We’re offering two free foot passenger crossings for every 16 and 17-year-old on the Isle of Wight in training or sixth-form education, helping young people take the next steps in their journey – whether for study, training, work or leisure.
This brand-new initiative is part of our commitment to making travel more accessible for the Island’s young people and supporting their ambitions beyond the Solent.
If you’re in Year 12 or 13 – or the equivalent in further education or training – you’re eligible for two free foot passenger codes to travel from the Isle of Wight to the mainland.
These codes will be distributed through your school, college or apprenticeship provider.
The scheme launches in June 2025, with codes being valid for bookings and travel by 31 August 2025.
Then, from 1 September 2025, schools and educational providers can reapply for the next academic year, which will cover September 2025 through to August 2026. Again, two codes will be supplied per eligible student.
Each promotion code gives you one free foot passenger return journey from the Isle of Wight to the mainland. To book using a code:
Full terms and conditions can be found below.
Please don't test the code to see if it works - once the code is entered into the checkout it is marked as used and you'll be unable to use it again
Make sure you don’t accidentally include a space when pasting your code
Watch out for tricky letters and numbers like O/0, I/1, S/5 and Z/2
We’re doing more than just offering free travel. As part of this scheme we’re also offering:
The steps have been announced as part of our ongoing work with local youth organisations to raise aspirations by encouraging and facilitating young persons’ travel.
This work has included partnerships with five partner primary schools since 2019, a strong relationship with the youth trust, support for numerous individuals and youth groups through the Wightlink in the Community programme and recently, focus groups with youth organisations to hear first-hand the issues young people faced with mainland travel.
Wightlink chief executive Katy Taylor said: “Through our ongoing dialogue with youth groups and young people, it is clear that more practical assistance would be welcomed to make it easier for young people to travel on and off the Island in pursuit or training, education and job-hunting or just so they can follow their cultural or sporting interests.
“We hope these new initiatives demonstrate our absolute commitment to helping young people broaden their horizons by exploring off-Island travel.
“It has been a wholly collaborative process and we’d like to thank the IW Youth Trust and those who took part in our focus groups for their assistance in putting together this package. We look forward to welcoming young people on board our ships as they take up the new opportunities to travel with us.”
These steps will have a hugely positive impact on the lives of hundreds of young people
Jo Dare, Isle of Wight Youth Trust chief executive, said: “We are really pleased to have such a positive dialogue with Wightlink and are very impressed how readily our suggestions have been taken on board. These steps will have a hugely positive impact on the lives of hundreds of young people.”
The NEET travel will be administered through the Isle of Wight Youth Trust’s Youth Hub while schools have agreed to distribute the two free annual tickets to year 12 and 13 students for travel between Ryde and Portsmouth via the FastCat.
Any other organisation working with young people in further education or training who would like to discuss supported travel can contact Wightlink via email at [email protected].