Who is eligible for free school transport in Akershus?

Pupils may be entitled to free school transport from Ruter if they:

Primary and Lower Secondary School

Pupils may receive free school transport from Ruter if they:

• are in 1st grade and live more than 2 km from school
• are in grades 2–10 and live more than 4 km from school
• require transport due to a disability or illness

If the route to school is particularly dangerous or difficult, the pupil may also be entitled to transport even if the distance requirement is not met. Please contact the school for guidance and assistance with the application to the local council.

Upper Secondary School

Upper Secondary school pupils may receive free school transport from Ruter if they:

• live more than 6 km from school.
• have special needs due to reduced mobility or illness.

From 1 August 2026, a new regulation applies to pupils from Akershus who choose a public or private upper secondary school in Oslo, or a private upper secondary school in Buskerud, Innlandet, or Østfold. Instead of a free school ticket, they may purchase a discounted Youth Travelcard. Read more about the Youth Travelcard here.

The regulation assumes that public transport services exist between home and school. In some cases—where no such service exists—Ruter must still provide transport. If there is no public transport available, you may apply to Ruter for free school transport. Send your application to post@ruter.no and mark the email “Application for school ticket – exemption from regulation.”

How do I apply for school transport?

Primary and Secondary School

• Primary and Lower Secondary school:
  The school applies for transport on behalf of all its pupils. Please contact the school if you require transport.
• Upper Secondary school:
  Pupils apply for a school ticket themselves via the application portal. If you have medical needs or live in an area without public transport, please contact the school.
• Shared residence:
  If the pupil lives with both parents or guardians, the application must include a signed residence agreement showing the distribution of time between both homes.
• Medical needs:
  Must be documented by a doctor with a description of the pupil's level of functioning and the reason why specialist transport is required.

When will I receive a response to my application?

If you apply by 19 June, you will receive a response before the start of the school year. We will send the response by post to your home address or to the pupil's Digipost inbox (if the pupil has one).

How is school transport arranged?

Most pupils travel by regular public transport using a school ticket. The ticket is distributed at school and is valid for journeys between home and school on school days.

Travel hours for the school ticket:

• Primary and Lower Secondary school: The ticket is valid until 16:00.
• Secondary school: The ticket is valid until 18:00.

Special services by minibus or taxi

Pupils who are unable to use public transport may be entitled to transport by minibus or taxi for all or part of their journey.

Once the transport has been arranged, we will send an SMS to the phone number provided in the application. You will receive practical information about the transport and a pupil code for the School Transport app.

Important things to remember:

• The pupil must be ready at the collection point at least 5 minutes before the agreed collection time. You will find the collection point in the School Transport app.
• If the pupil does not appear at the collection point, the return journey will be automatically cancelled and cannot be reinstated.
• If the pupil is unwell or will not be travelling, please cancel the journey as early as possible in the School Transport app or by contacting Ruter's customer services.

The School Transport app gives parents and guardians an overview of all specialist transport journeys. You can see the vehicle's location on the map, cancel journeys and check the status of your application.

Need help?

You will find answers to common questions under Questions and answers about school transport. You can also call customer services on 24 20 20 33 or use the contact form below.

Use our contact form