First Travel Solutions (FTS) is proud to announce that we have been shortlisted for the Partnership Award at the prestigious RIA RISE Awards 2026.

Hosted by the Railway Industry Association (RIA), the awards celebrate excellence, innovation and collaboration across the rail industry. The winners will be announced on 25 June 2026 at The Sheraton Grand London Park Lane, Piccadilly, London.

The shortlist recognises the strength of collaboration across our rail replacement and managed transport operations, where partnership working plays a critical role in delivering safe, reliable and customer-focused transport solutions.

At FTS, partnership sits at the heart of everything we do. From Train Operating Companies and local transport providers to suppliers, coordinators and frontline teams, our approach is built on collaboration, communication and operational agility.

Being shortlisted reflects the commitment of our teams across the UK who work around the clock to support passengers and clients during planned engineering works, disruption and major transport operations.

We look forward to attending the awards ceremony in June alongside colleagues and partners from across the rail industry.

Find out more about the RIA RISE Awards <a href="https://www.riagb.org.uk/RIA/Events/2026/RIA_RISE_Awards_2026/RIA_RISE_Awards_Dinner_2026.aspx?e408d9cba206=3#e408d9cba206">here</a> 
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First Travel Solutions Shortlisted for Partnership Award at the RIA RISE Awards 2026

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Destination Manchester! - Key Stage 2 - residential package

Manchester is a dynamic and cosmopolitan city known for its rich history as the birthplace of the industrial revolution. Explore this great city's history and get ‘hands-on’ with wide range of attractions and museums as well as taking in the more modern cultural delights and sublime architecture that this fine city has to offer.

Our fabulous all-inclusive tour package is an educational experience not to be missed. Delivered over 3 days with 2 night’s residential accommodation at YHA Manchester included, this package provides entry to incredible attractions and workshops, all covering relevant curriculum subject areas. Your Manchester tour package includes return coach travel, accommodation, meals and your bespoke activity itinerary.

Take a look at 'Our Brochures' page for lots more information.&nbsp;

How to book:

Simply let us have some details of your school, your group numbers and preferred dates and we’ll provide an all-inclusive quotation and package proposal.

Call us on 0203 467 2002 or email school.travel@firstbus.co.uk

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Destination Manchester! - an incredible City Tour package for 2026

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These all-inclusive Key Stage 2 residential visits are delivered in partnership with FSC Preston Montford in beautiful Shropshire surroundings - we include return coach travel, full board accommodation, plus your ‘off the shelf’’ Adventure Package.

This special low season offer relates to trips taken between November 2025 and March 2026 &amp; November 2026 - March 2027

The Venue:&nbsp;Preston Montford Field Centre is situated in the heart of Shropshire on the banks of the River Severn with views into Wales. The Centre is set within a 12-hectare estate which is managed to provide a rich range of habitats, including ponds, wildflower meadow, an ancient orchard, and the remains of a walled garden.

Accommodation: Comfortable accommodation for up to 130 guests split over 3 blocks, including some en-suite bedrooms and 2 disabled access rooms. As well as three Common Rooms, the Centre has several kitchen points for making tea and coffee and refreshments.

Meals: Fully catered homemade healthy meals from evening meal on day 1 through to packed lunch on day 3. Special diets are provided for. Groups provide own packed lunches on day 1.

All bedding is provided but all participants should bring their own towels and toiletries. Participants can hire walking boots, small rucksacks, and waterproofs.

The Adventure Package:&nbsp;Delivered over 2 nights / 3 days

Day 1: Our coach collects you from school on day 1 aiming for a noon arrival time at the Centre. Your package ends after lunch on day 3 with our coach collecting you at 13.00. Activities are led by experienced and qualified instructors and are fully risk assessed.

Activities include: Outdoor Team Challenges, Mammal trapping, Orienteering, Pond Dipping, Wilderness Bushcraft, Climbing and campfire!

Visit 'Our Brochures' page for more details on how to book this terrific package.

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All-inclusive Adventure - Preston Montford, Shropshire

New for 2026/2027 - Chester &amp; York City Culture Tours

These great value, all-inclusive school trip packages are based in two of the UK’s most stunning and fabulously historical city destinations. The programme content covers multiple curricular subject areas and offers real learning outcomes for your pupils. All you need to do is choose your destination! - We provide your return coach travel, accommodation, meals and activities.

Why Choose Chester?

Situated in a spectacular location on the outskirts of the City of Chester. Built in 1756, YHA Chester Trafford Hall is a fine building with fabulous historic character that reflects both the past, and today’s modern facilities.

Trafford Hall offers a unique opportunity to explore a historic building and the 14 acres of organic gardens and woods. The venue offers bright and welcoming facilities, and all bedrooms are en-suite for added comfort. The activities include off-site as well as on-site activities - all arranged on your behalf.

Our Chester&nbsp;Romans, Rivers and Rhino's package includes: A Chester River Cruise, The 'Sick to Death' and Roman Deva Experiences and a final days visit to the World famous Chester Zoo.

The on-site activities on your middle day can include:&nbsp;Archery, Fire Lighting, Shelter Building, Orienteering, Team Challenges, Environmental Art, Map Skills, Mini Beast Hunt, Fencing, Buggy Building, Compass Skills, Nightline, Save the Agent.&nbsp;

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Why Choose York?

An excellent base for school group residentials. Just a stone’s throw from the River Ouse and a 30-minute walk to York City Centre this hostel offers additional on-site adventures making it an ideal base for groups wanting to explore York’s history with added on-site history-based activities.

The city itself is a feast for the senses for all ages to enjoy, a city packed with history and culture, with attractions such as the JORVIK Viking Centre and the National Railway Museum. It’s easily accessible on foot, offering historic cobbled streets, quirky shops and a wealth of history from Romans &amp; Vikings through to the modern day. YHA York is a friendly hub for a city that lives and breathes history. As well as a host of City attractions to choose from we can also include the following on-site activities led by the fantastic York team.

Activities include:&nbsp;Viking Longships, Myth Tales (Roman or Norse mythology), Team Games, Design a Shield, Norse Code (Rune Code Breaking), Create a Mosaic, Let’s Get Cooking, Stained Glass Creative, Building a Siege engine, Re-enacting a Roman Battle, Viking Rune Hunt

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For more details visit our brochures page and make your booking!

Check out our York and Chester City Culture Tour packages

We would like to present our all-inclusive Whitby Discovery Package - delivered in partnership with the excellent YHA Whitby team. This 2 night / 3 day all-inclusive Discovery package has become the most popular school trip package that we offer in the North of England - with many schools booking this exciting KS2 Discovery programme.

What's included? -&nbsp;return coach travel, accommodation, meals&nbsp;and a great range of&nbsp;Discovery activities&nbsp;(check the "Our Brochures" section for more details).

We are now taking bookings for the coming low-season period Nov 2025 - April 2026 and far beyond up to Autumn 2027. If you are looking for one of the best KS1 and KS2 residentials around then call us to check availability and prepare for the full&nbsp; Whitby experience.

Bookings now being taken for 2026 &amp; 2027.

Don't leave it too late ! - Book early to reserve your next visit.

Check out our brochures section.

Whitby Discovery Packages - 2026 / 2027

We are delighted to offer our all-inclusive 2 night / 3 day Key Stage 2 residentials based at the fabulous Grinton Lodge in Swaledale, North Yorkshire.

These all-inclusive packages are delivered throughout the academic year and include all the necessary aspects that make up a successful school trip.We include return coach travel, accommodation, meals and activities.

Grinton Lodge is a 19th-century former shooting lodge that has been a youth hostel since 1948. It is a Grade II listed building, situated above the village of Grinton, in beautiful Swaledale, just 9 miles from the market town of Richmond, North Yorkshire. Facilities are of a high standard and great for groups of up to 70 pupils.

We offer TWO superb all-inclusive package themes at Grinton Lodge. Choose from our ever-popular Discovery Programme Package or the spectacular Alex Rider Mission Briefing Package.

These two great residential options will inspire your pupils and provide an opportunity to explore incredible surroundings, whichever theme you choose. Both packages are delivered in formal partnership with the team at Grinton Lodge.

All your coach travel, accommodation and meals are included within this brilliant package as well as your chosen activity theme. Call us on 0203 467 2002 or email school.travel@firstbus.co.uk&nbsp;for more details.

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Try low season –

To be more inclusive our focus has always been about providing schools with great value for money, and now more than ever we are doing our utmost to provide opportunities that will be more accessible to more of your pupils.

Consider breaking away from the traditional April – September months when school trip costs can be prohibitive for many families and join the many schools who are reaping the benefits and seeing more of their pupils take part, by running your trip outside of the main season.

Our general low season months are&nbsp;October, November, December, January, February, and March&nbsp;– where we can offer great value all-inclusive residential packages to schools and organised groups

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Discover our Grinton Lodge Residential Package 25/26 - North Yorkshire

We are delighted to announce our all-inclusive 2 night / 3 day Castle Head Adventure residential visits for low season 2025/2026.

These low-season school trip packages are ideal for BOTH Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 2 groups - delivered between 1st November 2025 and 31st March 2026. Our package includes your return coach travel, accommodation, meals and an activities programme.&nbsp;

Take a look at this off the shelf, all-inclusive package delivered at Castle Head, located in beautiful South Cumbria between the coast of Morecambe Bay and the Lake District National Park.

Check out 'Our brochures' page for more details.

Try low season –

To be more inclusive our focus has always been about providing schools with great value for money, and now more than ever we are doing our utmost to provide opportunities that will be more accessible to more of your pupils.

Consider breaking away from the traditional April – September months when school trip costs can be prohibitive for many families and join the many schools who are reaping the benefits and seeing more of their pupils take part, by running your trip outside of the main season.

Our general low season months are November, December, January, February, and March – where we can offer great value all-inclusive residential packages to schools and organised groups

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Our new KEY STAGE 3 Castle Head Activity programme - Cumbria

We have provided a fabulous range of all-inclusive City Culture Tours for many years now, taking in some of the UK’s most iconic cities. We would now like to re-introduce our famous London City Culture Tour – we can now include a range of theatre workshops to sit alongside your booked theatre show and your other chosen attractions. Call us to find out more on 0203 467 2002

As part of your London City Tour we can now include a theatre &amp; drama package as well as providing your accommodation, meals, travel and a fully bespoke attractions itinerary.&nbsp;In partnership with Theatre Workout we are proud to offer this amazing all-inclusive package as either a day trip or residential visit.

Image by Charles Postiaux

Theatre & Drama Packages - London 2023 / 2024

Why are school trips important?

It is without doubt that school residential trips are a rewarding and positive experience for children during their time in education. The outcomes and experiences for children can last a lifetime, encouraging real learning opportunities for real life situations, whilst promoting resilience, communication skills, self confidence and most of all making children feel they belong to a community where interaction with others is key to creating positive opportunities.

How can a school justify the cost of a trip to parents in these difficult times?

For the above reasons school leaders shouldn't lose sight of the significant added value opportunities for pupils' development through outdoor learning. It is key to get these messages across when asking parents to consider making an investment to allow their child to take part. We all recognise the real squeeze on household budgets that we are all feeling just now, but it's important to ensure that children don't lose out on what might be the most important single experience in their schooling. Now is not the time to ditch these life affirming experiences.

Historically, residentials have mainly had the greatest demand between April and mid July, but that's when the costs are usually at their highest and when demand is at it's greatest. Why not take time to consider how a low season visit might fit into your school calendar and how the associated lower costs might make it much easier for parents to agree to include their child on a visit?

We can help you offer the same high quality experience but at a lower season time of year for a much lower cost.&nbsp;

We have a wide range of all-inclusive residential packages available across the UK. From a Discovery Package in Whitby for example, to an Island Adventure in Scotland, to an action adventure activity package delivered right across the country. We have a wide range of options available that despite the low season, provide the same high quality experience and real value for money, promoting inclusivity, whilst also addressing the growing burden on household budgets.

All packages include:&nbsp;Return Coach Travel – Accommodation – Meals – Activities

This all inclusive offer is only available when booking directly with First Education &amp; School Travel.

Our industry leading all-inclusive residential programmes are exactly what they say they are - they are all-inclusive! We design our packages to make the whole process simple and straightforward, giving the group leader full support throughout the process from conceiving the trip to it's delivery and return back to school.&nbsp;

Simply call us on&nbsp;0203 467 2002&nbsp;or email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:school.travel@firstbus.co.uk">school.travel@firstbus.co.uk</a>&nbsp;to discuss your requirements with our specialist team.

School Trips - still an important aspect of school learning

Tackling the increasing cost of living!

Delivered in partnership with our friends at KMingswood, these ‘Beat the Squeeze’ special offer, all-inclusive packages are delivered between October 2022 and March 2023. High in quality and providing real value for money, these low season visits promote inclusivity and also address the growing burden on household budgets.

Includes: Return Coach Travel – Accommodation – Meals – Activities

Book now to get incredible prices on your next trip!

Offer only available when booked directly with First Education and School Travel.

These award-winning residential programmes are designed to discover the potential in every child. They’ll enjoy a taste of adventure and a sense of independence, developing confidence and resilience as well as developing key life skills which will last way beyond their return to the classroom.

Enjoy exhilarating and challenging activities from archery to zip wires, staying in comfortable accommodation and enjoy their great new menu too.

Everything is included – book now to reserve your space!

Stay for two nights between October 2022 and March 2023 and enjoy a carefully selected blend of activities that aim to develop character through discovery, exploration, play and challenge activities, all intertwined with fun and interesting curriculum links.

Simply call us on 0203 467 2002 or email <a href="mailto:school.travel@firstbus.co.uk">school.travel@firstbus.co.uk</a> to discuss your requirements with our specialist team.