Young people’s travel passes – online applications
As you are aware we’ve reached the end of the current academic year and the new academic year will be upon us soon after. I, therefore, wanted to take this opportunity to ask for your support in promoting the benefits of our free concessionary travel passes to people aged 18 and under and encouraging young people and parents to apply for a pass.
Zoom Under 16 and Zoom 16-18 Travel Passes
Zoom Under 16 and Zoom 16-18 concessionary travel passes provide proof of eligibility to travel for a discounted single journey fare of £1 on bus and tram, and half fare on Northern trains in South Yorkshire.
Additionally, pass holders are eligible to purchase a range of discounted daily, weekly and 28-day tickets from bus and tram operators, as well as TravelMaster’s range of GetAbout multi-operator tickets, including prepaid tickets offering unlimited travel across South Yorkshire.
Zoom Beyond 18-21 Travel Pass
Zoom Beyond 18-21 Travel Passes can be used as proof of eligibility to save money on fares across South Yorkshire, including a £2.10 single fare or £4.10 return on Supertram, and a 15% discount on a range of TravelMaster tickets.
Under 18s free bus travel pilot scheme in Barnsley
The MiCard Travel Pass was launched as a two-year pilot on Friday 1 August 2025 providing free travel for children and young people aged 5 to 18 years old living in Barnsley. MiCard allows them to benefit from free bus travel anywhere in South Yorkshire from 7am to 9pm, seven days a week. As long as the journey starts or finishes in Barnsley (within South Yorkshire only).
If a journey does not start or end in Barnsley, then they will need a Zoom pass to qualify for the £1 Child Fare.
Eligibility and how to apply
Zoom Under 16 and Zoom 16-18 Travel Passes
Our travel passes are available to young people aged 18 and under who live in South Yorkshire. Early application is encouraged in order to benefit from discounted travel over the summer holidays.
Zoom Beyond 18-21 Travel Pass
Our travel pass is available to young people from the age of 18, who live is South Yorkshire. The pass is valid up until the day before they turn 22.
Barnsley MiCard Travel Pass
A MiCard Travel Pass can be used by anyone aged five or over living in Barnsley to travel for free.
The quickest way to apply for a Zoom or MiCard pass is online by creating a MyTSY account. Further information about the range of passes available, eligibility, the benefits of having a free Zoom Travel Pass and a Barnsley MiCard pass and how to apply can be found at travelsouthyorkshire.com/zoom and travelsouthyorkshire.com/micard.
We aim to dispatch each pass within 11 days of receiving a completed online application if all details are correct.
If customers are unable to apply online, they can apply by post and we are asking them to please give our Traveline team a call on 0800 952 0002, between 7am and 7pm Monday to Friday or 8am and 7pm Saturday and Sunday, and they will happily talk them through their options.
How is this information being communicated to the community?
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is working with local education providers, parents, youth cabinets, councils and community groups to promote concessionary travel for young people living in South Yorkshire. Concessionary travel passes are free and easy to use, helping young people travel more independently.
We are encouraging applications for Zoom Under 16 or 16-18 Travel Passes during the summer months so that pupils have their travel pass before the start of school or college term in September.
Information about resources on how to apply and the range of tickets available with a travel pass are being communicated to schools and colleges in South Yorkshire and we will be displaying posters in our interchanges and on street. Adverts will also run through social media channels, local press and the Travel South Yorkshire website.
As well as promoting the discounted single fare available with a travel pass, our Marketing & Communications team are taking this opportunity to make young people, parents and teachers aware of the 1, 7 and 28-day tickets available for under 16- and 16–18-year-old pass holders and the benefits of the Zoom Beyond Travel Pass.
How can you help?
We would like to ask that if you receive any enquiries, please direct parents and students to our website where we provide details of our products and services and bring together information from all of the bus, tram and train operators. The quickest way to apply is online.
If people do not have access to the internet, our Traveline team is available on 800 952 0002, between 7am and 7pm Monday to Friday or 8am and 7pm Saturday and Sunday, and they will happily talk them through their options. Don’t forget, no pass means full fare.
If you require any further information or have any questions, please get in touch.