School Service Guide 2025

Your Guide to School Day Services

 

From September 2025

 

Getting to school or college has never been easier with Ipswich Buses.

 

We operate a range of dedicated school-day services alongside our regular network of town and country routes, giving students and parents a reliable, safe, and cost-effective way to travel.

 

Our school-day buses are planned around the school timetable to make sure students arrive on time and get home without hassle. These services are designed with capacity in mind, and we’ve made improvements for the new term — both routes 6A and 6B will now run in the morning and afternoon to increase capacity, while route 988 will be withdrawn due to low usage.

 

In this guide, you’ll find all the information you need, including:

 

• Links to timetables for each dedicated school-day service

 

• Links to bus fare and period product information for each service

 

• Summary route descriptions so you know exactly where each bus goes

 

• Details of which Ipswich Buses Town Services run past, or near to, other senior schools in the Ipswich area

 

Routes are grouped by the school they serve, so just scroll to the school you are travelling to and you will have everything you need!

 

Whether you’re heading to school, college, or simply picking the most convenient bus stop, you can rely on Ipswich Buses to get you there

 

Travelling to: Northgate High School, St Albans School?

 

Route 6A — Norwich Road ↔ Ipswich Central ↔ St Albans High School↔ Northgate High School

 

• Start: Norwich Road (opposite the YMCA)
• Via: Tower Ramparts Bus Station (stand MM), Woodbridge Road & Colchester Road
• End: Northgate High School (stop opposite school)

 

To view the timetable for route 6A, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 6A, click here

 

Route 6B — Shakespeare Road/Meredith Road ↔ St Albans High School↔ Northgate High School

 

• Start: Shakespeare Road / Meredith Road
• Via: Defoe Road, Fircorft Road, Norwich Road, Valley Road, Northgate School Sidegate Lane
• End: St Albans High School (Colchester Road Bus Stop)

 

To view the timetable for route 6B, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 6B, click here

 

Travelling to: St Albans School?

 

Route 5 – Ipswich Central ↔ St Albans School

 

• Start Tower Ramparts (Stand MM) 0800 & 0815
• Via: Foxhall Road & Heath Road
• End: St Albans School (Heath Road Bus Stop)

 

To view the timetable for route 5, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 5, click here

 

Travelling to: Holbrook Academy?

 

Route 603: Shotley Gate ↔ Holbrook Academy

 

• Start: Shotley Gate, Bristol Arms
• Via: Chelmondiston, Woolverstone & Holbrook
• End: Holbrook Academy (inside school grounds)

 

To view the timetable for route 603, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 603, click here

 

Route 604: Shotley Gate ↔ Holbrook Academy

 

• Start: Shotley Gate, Bristol Arms
• Via: Chelmondiston, Woolverstone & Holbrook
• End: Holbrook Academy (inside school grounds)

 

To view the timetable for route 604, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 604, click here

 

Route 615: Chantry ↔ Holbrook Academy

 

• Start: Robin Drive, Chantry
• Via: Pinewood, ASDA (Stoke Park), Maidenhall Green, Bourne Bridge, Wherstead, Tattingstone, Brantham & Stutton
• End: Holbrook Academy (inside school grounds)

 

To view the timetable for route 615, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 615, click here

 

Route 616: Ravenswood ↔ Holbrook Academy

 

• Start: Ravenswood (various stops)
• Via: Gainsborough area, Landseer Park, Holywells Park, Wherstead Road, Bourne Bridge & Freston
• End: Holbrook Academy (inside school grounds)

 

To view the timetable for route 616, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 616, click here

 

Travelling to: East Bergholt High School?

 

Route 635: Capel St Mary ↔ East Bergholt High School

 

• Start: Capel St Mary (opposite Methodist Church)
• Via: Capel St Mary (Telephone Exchange, Church & White Horse)
• End: East Bergholt High School (inside school grounds)

 

To view the timetable for route 635, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 635, click here

 

Route 636 — Tattingstone  ↔ Capel St Mary ↔ East Bergholt High School

 

• Start: Tattingstone
• Via: Bentley, Capel St Mary, Great Wenham, East Bergholt
• End: East Bergholt High School (inside school grounds)

 

To view the timetable for route 636, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 636, click here

 

Route 693 — Ardleigh ↔ East Bergholt High School

 

• Start: Dedham, Monks Lane/Lamb Corner
• Via: Ardleigh, Lawford, Mistley, Manningtree, Cattawade, Brantham & East End
• End: East Bergholt High School (inside school grounds)

 

To view the timetable for route 693, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 693, click here

 

Route 695 & 695R — Chantry ↔ East Bergholt High School

 

• Start: Robin Drive (opposite Curlew Road)
• Via: Hawthorn Drive, Pinebrook & East Bergholt
• End: East Bergholt High School (inside school grounds)

 

To view the timetable for route 695, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 695 & 695R, click here

 

Travelling to: East Debenham High School

 

Route 914 — Ipswich Central ↔ Debenham High School

 

• Start: Ipswich Railway Station Forecourt (stop R1)
• Via: Old Cattle Market Bus Station, Westerfield Railway Station, Witnesham, Swilland, Otley College, Ashbocking, Henley, Coddenham, Crowfield, Pettaugh, & Winston Green
• End: Debenham High School (inside school grounds)

 

To view the timetable for route 914, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 914, click here

 

Travelling to: Suffolk One?

 

Route 997 — Ipswich Central ↔ Suffolk One College

 

• Start: Old Cattle Market Bus Station
• Via: Tower Ramparts Bus Station, Ipswich Railways Station Forecourt (stop r1)
• End: Suffolk One (College campus)

 

To view the timetable for route 997, click here

 

To view bus fare and period product information for route 997, click here

 

Best Value Travel for Busy Students

 

For complete freedom to get to school, meet friends, or head into town, our U20 Network Termly Pass is the perfect choice. One ticket gives unlimited travel across the entire Ipswich Buses network for the whole term — including evenings, weekends, and even half-term holidays.

 

It’s peace of mind for parents, knowing their child always has a way to get where they need to be, whenever they need to travel. No counting journeys, no topping up — just simple, reliable, unlimited travel all term long.

 

School Travel Within Ipswich

 

It’s not just our dedicated school buses that get students to class — our regular town services also provide quick and easy links to many schools across Ipswich. With frequent buses and convenient stops close to the school gates, they’re a great option for pupils travelling from all parts of the town.

 

To view our Town Services Network Map, click here

 

Below is a list of schools served by our Town Buses;

 

Travelling to….

 

Ormiston Endeavour Academy            Route 9/10

 

Westbourne Academy                               Route 8

 

Ipswich School                                              Route 7

 

Copleston High School                             Route 5

 

Ipswich Academy                                         Route 1, Route 2

 

Stoke High School                                       Route 15/15A

 

Suffolk One                                                      Route 15/15A, Route 13, Route 997

 

Chantry Academy                                        Route 12, Route 13

 

St Joseph’s College                                     Route 12, Route 13, Route 16

 

All of these services operate within our Town Fares Zone. To view bus fare and period product information for these routes, click here

 

Travel Smarter with the Ipswich Buses App

 

Make school travel even easier with the free Ipswich Buses app. Buy and store tickets on your phone, track your bus in real time, and plan your journey with just a few taps. Whether it’s checking when your next bus is due, finding the quickest route, or getting service updates on the go, the app puts everything you need in your pocket.

 

Download today from the App Store or Google Play and take the hassle out of your journey.

 

To find out more about the Ipswich Buses App, click here

 

School Day Travel without the Hassle

 

At Ipswich Buses, we know that safe, dependable, and affordable transport is essential for students and their families.

 

Our mix of dedicated school buses and frequent town services means there’s almost always a stop nearby, whether you live in the heart of Ipswich or in the surrounding villages.

 

With easy-to-read timetables, regular services, and friendly local drivers, we’re here to make the school run simpler for everyone.

 

So, whether you’re travelling every day or just need a backup when the car’s not an option, remember — Ipswich Buses is your link to learning.

 

Find out More

 

For further information on our School Day services, please email info@ipswichbuses.co.uk, call us on 01473 344 800 or drop by our travel shop at Tower Ramparts Bus Station