Transport Routes
2025/26
Our students are encouraged to create lasting positive change throughout their lives, for the benefit of themselves, our society and the environment.
Having experience of a diverse community is a key factor for this, so we are very proud of our large geographical intake. Our school campus benefits from being both close to London (Elstree and Borehamwood station) and also in a stunning rural part of Hertfordshire. Due to the very limited public transport links, most of our students use our extensive private coach service.
Our coach network is one of the largest in the county with over 70% of students taking one of our 81 distinct routes. We span most of Hertfordshire and North London.
Our coaches cover Redbourn, Harpenden, Welwyn Garden City in the north; to St John’s Wood, Belsize Park and Camden in the south; Berkhamsted, Rickmansworth, Ruislip in the west; to Cuffley, Winchmore Hill and Southgate in the east.
Students can also travel to multiple tube and train stations including Radlett, Elstree and Borehamwood, Stanmore, Edgware and then travel on our school coaches to Habs.
How our coach service works
Operated jointly by Habs Girls and Habs Boys, our coach service offers travel options for all students from Reception to Year 13, based on specific needs for their year group.
The service is for students and staff only. Members of the public cannot use these coaches. All drivers are safeguarding trained and have been subject to an enhanced DBS check.
Habs parents can sign up to the Habs SchoolBus Tracker app where you can manage and track your child’s travel.
Use our network map to find the times and prices for ours routes.
The service covers 34 morning routes, 34 afternoon routes and 13 late service routes. Our afternoon coaches leave school at 4.15pm and our late coach departs at 5.30pm (ideal for students attending co-curricular activities). Please note that our late coach services differ to our morning and afternoon routesyou can check our network map to compare routes. You can also use the network map to check the times, prices and services for your chosen stop by clicking on the stop marker.
Coach passes and tickets
Coach tickets are available as follows:
PRE-BOOKED REGULAR TRAVEL
Pre-booked regular tickets are for a regular travel pattern. These tickets automatically renew at the end of each term, securing your child’s seat on the coach for the next term.
DISCOUNT AVAILABILITY
If you pre-book 10 journeys a week on a regular ticket, you can claim a discount. This is your most cost-effective option when making a booking.
Please submit requests for regular travel using the online form.
AD-HOC JOURNEYS
These can be booked by calling the Transport Office on 020 8266 1920. They are available for a single one-way journey or a short period of regular travel.
Tickets are accessed via the app, with tickets sold subject to availability, if your chosen stop is fully booked, we can discuss an alternative.
All tickets permit the student to travel to their booked stop only. Any passenger travelling to a stop other than the one on their ticket will receive a £15 fare for that journey.
Main service coach map routes AM and PM (4.15pm)
Main service coach map routes - Morning (AM)
Main service coach map routes - PM (4.15pm)
Late coach routes 5.30pm
Habs Hubs
(Reception to Year 2)
WHAT IS HABS HUBS?
The Habs Hubs service is an extension to the Habs home-toschool coach network, that now allows Reception to Year 2 pupils to access the school coach network at designated Habs Hub stops.
Coaches using Hub stops have a Hero travelling on board, who provide supervision to Habs’ youngest pupils.
The service has launched in September 2025 with limited Hub stops. The Habs Hubs stops are currently only available on the following routes: F03, FF03, F04, FF04, H15 and HH15
The Habs Hub map shows the routes and Hubs stops that are currently under this service. Although other coach routes may pass through a Habs Hub, they are not a Hub on that particular route and therefore will not have a Hero on board.
We are continuing to expand the Hub network into more areas of the Habs catchment area to give increased travel options to our youngest students.
WHO IS A HERO?
A Hero is a paediatric first aid trained adult, travelling on designated Hub routes. Their role is to assist and supervise Hubsters throughout their journey.
It is this role that allows Habs’ youngest pupils to travel on the Habs coach network. Heroes can be Habs staff or coach-operator chaperones.
HOW DOES THE SYSTEM WORK?
Tickets for Hub stops can be requested via the online form.
Please note that Hub travel needs to be booked on a regular basis, for the whole term. Due to needing to ensure adult supervision is available on routes with Hub stops, flexible Hub tickets cannot be purchased. This means you will need to book the same pattern of travel each week (you do not need to book travel every day or every morning/afternoon – just the same timetable each week).
SAFEGUARDING
Allowing the youngest Habs pupils to access the coach network is a large undertaking – their wellbeing and safety is always front of mind. Because of this, there are various rules and regulations around the Hub service. It is very important parents read and understand all the following before they rely on or sign-up to the Hub service.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework dictate the standards which must be met for pupils under Habs care. These standards form the foundation for Habs coach provision for Reception to Year 2. The standard for pupils in Reception are markedly different to those for pupils in Year 1 and Year 2, particularly in regard to ratios and training of adult supervision.
For safety reasons, permission to use the Habs Hub service is at the discretion of the Head of Boys’ Prep School and Head of Girls’ Junior School.
A parent or individual explicitly named by a parent or carer will need to be with the Hubster until they board the coach and must be at the Habs Hub to collect them. The exception to this are ‘Hub Siblings’, where an older sibling is able to escort the ‘Hubster’ from the coach to home (please see the Hub Sibling application form for full details, sourced from the Transport Manager).
Hub Siblings allows Year 1 and Year 2 pupils to access the Habs coach network under the supervision of an older sibling. Hubsters are not restricted to using Hub stops only, although applications to use this service need to be made each year to the Transport Manager and approval is at the discretion of the respective school Heads.
Please note due to Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) regulations, Reception pupils are not able to use the Hub Siblings service.
Reception to Year 2 pupils will be able to travel to and from Habs Hubs on the morning and 4.15 afternoon coach services (they will not be able to travel on the 5.30 late afternoon service). Early years finish before the rest of the schools, so in-between school finishing and the coach departure at 4.15pm, Hubsters attend after-school care from 3.30pm to 3.45pm, at which point they are escorted to the Coach Park where they meet their Hero.
The wellbeing and safety of our pupils is paramount and combined with the EYFS regulatory requirements Habs must adhere to, dictates the standards by which the Hubs service operates.
Therefore, safety and wellbeing of our pupils will always be prioritised over parent convenience. This may mean, in exceptional circumstances, we are unable to provide the coach service for Reception children. Examples might include staff absence due to supporting trips, parent/teacher evenings or illness. Our intention will always be to source alternative cover, but this may not always be possible.
We are unable to allow Reception children in particular to travel on a coach without appropriate adult supervision. Should this situation arise, parents will be responsible for getting their child to/from school – please also note, due to the nature of circumstances this may arise, notification may be at short notice.
For Reception pupils, the Habs Hub service commences the second week of the Autumn term. This is to allow pupils time to settle into their new school before using the coach.
The Habs Coach Service Code of Conduct will apply at all times.
Habs Hubs routes (Reception to Year 2)
AM and PM (4.15pm)
Individual coach route maps
The following pages break down our coach transport map, so you can see all coach routes available in detail.
To compare routes, and for timings and prices, please see our coach network map.
Safety and conduct
All students from Year 3 and up must carry a working mobile phone which is charged and in credit. This does not apply to students in Reception to Year 2 as they will be travelling with a Hero or Hub Sibling who will be carrying their own phone and contact details for the Hubster’s adults. Seat belts must be worn at all times, and other than water, no food or drink can be consumed on board. In case of an emergency, please call the Transport Office on 020 8266 1920
For all Junior and Prep School students, parents are responsible for their child until they board the coach on the journey to school and after they get off on the journey home. Your child must never get off the coach until they have seen the person collecting them at their stop.
If your child misses their stop or realises they are on the wrong coach, they must stay on board. The driver will contact the School Office and make arrangements to take your child to a safe place, where they can be met.
Students, parents or guardians who do not use the service responsibly may have their access withdrawn either permanently, or for a short period of time.
KEEPING YOU INFORMED
The Habs SchoolBusTracker Parent app sends email and in-app push alerts to students, parents and guardians with any updates about the coach service.
Ms Emma Summers is our School Transport Manager. She and her team in the Transport Office are happy to answer any questions you may have about the coach service.
Email the team at: transport@habselstree.org.uk
Or call: 020 8266 1920
Lost property on Habs coaches
Any item found on the coach will be placed in the lost property racks in the coach park.
If your child’s property is not on the racks, please call the Coach Operator responsible for your route.
THE OFFICE TELEPHONE NUMBERS ARE:
• F routes are Southgate & Finchley, 020 8368 0040
• L routes are Lucketts Coaches, 01923 223 465 option 2
• H routes are Hearns Coaches, 020 8954 5444
Please remember that coaches will not make any special trips to return lost property and visits to collect lost property from coach operator offices may be restricted for safety reasons.
High-value items, such as musical instruments or digital devices, will be taken to the coach park office. If your child has left something valuable on the coach, please contact an on-duty member of staff in the coach park.
