What Transport Options Do I Have As a Student?

How to get from A to B.

Whether you’re looking to save a little bit of extra money, have recently moved house or you're just looking for the most comfortable way to get from one place to another, it’s good to weigh up all your travel options.

Luckily in Australia, there are heaps of student transport options that you can pick from, both to suit your budget and your lifestyle (even if it’s a bit boujee).

So, to save you the time of actually figuring out what the difference is, we’ve compiled a list of all the transport options that are available to students down under.

Get a lift with your ‘rents.

Let’s start with the most obvious.

If you’re still in high school or live at home while studying at uni, getting a lift with your parents (or even an older sibling) can be a great option.

Not only will it save you money, but it'll guarantee you get to class on time and it's generally a really fast option.

Of course, not everyone has the luxury of being able to ask their parents for a lift. A lot of parents work full-time jobs or have to leave home early to fulfil other commitments.

If it’s something that is doable for your parents, have a chat with them and maybe offer to do some extra chores as an incentive.

Drive yourself.

If you were committed enough to get your driver’s licence as soon as you turned 16, then you’re in luck ‘cos you’ve opened up a lot of doors for yourself.

Driving yourself to school is a great option if you have regular access to a car because it's often one of the quickest routes and you’re not having to run off someone else’s schedule.

The downside to this option is that it’s not exactly great for the environment, especially if you’re the only one in the car.

This option can also be pretty expensive. Petrol, insurance and rego all add up, and that’s not even factoring in the upfront cost of a car if you don’t already own one.

If you don’t have your own car, you may have to give this one a miss, but it’s a decent option when it’s something you can afford.

Carpool with mates.

Whether you’re the driver or not, a great way to save money and the environment is to carpool with some of your friends.

Not only will this reduce gas emissions, as you’re all only taking the one car, but if you’re rotating the driver each of you will wind up saving money on petrol in the long run.

This is also the perfect option if your parents are unable to drive you to school because of their schedule.

Always be sure to double check with a parent or guardian before you get into someone else’s car and keep them updated on your location to stay safe.

Rideshare services & taxis.

If you don’t have access to a car but you’d prefer to arrive in a car, your next best option is to use rideshare services or taxis.

Obviously, the biggest downside to this is that it’s super expensive, especially if you have to travel really far. But if you’ve got the cash to fund it, why not arrive in style?

Before you go downloading the Uber app, it's important to note that you won’t be able to ride with these services until you are at least 18.

Much like driving yourself, getting a taxi isn't entirely ideal for the environment. So, if that is something important to you, you might want to consider other options. 

Also, before using any taxis or rideshare services, keep a trusted friend or adult updated on your location, just to stay as safe as you can.

Bike it.

Whether you’ve got a bike, skateboard, scooter or even a unicycle (if that floats your boat), using a self-powered vehicle to get yourself to class is an awesome option.

Not only is this one of the most environmentally friendly options, but if you’ve already got a bike, it can be one of the cheapest too.

If you don’t live too far from school, this is an easy way to get to class on your own schedule while also getting some fresh air and exercise. It’s a win-win-win!

The only negative to riding a bike or scooter is the looming threat of bad weather. The last thing you’ll want on a school day is to rock up to class soaking wet from the rain.

Keep an eye on weather reports and have a back up mode of transport just in case. 

Public transport.

One of the most common ways students in Australia get to school is via the bus or the train.

If you live a fair distance from school and you’re looking to save some money and help the environment, your best option is to take public transport.

The obvious downsides to this are that—at least in Australia—the public transport system is often slower than driving, so it may take you a little longer to get where you need to go. You are also going to have to run by the public transport schedule, so you won’t want to be running late.

Depending on your state you can also get subsidies to assist with your travel to and from school:

• Australian Capital Territory: Transport Canberra concessions
• New South Wales: School Student Transport Scheme
• Northern Territory: Student travel scheme
• Queensland: School Transport Assistance Scheme
• South Australia: Travel concession and allowances
• Tasmania: Student travel
• Victoria: Victorian student pass
• Western Australia: Student travel subsidies

You can also grab yourself a transport card like a SmartRider or Opal to get even further discounts and a more convenient way to pay.

Study from home.

Finally, one of the easiest travel options for school is… to not travel at all.

Thanks to 2020, a lot of us had to get used to working and studying from home.

If you still need to take classes from home or your school lets you study from home a few days a week, it’s a great way to spend zero dollars on transport and get yourself that little extra bit of sleep-in time.

This is also a good option if you're a person living with disability. Chat with your school to see what kind of transport options they can offer you and discuss the regularity of studying from home—it can be a huge help!

Whether you bus it, train it or take a rocket ship to class, the most important thing is that you get to class at all.

So, weigh up your options and figure out which one is going to work best for you.

Header Image: urbazon via Getty Images