Your rights as a passenger travelling by bus or coach
Last update
Summary:
You have a number of rights as a passenger travelling or about to travel by bus or coach from or to the European Union. If these rights are infringed upon, you may be entitled to a refund of your ticket, assistance or compensation, depending on the circumstances.
The European Union's (EU's) bus and coach transport regulations are intended to ensure a high level of protection for passengers.
Common rules apply to information and compensation for bus and coach passengers in the event of:
- cancellation or long delay;
- any problems with baggage;
- people injured or killed in an accident.
At the same time, there are certain rules and a specific protection of consumers with respect to package holidays and linked travel arrangements.
Who is concerned
Any passenger travelling by bus or coach on a regular long-distance service whose country of departure or arrival is a European Union (EU) country.
'Regular service' means any journey:
- with a fixed itinerary;
- where passengers are picked up and dropped off at pre-determined stops according to a set timetable.
'Long distance' means a journey of 250 kilometres or more.
Prerequisites
In order to assert your rights, you must:
- have a confirmed booking for the journey in question;
- have arrived on time for the scheduled departure;
- have met all the applicable conditions laid down by the bus or coach company;
- be in possession of a non-open ticket—a ticket on which the time of departure is recorded—or a subscription / transport card for regular service.
How to proceed
Cancellation or delay
In the event of cancellation or delay, the bus company and/or the station operator must ensure that you are informed:
- at the earliest opportunity; and
- no later than 30 minutes after the planned departure time.
In the event of a delay, the bus company must inform you of the estimated time of departure as soon as this information is available.
If your journey has been:
- delayed by more than 2 hours at departure; or
- cancelled due to overbooking or for compelling reasons;
then the company must offer you a choice between:
- the reimbursement of the ticket price and, where applicable, a free return to your original point of departure, if the purpose of your journey can no longer be achieved due to the delay; and
- the continuation of your journey or re-routing to your final destination under comparable conditions, at no extra cost and as quickly as possible.
If you are not offered these options in the event of a delay, you may later claim compensation equal to 50% of the ticket price, in addition to lodging a complaint.
If your cancelled journey would have taken more than 3 hours, you are also entitled to:
- snacks, meals or refreshments, depending on how long you have to wait and if it is reasonably possible to provide them;
- accommodation if you have to stay overnight (EUR 80 per night for a maximum of 2 nights) including transport to the place of accommodation and back to the bus station.
Please note: if the cancellation or delay is due to bad weather or a natural disaster, the company is not obliged to cover the cost of accommodation.
Lost or damaged baggage
If your baggage is damaged or lost as a result of an accident while you are travelling by bus or coach, you can claim compensation.
The maximum amount of compensation cannot be less than EUR 1,200 per item of baggage.
If you are a person with reduced mobility and your wheelchair or other mobility aid is damaged or lost, you can claim compensation to cover the cost of replacement or repair.
Person injured in an accident
If you are injured in an accident during your journey, you may be entitled to compensation.
The maximum amount of compensation cannot be less than EUR 220,000 per passenger.
In the event of an accident, the bus or coach company must take part in first aid, for example by calling an ambulance if necessary, and provide for immediate needs such as food, clothing or accommodation.
Person deceased in an accident
If you are a dependant of a victim who has died in a bus or coach accident, you are entitled to compensation, including funeral expenses.
The maximum amount of compensation cannot be less than EUR 220,000 per passenger.
Persons with reduced mobility
If you are disabled or have reduced mobility, you have the right to be accompanied by a person of your choice who can provide whatever help you need. If this is the case, the carrier cannot refuse you access to the bus or coach for reasons of:
- compliance with safety requirements; or
- inability to embark (or to get off) or be transported on board the vehicle due to its design or infrastructure.
The person accompanying you must be transported free of charge and must, as far as possible, be seated next to you.
If you require assistance at the bus station or on board the bus or coach, you must inform the company at least 36 hours before your scheduled departure. You must arrive 30 minutes before departure.
If, in the event of an accident, your wheelchair or mobility / assistance equipment has been damaged, the bus or coach company must pay you compensation equivalent to the cost of replacing or repairing the equipment.
Complaint
If you feel that your rights have not been respected, you can submit a complaint to the bus or coach company within 3 months of the journey. The company has:
- 1 month to react;
- 3 months to give you a definitive answer.
Bus or coach companies often provide a complaint form directly on their website or at the ticket office.
If you have not received a reply, or if you consider the reply unsatisfactory, you can lodge a complaint with the Directorate for Consumer Protection.
If you live in the EU, you can also:
- use an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) service;
- lodge a complaint via the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform if you bought your ticket online.
You can also:
- take legal action and claim compensation under EU rules by using the European Small Claims Procedure;
- bring the matter before the courts of the country in which the bus or coach company is registered.
NB: for further help or advice, you can contact the European Consumer Centre Luxembourg.
Who to contact
-
Directorate for Consumer Protection Directorate for Consumer Protection
- Address:
-
271, route d’Arlon
L-1150
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
B.P. 119, L-2011 Luxembourg
- Email address:
- info@mpc.etat.lu
-
European Consumer Centre EIG
- Address:
- 271, route d’Arlon L-1150 Luxembourg Luxembourg
- Phone:
- (+352) 26 84 64 1
- Fax:
- (+352) 26 84 57 61
- Email address:
- info@cecluxembourg.lu
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. Consultation by appointment
-
National Service of the Mediator of Consumption
- Address:
- 6, rue du Palais de Justice L-1841 Luxembourg Luxembourg
- Phone:
- (+352) 46 13 11
- Fax:
- (+352) 46 36 03
- Email address:
- info@mediateurconsommation.lu
Closed ⋅ Opens at 14.00
- Thursday:
- 9.00 to 12.00 , 14.00 to 17.00
- Friday:
- 9.00 to 12.00 , 14.00 to 17.00
- Saturday:
- Closed
- Sunday:
- Closed
- Monday:
- 9.00 to 12.00 , 14.00 to 17.00
- Tuesday:
- 9.00 to 12.00 , 14.00 to 17.00
- Wednesday:
- 9.00 to 12.00 , 14.00 to 17.00
Mon.-Fri. from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 17.00
-
Luxembourg Consumer Protection Association (ULC)
- Address:
- 55, rue des Bruyères L-1274 Howald Luxembourg
- Phone:
- (+352) 49 60 22 1
- Fax:
- (+352) 49 49 57
- Email address:
- info@ulc.lu
- Website:
- http://www.ulc.lu
Closed ⋅ Opens tomorrow at 8.00
- Thursday:
- 8.00 to 12.00
- Friday:
- 8.00 to 12.00
- Saturday:
- Closed
- Sunday:
- Closed
- Monday:
- 8.00 to 12.00
- Tuesday:
- 8.00 to 12.00
- Wednesday:
- 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:
- http://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
-
Règlement (UE) No 181/2011 du Parlement européen et du Conseil du 16 février 2011
concernant les droits des passagers dans le transport par autobus et autocar
-
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 5 février 2021
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
