We are pleased to announce that the Student Transit Pass Program will continue for the 2025/26 school year, and 2024/25 passes are extended until September 12, 2025.
All students in grades 7 to 12 in the municipality attending junior high and high schools registered at the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) and Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP) will have access to travel on all Halifax Transit services.
Starting in September 2025, registered homeschooled students in grades 7 to 12 who live in the Halifax region will also be eligible to receive a Student Transit Pass.
Students who wish to become Access-A-Bus clients are required to apply to Access-A-Bus before becoming a passenger on this service. To register, complete the Access-A-Bus application form found here. Only those students who meet the qualifications to become Access-A-Bus clients will gain access to this service.
At the beginning of the school year in September, students may pick up their 2025/26 transit passes at their school administration offices. Information on pass distribution for homeschooled students will be shared in early September.
First launched as a pilot in 2021, the continuation of the program has been made possible through a funding agreement between the Province of Nova Scotia and the Halifax Regional Municipality. Providing free access to public transit supports youth mobility, independence, accessibility, and the development of sustainable travel habits across the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Student Transit Pass Pilot Program?
The Student Transit Pass Program provides students in grades 7 to 12 at all Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) and Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP) high schools and junior high schools located in the Halifax region with a transit pass for the 2025/26 school year. In addition, starting in September, 2025, homeschooled students residing in the municipality will also now be eligible to receive a transit pass through the program.
- Which schools are participating in the Student Transit Pass Pilot Program?
All HRCE and CSAP high schools and junior high schools in the Halifax region are participating in the program:
- École secondaire du Sommet
- École secondaire Mosaïque
- École du Carrefour
- École des Beaux-Marais
- École Mer et Monde
- Auburn Drive High School
- Astral Drive Junior High School
- A.J. Smeltzer Junior High School
- Bedford & Forsyth Education Centre (Dartmouth Campus)
- Bay View High School
- Bicentennial School
- Bridgeway Academy (HRCE Registered Students Only)
- Brookside Junior High School
- Caledonia Junior High School
- Cole Harbour District High School
- Citadel High School
- Charles P. Allen High School
- Churchill Academy (HRCE Registered Students Only)
- Clayton Park Junior High School
- Cunard Junior High School
- Dartmouth High School
- Dartmouth South Academy
- Eric Graves Memorial Junior High School
- Ellenvale Junior High School
- Elizabeth Sutherland Junior High School
- Eastern Passage Education Centre
- Eastern Shore Consolidated School
- Five Bridges Junior High School
- Bedford & Forsyth Education Centre (Bedford Campus)
- Fairview Junior High School
- Gorsebrook Junior High School
- Graham Creighton Junior High School
- Georges P. Vanier Junior High School
- Herring Cove Junior High School
- Halifax Central Junior High School
- Highland Park Junior High School
- Harold T. Barrett Junior High School
- Halifax West High School
- Island View High School
- J. L. Ilsley High School
- John Martin Junior High School
- Lockview High School
- Leslie Thomas Junior High School
- Marine Drive Academy
- Millwood High School
- Musquodoboit Rural High School
- Madeline Symonds Middle School
- Oyster Pond Academy
- Oxford Street School
- Park West School
- Rocky Lake Junior High School
- Ridgecliffe Middle School
- Ross Road School
- Rockingstone Heights School
- St. Agnes Junior High School
- Sir Robert Borden Junior High School
- Sackville High School
- Sackville Heights Junior High School
- West Bedford High School
- Woodlawn High School
- How do students use the pass?
Students are required to show their Student Transit Pass to a bus Operator or a member of Ferry Security Staff when boarding a bus or ferry.
- Are resources available to help teach students how to use transit?
As part of our ongoing commitment to creating an accessible and inclusive transit system for all, Halifax Transit has resources online titled How to Ride: A Guide to Using Halifax Transit. This collection of easy-to-follow guides and videos in multiple languages provide information about how to:
- access bus route maps and schedules;
- plan a trip on buses and ferries;
- pay fares and transfer; and,
- ride safely.
Find these resources and learn more here. Riders can also visit our Passenger Information pages on the Halifax Transit website, where you will find Passenger Courtesy, Prohibited Conduct, Policies & Guidelines, and Safety Information. All riders, including students, may also call 311 or email contactus@311.halifax.ca for more information about Halifax Transit services.
Halifax Transit will also be visiting many participating schools during the 2025/26 school year to provide training and information sessions to help students learn how to use transit safely and confidently. These sessions support trip planning and transit literacy for students participating in the Student Transit Pass Program. The training covers everything from reading a schedule to understanding expected rider behaviour based on the Transit Code. We work closely with schools and community partners to ensure the content of these sessions is youth-friendly, accessible, and tailored to students’ needs.
- How will students receive their pass?
Student transit passes will be distributed by each school’s administration office at the beginning of the school year
- My child is homeschooled, how can they receive the pass?
Information on pass distribution for homeschooled students will be shared at the beginning of the 2025/26 school year.
- I do not wish for my child to receive a free Halifax Transit student pass. What do I do?
Parents and guardians may discuss their concerns directly with their child’s school administration office.
- Do the Student Transit passes provide access to Access-A-Bus?
Student transit passes will provide students free access to Access-A-Bus services. Students who wish to become Access-A-Bus clients will need to apply to Access-A-Bus before becoming a passenger on this service. To register, complete the Access-A-Bus application form found here. Only those students who meet the qualifications to become Access-A-Bus clients will gain access to this service.
For more information about Halifax Transit’s Access-A-Bus service, please visit the our website, contact Access-A-Bus at 902-490-6999, or email contactus@311.halifax.ca.
- Is Regional Express service included in the Student Transit Pass Pilot Program?
Yes, students travelling on Regional Express buses (Routes 320, 330 and 370) are not required to pay any additional fare with the presentation of their student transit pass.
- What will happen if a student loses their student transit pass?
If a student loses their Student Transit Pass, they can visit their school’s administration office to receive a replacement.
For the summer expansion, replacement passes will be available for pickup at the HRCE main office located at 33 Spectacle Lake Dr, Dartmouth.
Additional Educational and Safety Information – How to Ride Halifax Transit
As part of our ongoing commitment to creating an accessible and inclusive transit system for all, Halifax Transit has resources online titled How to Ride: A Guide to Using Halifax Transit. This collection of easy-to-follow guides and videos in multiple languages provide information about how to:
- access bus route maps and schedules;
- plan a trip on buses and ferries;
- pay fares and transfer; and,
- ride safely.
Find these resources and learn more here. Riders can also visit our Passenger Information pages on the Halifax Transit website, where you will find Passenger Courtesy, Prohibited Conduct, Policies & Guidelines, and Safety Information. All riders, including students, may also call 311 or email contactus@311.halifax.ca for more information about Halifax Transit services.
Halifax Transit will also be visiting many participating schools during the 2025/26 school year to provide training and information sessions to help students learn how to use transit safely and confidently. These sessions support trip planning and transit literacy for students participating in the Student Transit Pass Program. The training covers everything from reading a schedule to understanding expected rider behaviour based on the Transit Code. We work closely with schools and community partners to ensure the content of these sessions is youth-friendly, accessible, and tailored to students’ needs.