Questions and answers about school transport
Frequently asked questions and answers
How does the application process work?
We process applications in the order they are received by Ruter.
Normally, we process applications within 4 weeks. If it takes longer, we will send you a message explaining the delay and when you can expect a response. Around the start of the school year, we receive many applications, so processing times may be longer. Applications that lack information or documentation also take longer to process.
Once the application has been processed, the student will receive a decision in their digital mailbox (or to their home address). If the student is granted transportation by minibus or taxi, the school will receive a copy of the decision, and the student/guardians will receive an SMS with information about the transportation. Pupils who are granted a school ticket will pick it up at the school.
If one wishes to appeal the decision, this must be done through the contact form. The complaint must be substantiated.
How does the school ticket work?
Pupils entitled to transportation will receive a travel card with a school ticket at the start of school. The ticket is valid for journeys between home and school on school days, and can be used for boarding until 4 p.m. for primary school students and until 6 p.m. for secondary school students. If you continue at the same school without moving, you can use the same travel card throughout your schooling. We automatically load a new ticket onto the card at the start of each semester. It is not possible to pay extra to extend the validity of the school ticket.
What if I lose my card?
Primary and lower secondary school pupils who have lost their travelcard will still be allowed to travel to school. Some municipalities require a fee to order a replacement card. Upper secondary school pupils who lose their travelcard must pay the regular fare for a ticket. They must also pay a fee of NOK 300 to Ruter to receive a new travelcard.
This can be paid into account number 5081.08.21946, or through Vipps to 566116. A receipt for the paid fee must be presented before ordering a new card. The fee will not be refunded if the student finds the old card after payment.
The school can order a new travel card in the application portal for school tickets. While the pupil is waiting, the school can issue a temporary travel document that is valid for a maximum of one week. It is up to each individual school whether they want to provide the student with a temporary travel document. If the pupil loses the temporary travel document, it will not be replaced and the student must pay the regular price for a new ticket to and from school. Temporary travel documents are not issued to secondary school students until the pupil has presented a receipt showing that they have paid for a new card.
Expenses will not be reimbursed. The temporary travel document can only be issued in cases of lost or damaged travel cards. It should not be issued in cases where pupils are waiting for a response to their school transport application.
Can one get school transport for a temporary injury or illness?
Yes. Notify the school, which will send an application to Ruter. Attach documentation from a doctor, psychologist, or other therapist that describes the student's needs and what the student can manage on their own.
We prioritize applications for pupils who have a temporary medical need for school transport.
Transport during acute illness during the day for pupils with permanent medical conditions This arrangement applies to pupils who need a transport scheme where they, for medical reasons, need to change the pickup time at short notice. To access this service, one must present a statement from a qualified professional (doctor, psychologist, etc.) indicating that the pupil has a health condition where it can be expected that acute situations may arise, leading to the pupil needing to be picked up earlier or later than planned. Such transport cannot be planned in advance as it is not possible to know beforehand when such acute situations will occur. The school's start and end times must also be included with the application.
When an acute situation arises, the student or the school must contact Ruter, who will send the first available means of transport to pick up the pupil.
Can one get school transport during the holidays?
No, school transportation is generally only offered within the school's opening hours.
What about pupils who have multiple addresses?
Pupils with shared residency are entitled to transportation from both homes under the same conditions as others. Please attach:
- Residence agreement signed by both guardians, or
- Copy of legal decision on residential allocation
It must be clear where and when the pupil is to be picked up. This also applies to pupils at crisis centers, in the care of child welfare services, or with another temporary residence.
The right to free transportation primarily applies between the address registered in the National Population Register and the school. Pupils at institutions or crisis centers normally have the right to transportation to their regular school.
Pupils with municipal decisions on respite care are entitled to transportation between the respite address and the school.
How is distance measured on the way to school?
The school route should be measured from the door at home to the door the student uses at school, along the shortest navigable footpath. Measurement can be done in Google Maps (remember to select the walking option) or in our journey planner. Measurements in other online maps are done via driving routes. We conduct control measurements where there is doubt about the distance between home and school.
Is there any leeway regarding the distance requirement?
No, the distance requirement is absolute.
Can pupils in private schools or adult education receive school transport?
Pupils in private primary schools that fall under the provisions of the Private School Act are entitled to transportation within the municipality of residence on the same terms as students in public primary schools.
Pupils at private upper secondary schools are entitled to free transportation when the school is located in Akershus. Pupils from Akershus who choose to attend a private upper secondary school elsewhere are normally not entitled to transportation.
Participants with a decision on "adult education at primary school level" have the same right to transportation as regular primary school pupils.
Can upper secondary school students receive transportation due to a dangerous or difficult school route?
No, this only applies to primary school pupils.
Do I live in Akershus, can I choose to attend any upper secondary school in Akershus?
Akershus has divided the secondary schools into intake regions to gather students close to where they live, so that the school journey is not too long.
Pupils residing in Akershus are in principle eligible to apply to all upper secondary schools throughout the county, but are given priority for admission to schools within their catchment area.
If a pupil is accepted to a school outside their catchment area, the right to school transport must be assessed against the distance the student must travel, the duration of the journey, and the cost if the journey cannot be made using regular public transport.
Do pupils attending school in a different municipality have the right to transportation?
Pupils are entitled to transportation within their municipality of residence and receive a school pass that is valid there. Outside the municipality of residence, students are not entitled to school transportation, and parents or guardians must arrange this themselves.
If the school is located in the same zone as the school ticket is valid for, the student can use the ticket all the way even if crossing municipal boundaries. In case of need for special transport (taxi or minibus), for example due to injury, the transport is only valid to the municipal boundary.
How is school transportation organized for pupils entitled to school transport in cases where the school journey goes beyond Ruter's zone system?
For pupils from Røyken, Hurum, and Asker who attend St. Halvard, Lier, or Drammen upper secondary schools: The pupil will receive a school ticket from Ruter with text on the travel card confirming that the ticket can be used on Brakar's lines to and from the schools.
For pupils from Follo attending schools in Moss: The pupil will receive a school ticket from Ruter that is valid within Ruter's area. For travel by train (Vy) or bus in Østfold, tickets must be purchased independently and reimbursement sought from Ruter afterwards. The journeys must be documented by the school and purchase receipts must be attached.
Akershus County Municipality has been granted an exemption from school transport for upper secondary students in certain parts of the county. What does this mean?
Pupils from Romerike, Follo, Bærum, and Asker who choose to attend public or private secondary schools in Oslo municipality or private secondary schools in Innlandet county are not entitled to free school transport.
The exception is for pupils with a medical need for transportation.
How does one apply for travel reimbursement?
We disburse refunds semi-annually after each semester. Claims for reimbursement should be sent to Ruter via email, and must include:
- School's name
- The pupils name
- Account number for payment
- Account holder's name
- Confirmation from the school regarding the number of days of absence
- Ruter processes refunds continuously in January/February and June/July.
I have a long way to the bus. Am I entitled to school transport?
To be eligible for school transport based on distance, it must exceed the requirements in the Education Act: 2 or 4 km for primary school and 6 km for upper secondary school. If the distance requirement is met, the walking distance to the bus stop should not be more than half of the total distance. The combined travel and waiting time should be acceptable. This is an individual assessment that Ruter makes.
Who is eligible for school transport by minibus or taxi?
You can be provided with transportation to school by minibus or taxi if Ruter determines that it is the most appropriate way to organize the transport. Those who are entitled to school transport should have an acceptable travel time, but do not have the right to a specific mode of transportation.
Do I get free school transport as an apprentice?
No. Apprentices are considered regular employees and not students/pupils, and therefore do not have the right to free school transport.
Is my child entitled to free school transport after after-school care?
No, only pupils with disabilities who are entitled to school transport also possess the right to transportation to and from the School-Age Childcare Programme (SFO). The entitlement to transportation to and from the SFO does not apply during school holidays such as autumn half-term, winter break, Christmas holidays, Easter holidays, and summer holidays, though local authorities may grant exceptions.