On this page we cover
- Finding your way around
- Getting to school
- Save money on travel – The Endeavour Card
- Travel training
- Learn to drive and the Get in Gear programme
Finding your way around
Worried about travelling or using public transport?
The Suffolk on board’s Independent Travel Toolkit website helps young people to use public transport for the first time. It’s a friendly online space to support young people, and those with ADHD, Autism, and Dyslexia, to travel around Suffolk. The site can help you:
- Plan journeys – what bus to get.
- Problem-solve – tips for if you get off at the wrong stop.
- Find helpful resources – what you need to know before travelling.
You can also use Google Maps to help you travel.
1) Enter the address into Google Maps
2) Click ‘directions’ and choose a starting point for your journey (e.g. your house)
3) The route will appear, and you can select the option to drive, walk, cycle or use public transport, and see how long it will take for each option.
4) The public transport icon will give you the different routes for train and bus services.
– Remember the quickest route doesn’t always mean the cheapest!
– Buses are often a lot cheaper than trains.
School and Post 16 Travel Scheme
In most instances it is often more cost-effective for students to look at the public transport options available to them or any travel offered by their college or sixth form.
You can apply for transport under the Post 16 Travel Scheme – Please note that all Post-16 students will need to pay a termly fee for their travel under this scheme
For more details and explore your options, go to Suffolk on Board Post-16 Travel page.
Students with an EHCP
Students with an EHCP (Education Health and Care Plan) may qualify for travel to their place of study under the Post-16 Travel Policy.
Note that most post-16 students with an EHCP will still need to pay a termly fee for their travel under this scheme.
For more information, go to: Suffolk on Board Website
“How can I save money on travel?”
- Ask your travel company about any discounts they are running. It might be cheaper to buy a block of fares for example. Please note the Endeavour Card scheme has ended.
Here are links to some local websites:
- Borderbus – www.border-bus.co.uk
- Coach Services – www.coachservicesltd.co.uk
- First Bus – www.firstbus.co.uk
- Ipswich Buses – www.ipswichbuses.co.uk
- Mulleys – www.mulleys.co.uk
- Simonds – www.simonds.co.uk
- Stephensons – www.stephensonsofessex.com
- Kickstart moped hire charity – Offers mopeds and accessories on loan.
Visit: Kickstart Moped Hire - Travelling to a job interview? You can get free train tickets with Greater Anglia’s job track scheme.
- A Young Person’s Railcard – If you are aged 16-25 or a full time student aged 26 or over? Saves you 1/3 off most standard class rail fares throughout UK. Visit: 16-25 National Railcard enquiries.
If you are a disabled young person you can apply for a Disabled Persons Railcard, which entitles you to 1/3 off train travel and one person travelling with you.
Free Travel Training to teach you how to use public transport safely
Travel training is FREE training available to students, young people, and adults with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), to teach you how to use public transport safely on your own in Suffolk.
The training supports you to use all forms of public transport to school, college, and help you feel confident about travelling around Suffolk.
Find more information and make a referral to access travel training at:
“I want to learn to drive!”
If you live in Suffolk, you probably want to learn to drive!
Apply for a provisional license
To starting driving lessons, you will need to apply for a provisional license. This does cost some money, but you can then use this provisional license as ID too. You need a provisional license to book your theory test.
visit: GOV.UK website
Advice about driving and road safety
- Preparing for your driving test, visit: Learn to Drive revision (BBC)
- Tips on protecting yourself on the road, visit: Suffolk Roadsafe website
- Passed your driving test and want to improve your driving skills, visit Safe Driving for Life Website
- Advice about different road safety risks for drivers and passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists, visit THINK! Education website
How to drive responsibly:
- Always wear a seat belt.
- Never drink or take illegal drugs before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.
- When planning a night out with friends where you will be drinking choose who in your group is going to be the designated driver.
- If you do drink be aware you may still have alcohol in your system in the morning, which means it will be unsafe to drive.
- if you know that you need to drive the next day, it’s probably safer not to drink at all.
Get into Gear programme
Passed your test? Newly-qualified young drivers can take part in a ‘Get in Gear’ course in Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich or Lowestoft to help build confidence and skills driving.
The Get in Gear course is being run by Suffolk County Council, giving young people aged between 17 and 19 who have passed their test within the last year, the chance to benefit from the course, which is worth £150, for just £30.
You will receive two hours learning in a classroom and four hours with an instructor on the road.
To sign up to the Get in Gear course, visit Suffolk Roadsafe website.
Page updated on March 26th, 2026 at 02:22pm