Yorkshire half price* on trains, buses and school buses displaying the Metro symbol, at any time of the day;
- do not need a PhotoCard ** ;
- cay use concessionary Metro Train DayRover, or travel as concessionary passenger on Family DayRover.
* Half price fares are rounded down to the nearest 1p (e.g. £1.05 adult = 52p half price)
** Metro Young Person's PhotoCard available for Children who look older than 10 and those wishing to buy a School Plus MetroCard
11-15 Year Olds
With a Metro Young Person’s PhotoCard, 11-15 year olds can:
- travel half price*, anywhere in West Yorkshire on all trains and most buses displaying the Metro symbol, at any time of day;
- buy half price rail season tickets;
- use concessionary Metro Train DayRover, or travel as concessionary passenger on Family DayRover.
Metro Young Person’s PhotoCards last until the 15 September following the cardholder’s 16th birthday and are required with a School Plus MetroCard. Cardholders must agree to abide by Metro's Code of Conduct.
* Half price fares are rounded down to the nearest 1p (e.g. £1.05 adult = 52p half price)
Students 16 to 18 Years Old
Metro Scholar’s PhotoCards are available to any 16 to 18 year old, full-time student permanently resident in West Yorkshire. Scholar’s PhotoCard holders can:
- travel half price*, anywhere in West Yorkshire on all trains and most buses displaying the Metro symbol, at any time of day;
- buy half price rail season tickets;
- use concessionary Metro Train DayRover, or travel as concessionary passenger on Family DayRover.
Scholar’s PhotoCards last from the start of the school/college year to the following 15th September and are required with a School Plus MetroCard. Sixteen year-olds can use Family/Adult DayRover ticket if travelling alone or if travelling as a non-concessionary holder.
Students Up to 19 Years Old
SchoolCards are available to school pupils who meet the eligibility requirements of their District’s Local Education Authority* and can be used for free travel for one journey to and from school each day on most buses and trains within West Yorkshire
Journeys to school must be made before 12 noon and journeys home between 12noon and 7pm.
SchoolCards are normally provided by Local Education Authorities, are renewed annually and are valid for the duration of the school year. They can be purchased directly by parents and Metro’s Education Transport Section will provide quotations to parents upon request.
SchoolCard holders can also obtain Young Person’s or Scholar’s PhotoCards for half fare travel at other times.
* Eligibility typically requires walking distance to nearest suitable school of 2 miles for pupils under 8, and 3 miles for pupils over 8.
How to get a Young Person’s, Scholar’s PhotoCard or School Plus MetroCard
All of these cards are available from West Yorkshire Post Offices, Metro Travel Centres or Bus Stations ticket offices and the First Travel Shop at the Corn Exchange, Leeds.
Applicants need to take with them a recent full-face passport size photograph (colour or black and white) and a £2 administration fee*
A Young Person’s PhotoCard requires one proof of identity and age, e.g. birth certificate, NHS medical card
A Scholar’s PhotoCard requires:
- one completed application form - available from the applicant’s school or college- certified and dated by the School or College Principal;
- proof that the applicant is a resident of West Yorkshire.
Applicants need to attend in person
SchoolCards
SchoolCards are issued on behalf of the Local Education Authorities. Anyone thinking they may be eligible should enquire at their school.
Disabled and Blind Permits
Young people who are blind or suffer specific physical or mental handicaps may additionally be entitled to Blind or Disabled Person’s permits which offer more generous concessions at certain times of the day.
Concessionary Fares from Operators
Individual bus operators may offer season tickets that are cheaper for certain regular travel requirements within a limited area. Details are available from each operator.
Rail Season Tickets
Half-price rail season tickets may be cheaper for regular journeys. Details are available from any staffed station.
Conditions
Passengers using concessionary permits and passes are carried subject to PCV regulations, local bye-laws and the conditions of carriage of the operator.
MetroCards and Young Person or Scholar PhotoCards are non-transferable. They can be used only by the authorised holder for the period up until the expiry date.
A MetroCard and/or Young Person or Scholar’s PhotoCard must be shown for each journey taken, and to any authorised official on request. Users must provide proof of identity and residence if requested.
Metro reserves the right to withdraw or cancel MetroCards or PhotoCards at their discretion.
Young Person or Scholar’s PhotoCard must be returned to Metro if no longer required, or if the holder ceases to be eligible.
SchoolCards should be returned to the Local Education Authority.
If a PhotoCard is lost or damaged, or any details on it need to be amended, the holder must apply for a new one.
Metro reserves the right to alter conditions and concessions at any time.
Metro Young Person’s PhotoCards will be dated to expire on the 15th September following the 16th birthday of the holder.
Metro Scholar’s PhotoCards are only available to permanent residents of West Yorkshire in full-time education up to A’ level standard (up to 19th birthday), and in receipt of child benefit. If you cease to be eligible, the Young Person or Scholar’s PhotoCard must be surrendered.
Journeys outside West Yorkshire
Young Person or Scholar’s PhotoCard and concessionary fares are normally only valid for the part of your journey, which is within West Yorkshire. If you want to travel outside the Metro area, you must pay an additional fare at the start of your journey.
This fare is calculated from the last fare stage or station that your bus or train stops at within the West Yorkshire area.
