Special Terms and Conditions of Transport (as of September 2017)

This text is for information purposes only! In case of doubt the German version shall prevail!

1. Carrier and transport

1.1. The line operations presented in this timetable are carried out by DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH (Frankfurt/Main) or one of its cooperation partners. In case of international lines, the operation is carried out in cooperation with the public transport companies of the respective country in most cases. Concessionaire of the line operations is the DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH and/or a participating transport partner.

1.2. International/domestic line services are carried out by German as well as foreign buses.  There is therefore no entitlement to transport on the buses of DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH or of a specific partner. If a foreign partner performs the transport within the operation licence issued to it then this partner is your contractual partner, provided that the ticket was acquired from the partner. If the ticket was acquired from DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH then DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH is your contractual partner.
If DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH merely acts as a mediator assisting in the acquisition of tickets from another organiser then this third party is the contractual partner. The General Terms and Conditions of this third-party organiser then apply. The General Terms and Conditions of this third-party organiser are posted on our website. DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH does not make any guarantee regarding the completeness or reliability of the General Terms and Conditions of third-party organisers.

1.3. Normally the line operations presented here are direct. Certain destinations may require transfer. You can find further information in the respective timetables.

1.4. International lines are operated only cross-boundary. Partial transport within the Federal Republic of Germany does not take place. Exceptions are listed in the rate tables.

2. Timetables and tickets

2.1. Approved and published travel times, dates, routes and ticket rates are subject to change for a substantial reason, especially for implementation of decisions of the approval authorities.

2.2. Delays that occur after the conclusion of the contract and have not been caused by the carrier in breach of good faith do not entitle the passenger to file compensation claims, provided that the timetables only deviate from the initial departure and arrival time by a slight amount, i.e. up to a maximum of 2 hours.

2.3. Before we accept your booking we will inform you of the scheduled departure time and station as they apply at that point in time and are stated on the tickets. It is possible that we may need to change the scheduled departure time and stop after the ticket has been issued for urgent or unforeseeable reasons or reasons occurring on short notice over which DTG has no influence (e.g. the closing of stops by the authorities, stop inaccessibility due to construction measures, events, public regulations) within a timeframe that is reasonable for the passengers. We will inform you of such changes if you have provided us with a phone number and/or e-mail address when booking.

2.4. A ticket booklet or a printed e-ticket (paper with name and holder’s clause according to Section 808 of the BGB [German Civil Code]) is issued for the journey, which contains one coupon for every partial route. Without these coupons, which can only be separated by the handling staff, the transport is not possible. Lost tickets cannot be replaced if a rebooking has been made prior to applying for replacement. An administrative fee of 20 euros is charged for the issuance of a replacement.

2.5. DTG Deutsche Touring can carry out the service for any ticketholder. Cross-border transport is only possible in connection with an official personal identification that is to be carried by the passenger. Hotel accommodation, cabin seats and meals are not included in the travel price. Travel costs to and from the booked points of departure and destination are borne by the passenger.  For round-trip tickets, the passenger must commence the return trip within 6 months after the outward trip. One-way tickets are only valid for the day of travel.
It is not possible to reserve specific seats.

2.6. Special rates (Information on fares is available on the internet or to be acquired from our service staff in the ticket centres) have shorter periods of validity.

2.7. Children and minors under the age of 16 will only be carried on any national or international lines if they present a certified consent from their legal guardian and are accompanied during the trip by a person who is at least 18 years old. Regardless of this, youths ages 16 and up may travel alone if they can present a certified consent from their legal guardian. The attestation is to be provided by a public authority authorised to provide it and is to confirm the identity of the legal guardian. We kindly ask you to also comply with the respective national regulations, even of transit countries, which may differ.

3. Booking, booked dates and booking offices

3.1. By registering for transport, the passenger is offering to conclude a transport contract. The contract is concluded when a booking confirmation is sent by the responsible reservation office that is listed separately for each bus line. If the desired date cannot be confirmed then DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH will offer alternative dates. It is not possible to transfer the transport contract to another person.

3.2. The passenger should provide the date for the return trip (and, in the case of a stop in the journey, the date of the onward journey) even before the commencement of the journey. If the date of the onward journey or return trip is not yet certain at the commencement of the journey (e.g. waiting list or open return trip), meaning that there is no confirmed reservation yet, then the note 'open' will be marked on the tickets. In this case the ongoing journey or return trip will only be guaranteed if a written reservation confirmation is sent by a licenced sales or booking office. An oral reservation confirmation will not be recognised. Seat availability cannot be guaranteed, particularly during peak periods, but short-term bookings are possible as long as seats are available.

3.3. A bus terminal usage fee will be charged, listed separately and calculated into the final price of the ticket for departures/return trips from Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Kosovo. The ticket is to be presented at the bus terminal during departure. If the passenger does not present the ticket with the corresponding fee then the bus terminal has the right to collect the fee.

3.4. Please note that special terms and conditions apply for tickets acquired online. These Online Terms and Conditions can be viewed on our homepage at www.eurolines.de.

4. Rates

4.1. The rate tables can be viewed in all reservation offices and on the Internet and requested via phone from our Service Centre.

4.2. Discount rates for children, adolescents, students and elderly people can also be viewed or requested.

4.3. The transport of severely disabled persons is performed in accordance with legal regulations. Severely disabled persons who meet the legal requirements for free transport by local public transport and can prove this by presenting a green or orange-coloured disability card with supplement and a valid stamp or a green or orange-coloured card for the free use of public transport will receive a flat-rate discount of 50% off of the regular transport rate for
• all domestic lines within Germany
• as well as selected cross-border lines. A list of these lines can be accessed by clicking on the link.
Required accompanying persons travel free on all domestic lines within Germany.
The required accompanying persons are to pay 50% of the normal rate for cross-border transport for a scheduled route of less than 250 km. This requires that the necessity of their support is confirmed by means of corresponding entries on the disability card. Foreign disability cards will only be taken into consideration if they have been translated into German by a state-recognised translator.
The required accompanying persons for persons with limited mobility or the required accompanying persons for disabled persons ride free of charge on all scheduled routes of 250 km or more.
The necessity of the accompanying person is to be proven. A medical certificate will suffice for this.

4.4. If not prescribed by law, the accumulation of discounts is not allowed.

5. Increased rates

5.1. A passenger is obliged to pay at an increased rate, when:
1. he has not purchased a ticket,
2. he has purchased a ticket, but cannot present it when requested to do so,
3. he does not present the ticket when requested to do so.
The right to criminal or compensation persecution remains unaffected. The regulation of point 1 is not applied if the failure to purchase a ticket is due to reasons that cannot be influenced by the passenger.

5.2. The increased rate amounts to the double of the standard rate for the travelled distance with a minimum of 40 euros, plus the rate for the distance to the final destination.  If the passenger cannot reasonably prove the travelled distance, the increased rate is calculated according to departure point of the line.

5.3. The increased rate must be paid within 2 weeks of the claim date. After that, an administrative fee of 15 euros is charged for every payment reminder in writing.

5.4. The passenger without a ticket must specify his personal details and be able to identify himself upon request.

6. Transport of luggage

6.1. The luggage permitted to be taken is generally limited to 2 pieces of luggage per person (suitcase dimensions: length + width + height: 170 cm max.). The total luggage weight is limited to 40 kg. Small children (0-3 years old) do not have a free luggage allowance.
Hand luggage must not exceed a weight of 5 kg and must be able to be stowed away in the luggage compartment in the interior of the bus.

6.2. Hand luggage that can be stored in the luggage net in the passenger area or under the seat in front of the passenger is transported at no charge. We assume liability for damages to hand luggage resulting from gross negligence or intent on our part up to a maximum limit of 1,000.00 euros or in the case of an accident up to a maximum limit of 1,200.00 euros.
The passenger is to store and monitor the hand luggage in such a way that the safety and order of the operation is not endangered and the other passengers cannot be inconvenienced. The transport of animals, bicycles and furniture is not permitted in cross-border transport and domestic transport within Germany. Illegal, dangerous and unauthorised objects are not permitted to be brought along on the trip. Violation of this will result in DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH asserting damage compensation claims against the passenger. A severely disabled passenger is entitled to have his/her foldable wheelchair and other orthopaedic aids (crutches, etc.) as well as a required guide dog transported at no charge.
The required accompanying persons of severely disabled persons may only utilise the free transport of their hand luggage in accordance with Paragraph 1.

6.3. Passengers are required to package items that require a packaging, so that they are protected during transportation against loss or damage and can cause no personal injury or property damage.

6.4. The transport of goods, which go beyond the usual luggage size, should be requested separately each time. In case the transportation is possible, a fee is applied.

6.5. Bicycles are transported on some routes (max. 1 bicycle per person). The routes can be found on the timetables. Additional information on this can also be obtained on the website of DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH and/or in its Service Centre.
The bicycles must be of standard size without any additions and no loose parts that could separate during the trip are permitted. Furthermore, the weight is not permitted to exceed 18 kg per bicycle.  E-bikes, Pedelecs, tandems or bicycles with three wheels are excluded from transport.
The transport of bicycles is carried out within the framework of the available capacity of 4 bicycles per bus and is only valid in connection with a purchased ticket. DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH recommends that all customers who would like to take their bicycle along should book the trips and bicycle spaces early during pre-sale. There is no conveyance obligation for bicycles.

6.6. A luggage transport fee per piece of luggage will be charged for the transport of luggage to and from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Kosovo. For other routes this fee will only be charged starting from the third piece of luggage. There are separate fees for each line and they are posted on the country-specific timetables.  The ticket and luggage will be labelled with a registration number and the passenger will receive the corresponding registration slip. Upon arrival at the destination the luggage will be handed out by the crew in return for the registration slip. When filing claims for recourse due to the loss of or damage to entire pieces of luggage, the registration slip is always to be presented as proof of luggage registration. This provision only applies to cases in which the transport contract was concluded with DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH. In all other cases the contractual terms and conditions of the foreign transport company apply. In these cases, potential claims are to be asserted against the respective transport company involved. We take out luggage insurance for all passengers on our bus trips in the insurance amount of 1,000 euros per person, as long as you do not already explicitly declare at the time of the booking that you do not want to lay claim to this insurance coverage. Once an insured event occurs then the insured person is obligated to report the damages to us as the policyholder. We will process the damages. However, you also have the option to process it yourself in direct contact with our insurer Europäische Reiseversicherung AG, Leistungsabteilung, Vogelweidestr. 5, 81677 Munich, Germany.

6.7. DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH warns that there is no insurance coverage for objects forgotten in the bus or otherwise left behind. Found luggage is subjected to a retention period of 6 months. Excluded are contents such as perishable food.
Valuables such as cheques, securities, jewellery, technical and electronic equipment such as cameras, laptops, MP3 players, photographic equipment, etc. do not belong in luggage as a general rule. They are insured only up to a maximum amount and must be registered at the luggage handling point at the latest. The carrier can refuse the transport of valuables in the luggage or require an additional transport fee to adequately cover the higher risk associated with transporting valuables. Cash is excluded from any insurance policy. We therefore recommend – especially when travelling abroad – taking out a luggage, accident, health and travel cancellation insurance policy with Europäische Reiseversicherungs AG.
Your travel agency will be happy to advise you.

6.8. Every piece of luggage must carry a luggage label with name, address and destination. We recommend a second label inside the luggage.

6.9. The transport of animals is not allowed.  Dogs accompanying a visually impaired are carried free of charge on presentation of official identification

7. Liability, assistance in case of accident

7.1. For trips with departure or destination points within the European Union with a scheduled route of 250 km or more DTG is liable for the loss of or damage to luggage in the case of accidents resulting from the use of the bus up to an amount of 1,200 euros per piece of luggage. This limitation does not apply for cases of the loss of or damage to luggage caused intentionally or due to gross negligence. Damage of luggage or its loss must be reported immediately via provided form on www.eurolines.de (§ 978 BGB).
The compensation in the case of damage to wheelchairs and other mobility equipment or assistive devices always corresponds to the replacement value or the cost of repair of the lost or damaged equipment.
In other cases the carrier is liable within the framework of § 23 of the PBefG (Passenger Transport Act) for property damages not due to intent or gross negligence up to an amount of 1,000 euros per passenger.

7.2.

7.2.1. Delays of up to 2 hours on trips with restricted dates whose departure or destination point lies within the European Union and for which the scheduled route is minimum 250 km shall not entitle the passenger to assert compensation claims against the carrier.

7.2.2. In the case of the cancellation of a trip, a delay to departure of more than 120 minutes or overbooking on trips whose departure or destination point lies within the European Union and for which the scheduled route is at least 250 km, passengers have the choice between continuation of the journey at the earliest possible point in time or re-routing to the destination specified in the transport contract at no additional charge and under comparable terms and conditions as specified in the transport contract or the reimbursement of the ticket price and potentially a free return by bus to the departure point specified in the transport contract at the earliest possible point in time, where appropriate.
This does not apply for passengers with tickets with unrestricted dates, as long as the time of departure is not specified.

7.2.3. In the case of the cancellation of a trip or a delay to departure of more than 90 minutes on trips with a scheduled duration of over three hours whose departure or destination point lies within the European Union and for which the scheduled route is at least 250 km, passengers have the following entitlements:
a.) In the case of the cancellation of a trip or a delay to departure of more than 90 minutes on trips with a scheduled duration of over three hours there is an entitlement to snacks, meals or refreshments in an appropriate ratio to the waiting time or delay, insofar as they are available on the bus or in the bus terminal or can be procured in a reasonable way.
b.) In the case of the cancellation of a trip or a delay to departure of more than 90 minutes on trips with a scheduled duration of over three hours there is an entitlement to a hotel room or other form of accommodation as well as assistance with the organisation of transport between the bus terminal and the place of accommodation, insofar as a stay of one night or more is required. This does not apply if the carrier proves that the cancellation or delay was caused by adverse weather conditions or major natural disasters affecting the safe operation of the bus service. The total costs for any accommodation that may be necessary are limited to 80 euros per night per passenger and a maximum of two nights.

7.3 No liability is assumed for the functionality or usability of such technical and sanitary facilities in the buses used for transport that are used to increase the travel comfort of the passengers (e.g. air conditioning, on-board toilet). Cases of gross negligence or intent and cases of the express warranty of certain facilities are excluded from this exclusion of liability.

7.4. In the case of accidents resulting from the use of the bus on journeys where departure or destination point is within the European Union and where the scheduled route is at least 250 km, the carrier will provide appropriate and adequate assistance with regard to the immediate practical needs of the passengers after the accident. This assistance includes accommodation, food, clothes, transport and first aid, where necessary. The provision of assistance does not represent an acknowledgement of liability in any case.
The total costs for any accommodation that may be necessary are limited to 80 euros per night per passenger and a maximum of two nights.

7.5 The contractual liability for property damage is excluded if the damage exceeds 1,000.00 euros and is not due to intent or gross negligence, regardless of the legal basis, except for claims due to injury to life, limb or health. This does not apply to the carrier-caused loss or damage to wheelchairs and other mobility equipment or assistive devices on journeys where departure or arrival point is within the European Union and where the scheduled distance is at least 250 km. In this case, the compensation is always equal to the replacement value or the cost of repair of the lost or damaged equipment. This does not affect the tort claims remain to Sections 823 ff. of the BGB (German Civil Code) respectively according the Liability Act and the Road Traffic Act.

7.6. A further liability is excluded. In particular, the DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH is not liable for damage caused by acts of war or its consequences when driving in or through known trouble spots where armed conflicts between ethnic or political groups emerge.

8. Assertion of claims

Passenger claims in connection with the transport should be filed with us in writing and immediately in the personal interest of the passenger.
Regardless of damage compensation claims in accordance with Article 7 of EU Regulation no. 181/2011, a passenger must submit this within three months after the actual or scheduled performance of the line service if the passenger would like to file a complaint to the carrier within the framework of EU Regulation no. 181/2011.
Within one month of receiving the complaint, the carrier shall give notice to the passenger that the complaint has been substantiated, rejected or is still being considered.  The carrier must provide a definitive answer within three months from the receipt of the complaint.
The specified deadlines shall not apply if the complaint involves issues relating to compensation for death or personal injury as well as the loss or damage of luggage as a result of accidents as well as for other claims from the transport contract not listed above.
Claims due to a possible lack of transportation services expire one year after the completion of the trip, except for claims due to injury to life, limb or health as well as damages due to gross negligence. In these specified cases the statutory period of limitations shall apply.

9. Cancellation and fees

9.1. If a passenger withdraws from a transport contract (cancellation) or in case of no show, DTG Deutsche Touring remains nevertheless entitled to a transport fee according to the following regulations. The fee amount is calculated taking into consideration saved costs and potential transport fees. The passenger may prove that the saved costs following the cancellation or other collected or deliberately not collected transport fees are much higher than or equal to the difference between the above amount and the initial transport fee.
a) If cancelling up to 48 hours before departure, the passenger must pay 25% of the ticket price or a minimum of 10 euros to DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH. The remaining amount from the paid price is refunded by the reservation office.
b) if cancelling between 48 and 6 hours before departure (for online tickets between 48 and 24 hours before departure), the passenger must pay 50% of the ticket price or a minimum of 25 euros to DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH.
c) If cancelling less than 6 hours before departure (for online-tickets less than 24 hours before departure) or in case of no show without cancelling the transport contract, the passenger must pay the ticket price in full.
d) There are no part-ticket cancellations.
e) Special regulation for promotional rates: cancellation of promotional tickets is not possible. You may rebook 48 hours before departure at the latest for a co-payment to the standard rate plus a fee of 15 euros. Re-bookings later than 48 hours before departure are not possible. A rebooking is possible only once.
f) Re-bookings (promotional rates excluded) are treated as cancellations.
g) A service fee of 15 euros is to be paid for every rebooking of online tickets (for national bus lines 10€ per ticket). A co-payment to the actual price is mandatory. Re-bookings of online tickets less than 24 hours before the outward journey are not allowed.

9.2. In all cases the refund of paid transport fees is carried out against production of the ticket. Cancellations must be made in time at the respective reservation office.

10. Cancellation due to force majeure

10.1. If the execution of the transportation is endangered, complicated or hindered due to unforeseeable circumstances such as war, civil commotion, epidemics, state regulations (border closures, cancellation of road use rights or similar circumstances), natural catastrophes or other inestimable forces, the passenger and DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH are both entitled to cancel the transport contract in accordance with the terms and conditions for the cancellation of the transport contract.

11. Passport, visa, customs, currency and health regulations

11.1. The passenger bears the sole responsibility for meeting passport, visa, customs, currency and health regulations. Disadvantages from not satisfying the regulations cannot be claimed from the company, even if these regulations are changed after booking.

11.2. On international lines, the passenger is obliged to carry all documents necessary for border crossing and to show them for control and handling staff of DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH upon request.

11.3. Since 26 June 2012 every child needs a single separate travel document. Since that date, any person - regardless of age – has to identify himself. Depending on your destination (child) passports or identity cards must be presented for control. The new regulation also applies to travel within the EU and the Schengen area.

11.4. For the sake of faster customs handling, checked baggage cannot be locked.

11.5. In case DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH is obliged by the customs authorities to accept a passenger without prior transport contract, the cost must be paid by the passenger.

12. Prior approval reservation

If a line operation is marked with ‘official approval pending’ in the timetable, this means that the approval process (for example, connection, stops, travel date, etc.), required for operating the line, was not completed at the time of printing. Your reservation office will inform you at your request if and when the respective line operation will start and your reservation can be accepted.

13. Obligations of the passenger

13.1 The passenger is obliged to be at least 30 minutes prior departure at the bus stop. In some European cities, such as London, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels, check-in is required 1 hour before departure.

13.2. Instructions of the staff must be followed. The driving and handling staff may refuse transport to apparently intoxicated persons. In this case, substitute transport cannot be claimed.

13.3. When using the operating facilities and vehicles, passengers are to behave as the safety and order of the operation, their own safety and consideration of others demand. Instructions by the staff are to be followed.

13.4. Smoking is prohibited on our buses.

13.5. The passenger is liable for damage caused by him.

13.6. Passengers, who have dirtied or damaged the bus deliberately or due to gross negligence, must pay a cleaning fee of min. 200 euros. The passenger may prove the absence of damage or its value being less than the fee. Depending on the expenses, the fee could be higher.

13.7. DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH may cancel the transport contract without notice, if the passenger continues to behave inappropriately despite warning thus making the farther journey impossible for the other passengers or the driving staff. The same applies to refusal to follow substantially justified instructions. The carrier is still entitled to the ticket price, provided that changing the seat order cannot prevent commercial disadvantages.

13.8. The passenger is obliged to carry only customs-free goods.

13.9. Every passenger is obliged within the legal regulations to fasten the seat belt, if such is available.

14. Other carriers

DTG Deutsche Touring GmbH offers for sale tickets for routes of other carriers in addition to its own line operations. We point out that in these cases the general conditions of transport of the respective carrier apply. The carrier name is noted clearly on the tickets.

15. Jurisdiction

Place of jurisdiction for fully qualified merchants, for persons who do not have a general place of jurisdiction in the country as well as for persons, who have moved abroad or whose place of residence is unknown at the time of court claim is Frankfurt am Main. For national line operations, place of jurisdiction for claims in relation to contract of transport claims is generally Frankfurt am Main.

16. Invalidity of separate regulations

The invalidity of separate regulations does not affect the validity of the remaining conditions of transport.

17. In addition to these special terms and conditions of transport…

the Regulation of the general conditions of transport for line operations of streetcar and bus transport as well as line operations of vehicles from February 27, 1970 (State Gazette I., page 230) in its latest version is applicable and overrules them in case of doubt.

18. Arbitration

Should the parties fail to agree on customer-requested claims, help with further clarification is provided by the SOP - arbitration for public transport, Fasanenstraße 81, 10623 Berlin, tel.: 030/6449933-0, kontakt@soep-online.de, http:/ / soep-online.de. Enforcement body for passenger rights: Federal Railway Authority (EBA), Heinemann Straße 6, 53175 Bonn Tel: 0228/30795-400, fahrgastrechte@eba.bund.de www.eba.bund.de/fahrgastrechte.