Summary of passenger rights in bus and coach transport*

Regulation (EU) 181/2011 (referred to in the following as: the "Regulation") applies as of 1 March 2013.

This Regulation sets out the minimum rights for passengers travelling within the European Union by bus.

In principle, the Regulation applies to "regular services" (meaning services which provide for the carriage of passengers by bus or coach at specified intervals along specified routes, with passengers being picked up and set down at predetermined stopping points) for non-specified categories of passengers where the boarding or the alighting point of the passengers is situated in the territory of a Member State**.
 
The following basic rights apply to all regular services, regardless of the scheduled distance:

  • non-discrimination with regard to transport conditions offered,
  • access to transport services for disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility at no additional cost as well as financial compensation in case of the loss of (or damage to) mobility equipment,
  • minimum requirements for travel information for all passengers before and during travel and general information about their rights,
  • establishment of a procedure for the processing of complaints by carriers which is available to all passengers,
  • establishment of independent national bodies in all Member States which are mandated to implement the Regulation and investigate any breaches.

Furthermore, the following rights apply to regular services where the scheduled distance is 250km or more (referred to in the following as "Long Distance Services"):

  • issuance of (electronic) travel tickets or other documents which establish the claim to transportation,
  • compensation and assistance in the event of death, personal injury, loss of (or damage to) luggage caused by accidents,
  • information in the event of cancellation or delayed departure,
  • claim to reimbursement of the full ticket price or re-routing to the final destination in the event of cancellation or long delay,
  • reasonable assistance in the event of cancellation or a long delay (only applies for journeys with a scheduled duration of over three hours),
  • compensation equal to 50% of the ticket price if the carrier fails to offer the passenger the choice between the reimbursement of the ticket price or re-rerouting in the event of cancellation or a long delay,
  • specific assistance for disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility at no additional cost at bus terminals and in vehicles.

However, Member States may exclude domestic regular services from the obligation to guarantee these additional rights, provided that this is done in a transparent and non-discriminatory way and for a period of no more than four years (which period may be extended once - meaning that the period may not exceed a total of eight years).

Finally, Member States may opt to exclude regular services from the scope of application of the entire Regulation if the majority of the service (with at least one scheduled stop) takes place outside of the European Union, provided that this is done in a transparent and non-discriminatory way and for a period of no more than four years (which period may be extended once - meaning that the period may not exceed a total of eight years).

Overview of passenger rights for bus and coach travel

1. Right to non-discriminatory terms of transportation

No-one may be discriminated against, either directly or indirectly, based on their nationality or on the place of establishment of the carriers, or ticket vendors within the European Union when purchasing tickets for passenger services in bus and coach travel.

For Long Distance Services, the carrier will issue a ticket to the passenger (which may be issued in an electronic format), unless other documents give entitlement to transport.

2. Right to information

All passengers using bus services are entitled to adequate information throughout their journey. This includes the right to be informed about passenger rights and to be provided with the necessary information for contacting the national enforcement bodies.

All relevant general information and the terms and conditions of transport must be provided in a format which is accessible for disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility, i.e. in large print, plain language, Braille, as a sound recording).

If a Long Distance Service is cancelled or departs with a delay, the carrier or (where appropriate) the bus terminal operator will inform the passengers departing from a bus terminal as quickly as possible, but 30 minutes after the scheduled time of departure at the latest, about the situation and, as soon as this information is available, about the foreseeable time of departure. If passengers miss a connecting service due to a cancellation or delay, the carrier or, where appropriate, the bus terminal operator, will make all reasonable efforts to inform them of alternative connections. As far as possible, the carrier will send this information electronically if the passenger so requests and the passenger has already provided the carrier with the necessary contact details.

3. Entitlement to compensation and assistance in the event of accidents

Passengers are entitled to compensation for death or personal injury as well as to loss of or damage to luggage due to accidents arising out of the use of the bus or coach. The conditions for awarding and the amount of compensation will be calculated in accordance with applicable national law; the Regulation only sets out certain minimum amounts. Compensation is not awarded automatically but must be claimed, possibly before the national courts.

In the event of an accident as part of a Long Distance Service, the carrier will provide reasonable and proportionate assistance with regard to the passengers’ immediate practical needs. Such assistance will include, where necessary, accommodation, food, clothes, transport and the provision of first aid.

4. Entitlement to continuation of journey, re-routing to final destination and reimbursement of the ticket price in the event of cancellation or long delay

In the event of over-booking or if the carrier must reasonably assume that departure of a regular service*** will be delayed by more than 120 minutes or cancelled, passengers using a Long Distance Service are entitled to either

  • re-routing to the final destination, at no additional cost and under comparable conditions, at the earliest opportunity, or
  • reimbursement of the full ticket price, and, where relevant, a return service free of charge to the first point of departure, as set out in the transport contract, at the earliest opportunity.

Passengers also have this choice if the Regular Service is cancelled or if the departure from a bus stop is delayed by more than 120 minutes.

If the carrier fails to offer the passenger the choice between reimbursement of the ticket price and re-routing, the passenger is entitled to compensation amounting to 50 % of the ticket price.

This right to compensation and possible reimbursement of the ticket price does not exclude the passenger’s right to pursue claims for damages resulting from the cancellation or delay of Regular Services before the national courts according to national law.

Where the bus becomes inoperable during the journey, the carrier will provide either the continuation of the service to the final destination with another vehicle from the location of the inoperable vehicle, or transport from the location of the inoperable vehicle to a suitable waiting point or terminal from where continuation of the journey becomes possible.

5. Right to assistance in the event of cancellation or delay in departure

For a journey on a Long Distance Service of a scheduled duration of more than three hours, the passengers are entitled, in case of cancellation or delay in departure from a bus terminal of more than 90 minutes, to appropriate assistance. This includes snacks, meals and refreshments and - if necessary - reasonable accommodation. (The carrier may limit the total costs of accommodation to € 80.- per passenger per night for a maximum of two nights. It is not under any obligation to bear the costs of accommodation if the cancellation or delay was caused by inclement weather conditions or serious natural disasters.)

6. Rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility****

For disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility, besides the general rights of passengers, passengers also have the following rights when using bus services so that they may enjoy the same travel opportunities as other citizens.
 
a) The right of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility to access transport services at no additional cost

Carriers, travel agencies and travel operators may not charge additional costs on reservations and tickets for disabled persons or persons with reduced mobility.

Furthermore, they may not refuse to accept a reservation from, to issue a ticket to, or to take on board, a person on the grounds of their disability or of reduced mobility. Exceptions only apply where the transportation of a disabled person or a person with reduced mobility would be impossible according to the applicable passenger safety requirements, or in order to meet health and safety requirements established by the competent authorities, or where the design of the vehicle or the infrastructure makes it impossible to carry the disabled person or person with reduced mobility in a safe and operationally feasible manner.

If the carrier, travel agency or travel operator refuses to accept a reservation or to issue a ticket or allow a passenger to board for one of the reasons specified above, carriers, travel agents and tour operators will inform the person concerned (in writing if the person so desires) about the relevant reasons. In addition, in the event of the refusal to accept a reservation or to issue a ticket, they will inform the person concerned about any acceptable alternative services operated by the carrier. If the reasons for refusing to accept a reservation from, or to take on board a passenger may be eliminated by this person being accompanied by another person who is capable of providing the assistance required by the first person, the first person may request to be accompanied by another person of his/her choice free of charge.

If a disabled person or person with reduced mobility who has a ticket or a reservation and has duly informed the carrier about his special assistance requirements is still refused transportation on a Long Distance Service by reason of their disability or reduced mobility, this person may choose to have the price of the ticket reimbursed or - to the extent that the appropriate transport services are available - to re-route their journey.

Carriers and bus terminal operators will ensure non-discriminatory access conditions for the transport of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility. They must inform the public of these conditions and provide a physical copy to passengers upon their request.
 
b) Right to specific assistance

In Long Distance Services, carriers and bus terminal operators must provide disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility with assistance free of charge within their respective sphere of competence.

Disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility must notify the carrier of their need for such assistance at least 36 hours in advance and present themselves at the designated point at the bus terminal at the agreed time (which may not be more than 60 minutes prior to departure).
 
c) Right to compensation in the event of loss of or damage to mobility equipment

Carriers and bus terminal operators are liable where they have caused loss of or damage to mobility equipment (a wheelchair or other assistive device).

They must provide compensation for the cost of replacing the relevant equipment or repairing it.

Where necessary, every effort will be undertaken to provide temporary replacement for the lost or damaged equipment or devices.

7. Right to submit a complaint to the carrier or a national enforcement body

Passengers may submit a complaint to the carrier within three months of the actual or planned execution of a Regular Service. The carrier must inform the passenger within one month of receiving the complaint whether his complaint has been allowed, has been rejected or whether is it still being processed. The carrier must deliver a definitive answer within three months of receiving the complaint.

The time limits specified do not apply to enquiries about compensation in the event of death or personal injury, or the loss of or damage to luggage resulting from accidents.

8. Enforcement of passenger rights

Each Member State must specify one or several bodies which are competent for implementing the rights set out in the Regulation.

The national enforcement body is responsible for the enforcement of the Regulation as regards Regular Services from points situated on its territory and Regular Services from a third country to such points.

All passengers are entitled to submit a complaint to the appropriate national enforcement body due to an alleged breach of the Regulation. Member States may decide that the passenger must first submit a complaint to the carrier; in such cases, the national enforcement body will act as an appeal body for complaints where no solution has been found.

If you have any questions about enforcing passenger rights, please contact our Customer Service using the contact form or by calling +43 (0) 5 17 17. If you do not receive any response or definitive answer from us within the statutory periods (see Clause 7), you may then contact the national independent conciliatory body in Austria:

Agency for Passenger Rights

More on this...

* Summary pursuant to Article 25 para 2 of the Regulation (EU) No. 181/2011 concerning the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport and amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 [Official Journal L 55 dated 28.2.2011, p. 1]. This summary is not legally binding.

** Furthermore, the below rights also apply to “occasional services” where groups of passengers are formed at the initiative of a client or the transport company itself, provided that the original point of departure of the passenger is situated in the territory of a Member State.

a) non-discrimination with regard to transport conditions offered,
b) issuance of (electronic) travel tickets or other documents which establish the claim to transportation,
c) compensation and assistance in the event of death, personal injury, loss of (or damage to) luggage caused by accidents,
d) financial compensation in case of the loss of (or damage to) mobility equipment belonging to disabled persons or persons with reduced mobility.

*** This provision does not apply to passengers with tickets for flexible travel as long as no time of departure is stipulated, excluding passengers who have season tickets/travelcards.

**** Member States may exclude domestic Regular Services from the scope of application of the provisions applicable to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility, if they ensure that the level of protection for these persons provided by their national provisions corresponds at least to that offered by the Regulation.