High cost of travelling to school by train in Kent

[Twinkle]

I will be very interested to hear what you find out Doodles. I have had to send my boys to school on the train in Kent and have spent eye watering amounts on fares over the years particularly when they entered the sixth form. I was under the impression that although there was a scholars train pass in E Sussex ( subsidised by the Council) there isn't in Kent. I am sure we were told that by school a few years back. I don't know anyone whose 16+ boy has one to travel in Kent.

Fingers crossed for good news on this

[doodles]

I have just asked at Sevenoaks station and there is a scholars pass weekly or monthly season ticket to Tunbridge Wells available. The weekly one is £39 for an over 16 yo. I presume other stations offer similar.

[Clawhit]

Don’t forget depending on area you may qualify for a zip oyster - just extended out to Dartford £15

[kenyancowgirl]

Our cost is Warwickshire, not Bucks, mystery...but is actually frightening. We are “lucky” in that our boys started before they changed the rules. Anyone since the year after DS2 has had to pay the same amount Y7-11 as well.

I appreciate the Council have to make cuts/choices but at least School Services should be subsidised - especially in rural areas like ours where the choices are so very limited.

[scary mum]

I had 3 children at the same school at one point - one in the 6th form, so more expensive, one who didn't have to pay (until 6th form) as when he started it was free to your nearest grammar, and another who we had to pay for. At the time it was over £1200 per year & would have been close to £2000 if we had had to pay for all 3. The thing that annoys me is that people who couldn't afford to pay but did not qualify for help would be put off going to the grammar schools.

[mystery]

So expensive for so many people. Yours is expensive Kenyan Cowgirl at £800 pa for a student over 16 but from our Kent town it will cost much more than that for a child to go to the closest Kent grammar school each day and also just to the closest school.

[Twinkle]

I have just asked at Sevenoaks station and there is a scholars pass weekly or monthly season ticket to Tunbridge Wells available. The weekly one is £39 for an over 16 yo. I presume other stations offer similar.

OMG. I am going to go in to the station and ask too. Why has this been kept such a secret? We have enquired before about a scholars' pass and been told that they don't exist and have always been sold an adult season ticket ( Sevenoaks to Tonbridge) I have checked and can see that the weekly adult season ticket to Tunbridge wells should be £50, so £39 is quite a discount. Does it also work out cheaper over a month? Can it only be used to travel to and from school Monday to Friday?

[doodles]

I'm not sure about the monthly rate Twinkle. However, my friend's dc travels to Tonbridge and I'm pretty sure they are using one and I am sure she mentioned £99 for a month, don't quote me as I might have got the wrong end of the stick but it is worth asking. I'm afraid I didn't ask about the t's & c's as the railcard is better for us.

Thinking about it, if it's only available to TW and not Tonbridge, surely you could get that one (if it's cheaper) and get off at Tonbridge.

[mystery]

And this scholars' pass can be used on peak trains?

I'm going to ask if this is available on southern too. The line you are talking about is south-eastern. Were you just asking about 7 oaks to Tunbridge Wells or did they say that was the only journey it was available on?

It really is peculiar that this exists and so few seem to have heard of it.

[doodles]

I asked about Sevenoaks to TW as that is the journey my ds does and yes, it is for peak hour travel to school. Just go to your local station, or come into Sevenoaks if it's not too much of a drag and ask at the desk.