Do your kids take the train to school?
At Northern, our Education Season Ticket is making the train an even cheaper, safer, and easier way for children to get to school. One ticket at a great price, alongside CCTV and Wi-Fi on all our trains, means your child will always be safe and connected on their journey.
Purchase Education Seasons tickets
Annual Education Season Tickets are your all-year pass to easier travel to school, and you can grab one anytime! But heads-up our term time Tickets are only up for grabs during certain times of the year, so make sure to catch them while they're available!
Annual Season early bird offer
Annual Education Season tickets are now on sale for under 16 and Year 11 with 50% discount off the normal child price. This offer is only available until midnight on the 31 July as the tickets will revert to 40% discount when they go on general sale on 1 August.
Save More than Ever!
Our Annual Education Season Ticket has our best ever saving with 40% off an under 16 or Year 11 annual ticket. Once your child has an annual ticket, they have access to unlimited travel between two chosen stations, any day, any time, for a full year! Yes thats 365 days of hassle free travel. That means after school clubs - covered, holidays - covered. And no more worries about finding money for tickets every day, no more worries about lost tickets, no more worries about penalty fares.
New Routes on offer with TransPennine Express
As part of the Education Seasons scheme, we also cover TransPennine routes. These tickets are available at the same great 50% discount off annuals and can be purchased via the 'Buy tickets' button on this page. That means more trains, more choice and more students able to take advantage of this great offer.
Is your school on the list?
If your school is not on the list, please email [email protected] for further information.
An 11-16 Education season ticket promises:
16-17 Saver Railcard
Anyone aged 16 or 17 can now enjoy 50% off Standard, Anytime, Off-Peak, Advance and Season tickets. Saving you money on journeys through England and Wales, travel as often as you like. Head to town for retail therapy, to the coast for a day in the sun, music ...
Find out moreThe best discount available is 50% off an annual child season for anyone under 16 or in Year 11. This gives a further 50% off the child price. If your child is in full time education ( ie Year 12 & 13) you can still take advantage of great savings with 50% of an Adult annual season ticket. The annual tickets are available all year round, so whenever you buy that’s 365 days of travel at one great price.
A Year 11 Annual ticket is available that will ensure your child is covered until the end of the academic year in July or they are 16 and 4 months whichever is the latest.
Click here for a list of participating schools. If your school is not on the list email [email protected] for further information.
If a passenger gets on a train without a ticket or promise to pay notice at a station where ticket buying facilities are available, they may be liable to pay a Penalty Fare.
We will replace free of charge except for postage and a small admin fee of £10. The lost card will then be blocked for further use.
The photo ID for your child will work in conjunction with the ticket that we provide. This will allow us to check that the ticket is valid and being used correctly. You must have a rail network photo ID to be able to travel. If you already have one then input the number in the online form - this will have 3 letters and 4 numbers (this is not the smart card number and cannot be used instead) If you don't have a photo ID please upload a photo on the form and the team will send one out with your ticket.
Your child will need to carry their Photo ID card even if they have a Smart card.
Tickets will be issued up to 5 working days from receipt of the order. If you haven't received your ticket before the start date requested, please contact [email protected]
An Annual Season Ticket will be valid from the date chosen on the application and will be valid for 1 year (365 days)*.
For any queries regarding validity of term time ticket, please email [email protected] for further information.
Yes - please download the form and take to the station. Please note that the discount will be lower than purchasing the ticket online.
The Education Season Ticket is a blue smart card which can be scanned during ticket inspection and on platform gates. To be valid, it needs to be accompanied with a valid photocard (see examples below). The photocard is valid until the end of secondary education, or 4 months after child turns 16, whichever date is latest however should be updated as the child’s features begin to change. To update the photocard or if the photo card or smart card is misplaced, please email [email protected] for a free replacement.
No you must be in possession of a valid ticket and photocard. The opportunity to buy opens in the month prior to the school term giving plenty of time to order and receive.
We can do a changeover ticket and just charge or refund the difference.
Just contact us at [email protected].
No its completely free to schools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Terms and Conditions
- Annual ticket saving up to 40% off the typical annual child season ticket (under 16)
- ‘Early Bird offer’ refers to time limited offer to existing customers to buy an annual under 16 or Year 11 season ticket for 50% off from 2nd July 2025 to 31st July 2025 inclusive.
- Term time ticket saving up to 25% off the typical child season ticket for either Autumn, Spring or Summer terms.
- An Annual Season Ticket will be valid from the date chosen on the application and will be valid for 1 year (365 days)
- All students must have a valid child photocard and be aged 11-16 to claim the discount. See the application form for full details.
- For any student turning 16 within the school year an annual ticket can be bought during the Autumn sales window which will be valid until the end of the academic year. This is known as a Year 11 Annual and can only be purchased online.
- Year 12 & 13 Annual Education season tickets can also only be bought online for any pupil extending their current education to the sixth form of their school, These tickets offer a 50% discount off Adult annual season ticket prices and must be accompanied by an adult photocard.
- All tickets are subject to availability.
- There is no cost for a school to be part of the scheme. If a school is not on the participating schools list but would like to be please email [email protected]
Terms of use
Tickets are valid in the evenings, at weekends and during the school holidays for the length of the ticket validity.
The named student must be in possession of a valid railway photocard and student ID when travelling- this will be required as proof of identity on request by authorised railway staff.
Possession of an Education Season ticket does not give the owner the right to claim child prices for any other journeys if they are over 16.
Possession of a Year 12 or Year 13 Education season ticket does not give the owner the right to claim discounted adult prices for any other journeys unless they have the relevant Railcard.
The care of the ticket is the responsibility of the student. Your school or Northern cannot take any responsibility for any losses arising from theft, loss or damage.
Full terms and conditions can be found here: northernrailway.co.uk/legal/terms-and-conditions
Renewals and Lost Tickets
A duplicate season ticket can be administered at a cost of £10 plus £3.50 for postage and packaging. Please contact [email protected].
Northern App
Streamline your journey and get tickets straight to your phone. Making your journey contact-free.
Northern App
Streamline your journey and get tickets straight to your phone. Making your journey contact-free.