Homeschool benefits: Southern California Metrolink
Metrolink gives riders 17 and under 50% off most train tickets and passes with the Student/Youth fare, and a youth rider needs no student ID. On weekends, up to three children 17 and under ride free with each fare-paying adult, so a homeschooled child can travel Southern California's commuter rail for half price or less.
Who qualifies
Is 17 or younger
All youth riders 17 and under get the Student/Youth fare without a student ID, so homeschool enrollment or school records do not matter.
Or has a valid student ID
Students of any age with a valid ID from an accredited school, college, or university also qualify. Carry it and show it with your ticket when asked.
Picks the right fare type
Select "Student/Youth" in the Metrolink mobile app or at any station ticket machine when you buy.
Uses Mobility-4-All to save more
With a California Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, the Mobility-4-All program stacks another 50% off the Student/Youth fare at ticket machines only.
What the fare saves
The discounts come from Metrolink's student discount, everyday discounts, and Kids Ride Free on Weekends pages.
- Student/Youth one-way, day, 5-Day Flex, or monthly
- 50% off
- Student/Youth fare with a California EBT card
- Another 50% off
- Up to 3 kids 17 and under, weekends, with a paying adult
- Free
- Up to 3 kids 5 and under, any day, with an adult
- Free
- L.A. Zone Day Pass
- No discount
The EBT discount works only at station ticket machines, not in the mobile app, and Metrolink fares include free transfers to local connecting transit.
How to ride at the youth fare
- Before you ride
Get the app or find a machine
Download the Metrolink mobile app, or plan to buy at the ticket machine at any station.
- When you buy
Choose Student/Youth
Select the Student/Youth fare type. At a machine, tap a California EBT card afterward to apply the Mobility-4-All discount.
- On weekends
Bring the kids free
Each adult with a valid Metrolink ticket of any type can bring up to three children 17 and under at no charge.
- On board
Show your ticket
Present the ticket when Metrolink staff ask. Riders using a student ID must show it too.
What it includes
Included
- One-way tickets
- SoCal Day Passes
- 5-Day Flex Passes
- Monthly passes
Not included
- L.A. Zone Day Pass
- Children traveling alone on the free weekend offer
- EBT discount in the mobile app
Good to know
Children ride free with a fare-paying adult
Up to three children 17 and under ride free per fare-paying adult on weekends, or up to three 5 and under any day.
Who to contact about youth fares
Metrolink customer service answers fare and schedule questions by phone or text.
800-371-5465 Student and youth discount
Homeschool rules and statewide help in California
For the home-based private-school pathway, file the Private School Affidavit during the October 1–15 annual filing period. New schools may use the online filing system during its separate August 1–June 30 opening window. Other legal pathways have their own rules.
California sets these rules:
- Subjects: The private-school pathway must provide instruction in English in the branches of study required for public schools; the parent chooses the materials and course sequence.
- Testing: California does not impose a statewide standardized-testing requirement on private-school students.
- Records: Private schools must keep the records required by California law, including attendance and faculty information.
- Teachers: Private-school instructors must be capable of teaching; California does not issue a separate homeschool-parent credential.
Read the California homeschooling guide See statewide programs in California
Questions parents ask
- Does the Metrolink youth discount work on monthly passes?
- Yes. The 50% discount applies to one-way tickets, SoCal Day Passes, 5-Day Flex Passes, and monthly passes, but not the L.A. Zone Day Pass.
- What about a fourth child under 6?
- A fourth child pays the discounted Student/Youth fare, since only three children ride free with each adult.
- Can we save more with an EBT card?
- Yes. With a California EBT card, Mobility-4-All takes another 50% off the Student/Youth fare, for 75% off in total, but only at station ticket machines, not in the mobile app.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
A student fare helps with trips to classes and activities. We handle the learning at home, with lessons built around your child's interests and feedback on their work.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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