Abington Friends School

If you reside within 10 miles of Abington Friends School, you are eligible for busing by the district in which you reside. The following school districts provide free bus transportation:

• Abington
• Bensalem
• Centennial
• Central Bucks
• Cheltenham
• Colonial
• Council Rock
• Hatboro-Horsham
• Lower Merion
• Lower Moreland
• Neshaminy
• Springfield (Montgomery County)
• Upper Dublin
• Upper Moreland
• Wissahickon

Lower School students are escorted by teachers to their buses during afternoon dismissal.

Please note that public school busing does not provide a late bus service.

For families who use school district busing, please be aware that most districts provide route information at the very end of the summer. If you have questions, please contact your District transportation office or visit the transportation webpage on your school district’s website.

FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 1–8

School Bus Transportation

The School District of Philadelphia provides school bus transportation to and from Abington Friends School for students residing in Philadelphia. New families can sign up for bus transportation through a form on the AFS School Portal.

Parent Flat Rate Program

Parents are encouraged to enroll in the School District of Philadelphia’s Parent Flat Rate Program to manage the costs of transportation. Through this program run by the City of Philadelphia, parents can be reimbursed for up to $300.00 per month related to the cost of transporting students to school, such as gas or alternative modes of transportation. The Enrollment Form goes live on the web page June 1, 2024.

New this year, families can sign-up for afternoon-only bus transportation: Parents who drop students off at Abington Friends School in the morning can receive $150.00 per month reimbursed and sign their student up to take the bus home in the afternoon.

Parents can enroll in the program for the 2024-25 school year by submitting an enrollment form on the Parent Flat Rate Program webpage. Students that were registered in the program at the conclusion of the 2023-24 school year will automatically be rolled over into the program for the 2024-25 school year if eligible. Please note, if you were not registered in 2023-24, or you were removed during the school year and wish to participate once again, an Enrollment Form must be submitted.

FOR UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS

Upper School students who live in the city of Philadelphia can use public transportation, such as regional rail or SEPTA buses, to travel to and from school. Students in grades 9 through 12 can pick up a free SEPTA Student Fare Card from the Upper School Office.

The 55 and 77 buses both stop at the intersection of Old York Road and Washington Lane, one block from the AFS campus. Additionally, AFS is conveniently located near Jenkintown/Wyncote Station, a major SEPTA Regional Rail station, and provides a complimentary shuttle bus to and from the Jenkintown station for students, faculty and staff who choose to commute by rail. The shuttle has a morning route, afternoon route, and late route for students who participate in after-school activities.

AFS is conveniently located near Jenkintown/Wyncote Station, a major SEPTA Regional Rail station in the suburbs of Philadelphia. AFS provides a complimentary shuttle bus to and from the Jenkintown station for students, faculty and staff who choose to commute by rail. The shuttle has a morning route, afternoon route, and late route for students who participate in after-school activities.

• The morning pick up time is coordinated with the train schedule so that everyone arrives on campus as close to 8:00 a.m. as possible. The pick-up time is around 7:50 a.m. and the bus will return for an additional pick-up as needed until 8:15 a.m.
• The afternoon train shuttle departs AFS at 3:20 p.m. and arrives at the station just before 3:30 p.m.
• The late shuttles depart AFS at 5:30 p.m.

The SEPTA regional rail trains that make a stop at Jenkintown are the Airport Line, West Trenton Line, Warminster Line, Glenside Combined Line and the Lansdale/Doylestown Line. Schedules can be found on SEPTA’s website.

Students who receive a SEPTA Student Fare Card can upgrade it to a rail pass for a fee.

The AFS Northwester

The AFS Northwester School Bus route serves the northwest section of Philadelphia and was originally created as an alternative to the limited school bus service offered by the Philadelphia School District. Since its inception, the Northwester route has grown in popularity, and many families have come to appreciate its convenience and reliability.

The Route

In the morning, the route begins at the Chestnut Hill West Train Station at 6:55 a.m., then proceeds down Germantown Ave. The bus will then turn right on Allens Lane then left onto Wissahickon Ave. where it will stop at Johnson St. and Wissahickon Ave. at 7:20 a.m. From there it will travel north on Washington Lane, making a stop at the Jenkintown Train Station near 7:47 a.m. before arriving at AFS. The bus will then be on call in the event of a late train.

The afternoon route will depart AFS promptly at 3:25 p.m. After stopping at the Jenkintown Train Station it proceeds to the Chestnut Hill West Train Station where it will follow the route as it would in the morning. The exact afternoon drop-off times could change slightly based on actual ridership.

Note: We can create a stop at any point on or near the established route that may be more convenient for you.

Late Bus

The bus departs from Upper School at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays to Thursdays and goes to the Chestnut Hill West Train Station and then continues through its usual route. Drop off times and the actual route will vary depending on who is riding on any given evening. Late bus service is included at no extra charge for round-trip riders and is available as a stand-alone service per activity season.

Please contact the AFS Transportation Office for more information.