Bus and coach passengers' rights
Last update
By virtue of the European Union's commitments in the area of bus and coach transport, you enjoy a high level of protection.
According to the common rules currently in force, you have the right to be informed and to be compensated, in the following cases:
- cancellations or significant delays;
- problems with your baggage;
- injury or death as a result of an accident.
At the same time, special rules provide for specific protection in the case of:
Who is concerned
anyone travelling on a regular, long-distance bus or coach service departing from or arriving in a country in the European Union (EU).
A regular, long-distance bus/coach service is one where:
- the itinerary is fixed;
- the stops are established in advance according to a pre-set schedule;
- the route is at least 250 km long.
Prerequisites
In order to assert your rights, you must:
- be in possession of a confirmed booking for your trip, as evidenced by a ticket showing the exact date and time of departure, or a transport card/travel pass for a regular service;
- arrive at the scheduled departure time;
- satisfy all of the applicable conditions required by the bus or coach company.
How to proceed
Cancellation or delay
If the bus/coach service is cancelled or delayed, the transport operator must inform you:
- at the earliest opportunity; and
- no more than 30 minutes after the scheduled departure time; and
- in the event of a delay, what the new departure time is, as soon as this information is available.
Your trip could be:
- delayed by more than 120 minutes at departure; or
- cancelled as a result of overbooking or for compelling reasons.
In either case, the company must offer you the following options:
- continue your trip as planned, or be re-routed to your final destination as quickly as possible, under comparable conditions of transport, and at no extra cost; or
- the refund of the price of your ticket within 14 days and, if necessary, a free return trip to your point of departure as soon as possible.
If the service operator does not offer you these options in the event of a delay, you can:
- file a complaint at a later date; and
- request that the price of your ticket be refunded; and
- request 50% of the price of your ticket as compensation. The transport operator must pay this compensation within one month of receiving your request.
If your trip was scheduled to last more than 3 hours and your departure was cancelled or delayed by more than 90 minutes, you are also entitled to:
- snacks, meals or refreshments, depending on how long you have to wait, and on whether it is reasonably possible to provide them;
- accommodation – if you have wait overnight (EUR 80 a night for up to 2 nights) – as well as transport from the station to the accommodation and back.
Important: if the cancellation or delay is due to bad weather or a natural disaster, the transport operator is not required to cover the cost of accommodation.
Lost or damaged baggage
If your baggage or other personal effects are damaged or lost as a result of an accident involving a bus/coach you were travelling on, you have the right to at least EUR 1,200 per item of baggage as compensation.
Person injured in an accident
If you were injured in an accident involving a bus/coach you were travelling on, you have the right to at least EUR 220,000 (per passenger) as compensation.
The bus/coach operator must also:
- assist in providing first aid (e.g., by calling an ambulance); and
- meet any other immediate material needs, such as:
- food;
- clothing;
- accommodation, if need be.
Person deceased in an accident
If you are the legal beneficiary of someone who died in a bus/coach accident, you are entitled to compensation in the amount of at least EUR 220,000 (per passenger), including funeral expenses.
Disabled people and people with reduced mobility
If you are a disabled person or a person with reduced mobility, you have the right to be accompanied by a person of your choice and who can provide any help you need.
In that case, the transport operator cannot deny you access to the bus/coach, other than for the following reasons:
- compliance with legal safety requirements; or
- the safety of the transport service cannot be guaranteed due to the design of the infrastructure.
The person accompanying you must be:
- allowed to travel with you at no cost; and
- given a seat next to you, if possible.
If you require assistance at the bus/coach station or on board the bus/coach, you must inform the following parties at least 36 hours before your scheduled departure:
- the bus/coach company; or
- the ticket vendor; or
- the tour operator.
You should also arrive at the station:
- at the time specified by the transport operator in advance, which should be at least 60 minutes before the scheduled departure time; or
- at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time, if no time was specified.
If your mobility/assistive equipment was damaged or lost, you have the right to be compensated by the transport operator. Such compensation should cover the cost of:
- replacing the equipment, if your equipment is lost; or
- repairing the equipment, if your equipment is partially or extensively damaged.
Lodging a complaint
If you are of the opinion that your rights have not been respected, you can file a complaint.
Online services and forms
Who to contact
-
Directorate for Consumer Protection
- Address:
-
271, route d’Arlon
L-1150
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
B.P. 119, L-2011 Luxembourg
- Phone:
- (+352) 247 73 700
- Email address:
- info@mpc.etat.lu
- Website:
- https://mpc.gouvernement.lu/en.html
-
Directorate for Consumer Protection
Passenger complaints
- Address:
- 271, route d’Arlon L-1150 Luxembourg Luxembourg
- Email address:
- passagers@mpc.etat.lu
European Consumer Centre
- Address:
- 271, route d’Arlon L-1150 Luxembourg
- Phone:
-
(+352) 26 84 64 1
The telephone helpdesk is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.00 to 12.00 and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9.00 to 16.00.
- Fax:
- (+352) 26 84 57 61
- Email address:
- info@cecluxembourg.lu
National Service of the Mediator of consumption
- Address:
- 6, rue du Palais de Justice L-1841 Luxembourg
- Phone:
- (+352) 46 13 11
- Fax:
- (+352) 46 36 03
- Email address:
- info@mediateurconsommation.lu
-
Luxembourg Consumer Protection Association (ULC)
- Address:
- 55, rue des Bruyères L-1274 Howald
- Phone:
- (+352) 49 60 22 1
- Fax:
- (+352) 49 49 57
- Email address:
- info@ulc.lu
- Website:
- https://www.ulc.lu
Closed ⋅ Opens tomorrow at 8.00
- Tuesday:
- 8.00 to 12.00
- Wednesday:
- 8.00 to 12.00
- Thursday:
- 8.00 to 12.00
- Friday:
- 8.00 to 12.00
- Saturday:
- Closed
- Sunday:
- Closed
- Monday:
- 8.00 to 12.00
In the afternoon only by appointment. -
Luxembourg Consumer Protection Association (ULC)
Luxembourg Commission for Travel Litigation (CLLV)
- Address:
- 55, rue des Bruyères L-1274 Howald
- Phone:
- (+352) 49 60 22 205
- Fax:
- (+352) 49 49 57
- Email address:
- contact@cllv.lu
- Website:
- https://www.ulc.lu
Luxembourg Consumer Protection Association (ULC) Luxembourg Commission for Travel Litigation (CLLV)
- Address:
- 55, rue des Bruyères L-1274 Howald
- Phone:
- (+352) 49 60 22 205
- Fax:
- (+352) 49 49 57
- Email address:
- contact@cllv.lu
- Website:
- https://www.ulc.lu
Related procedures and links
Procedures
Links
Further information
-
Bus and coach passenger rights
on Your Europe
-
Rights for travellers with disabilities or reduced mobility
on the Your Europe portal
-
Mediator of Consumption
Website
-
Passenger rights
on the Luxembourg Government portal
-
Travel by train, bus and ship
on the website of CECL
Legal references
-
Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011
concerning the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport
-
Loi du 27 avril 2015
déterminant le régime des sanctions applicables en cas de violation des dispositions du règlement (UE) n° 181/2011 du Parlement européen et du Conseil du 16 février 2011 concernant les droits des passagers dans le transport par autobus et autocar et modifiant le règlement (CE) n° 2006/2004, et modifiant 1) les articles L. 311-5 et L. 311-6 du Code de la consommation, 2) l’article 7bis de la loi modifiée du 29 juin 2004 sur les transports publics
-
Loi du 25 avril 2018
portant modification du Code de la consommation en ce qui concerne les voyages à forfait et les prestations de voyages liées, et modifiant la loi modifiée du 2 septembre 2011 réglementant l’accès aux professions d’artisan, de commerçant, d’industriel ainsi qu’à certaines professions libérales
-
Loi du 5 février 2021
sur les transports publics
