School transport support
Does your child have a permanent disability which makes it impossible to travel independently, even with supervision? Or does your child have to travel more than 6 kilometres to school? You may be eligible for school transport support. Please apply by 20 June 2025, so we can assess your application before the new school year begins. This service is available to families in the municipalities of Maastricht, Meerssen, Valkenburg, Eijsden-Margraten, Gulpen-Wittem and Vaals.
How to apply
Please apply for school transport support by 20 June 2025. This allows us to assess your child's eligibility before the start of the new school year.
You can apply:
- online using DigiD
- by post
Instructions for postal applications are in the dropdown menu at the bottom of this page.
Please note: If you apply after 20 June 2025, you may need to arrange your child's transport yourself for the first few weeks of school, without reimbursement.
Required documents
Please include the following with your application:
- application form for the 2025-2026 school year (in Dutch)
- school declaration form for 2025-2026 (in Dutch), signed and stamped by the school (this is required)
- A statement about your child's disability.
Separated parents with shared custody
Children of separated parents with shared custody travel to school from 2 different addresses. Each parent can apply separately in their own municipality.
Residents of Maastricht, Meerssen, Valkenburg, Eijsden-Margraten, Gulpen-Wittem or Vaals must apply via the municipality of Maastricht.
Types of transport support
We offer 3 types of transport support. The municipality decides which type suits your child best:
- reimbursement for bicycle and/or public transport
- specialised taxi/minibus
- reimbursement if you drive your child yourself.
Need help with the application?
If you have any questions or need help with the application, email leerlingenvervoer [at] maastricht.nl or call 14 043.
You can also contact your local community service point to help you complete and submit the application.
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If you can't or don't want to use DigiD, you can apply by post. See the heading 'Required documents' above for the documents you need to include. Please send the documents to:
Gemeente Maastricht
Team leerlingenvervoer
Postbus 4902
6202 TC Maastricht -
Your child could qualify for school transport support if:
- You live in the municipality of Maastricht, Meerssen, Eijsden-Margraten, Gulpen-Wittem, Valkenburg or Vaals.
- Your child has a permanent disability preventing independent travel.
- Your child does not have a disability but must travel at least 6 kilometres to school (measured by Google Maps).
- Your child attends the nearest suitable school with available places and appropriate education.
As soon as and as long as your child attends a primary or secondary school and meets the conditions, they may be entitled to school transport support.
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We assess your application according to the Maastricht-Heuvelland School Transport Ordinance 2025 (Verordening leerlingenvervoer Maastricht-Heuvelland 2025) and the and the related detailed guidelines (Nadere regels Verordening leerlingenvervoer Maastricht-Heuvelland 2025).
We decide which form of school transport is most suitable for your child based on their ability to travel independently, possibly with supervision:
- If your child can travel independently or with supervision by bicycle, this is our preferred option. You will then receive a kilometre allowance (kilometervergoeding) for the bicycle journeys, including for any accompanying person.
- If your child can travel independently or with supervision by public transport, a bus pass will be provided for your child and any accompanying person.
- If your child cannot travel independently, even with supervision, the most suitable option will likely be reimbursement for private transport or transport via a specialised taxi or minibus.
- If your child is not yet able to travel independently but could learn to do so, we may be able to provide support to help achieve this.
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A permanent disability is a lasting physical, mental, psychological and/ or sensory impairment that prevents your child from travelling independently to school by bicycle or public transport, even with supervision. If this applies to your child, you must provide a medical certificate from an independent specialist (not your family doctor).
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You will receive a decision within 8 weeks after submitting your application. Occasionally, we may request additional information, which can extend the decision period by up to 4 more weeks.
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If your child meets all the criteria for school transport support, this can also include transport to work placements or internships that are part of the educational programme. A separate application is required. To arrange this, please email leerlingenvervoer [at] maastricht.nl or call 14 043.
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Students attending the schools listed below might qualify for long-term school transport support. If your child is eligible, you will be notified directly, meaning you will not need to reapply each school year:
- De Maasgouw
- SO Encanto (Adelante)
- SO Parkschool
- SO Sint Jan Baptist (Kerkrade)
- SO Sint Jan Baptist (Maastricht)
- SO Catharinaschool
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If your child receives school transport support, you may be required to make a personal financial contribution depending on your income.
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If you disagree with our decision, you have 6 weeks to submit an objection. If you still disagree after our response, you can appeal to the court.
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Parents:
- responsible for arranging and supervising their child's transport to school
- responsible for submitting school transport applications on time.
Transport provider:
- responsible for ensuring safe transport.
School:
- responsible for receiving and assisting children when the taxi arrives.
- responsible for helping children board and leave the taxi safely.
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Please notify us quickly of any changes affecting your child’s situation (such as moving home or changing schools) via leerlingenvervoer [at] maastricht.nl. Changes could affect the school transport your child receives.
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If we grant transport by taxi van for your child, a number of rules apply:
- Be ready on time
Your child must be ready when the taxi arrives. The taxi will not wait. - Reporting illness
Inform both the transport provider and the school immediately if your child is ill. If your child needs to leave school early due to illness, you are responsible for arranging their transport home. - Behaviour
If your child behaves badly, they may temporarily or permanently lose access to taxi transport. - Alternative addresses
Taxi transport from or to another address (e.g., childcare or babysitter) may be possible under certain conditions. It must be regular (fixed days each week) and must not negatively affect other children’s journeys. We cannot guarantee this arrangement. - Complaints
If you have any complaints about taxi transport, please contact Taxi Van Meurs directly. If you cannot resolve the issue with them, email leerlingenvervoer [at] maastricht.nl or call 14 043.
- Be ready on time
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You can still apply for school transport support for the current 2024-2025 school year until the end of this school year. To apply, please contact Team School Transport via leerlingenvervoer [at] maastricht.nl or call 14 043.