Problems with bus travel
Problem med bussresa - Engelska
If you have problems with your bus travel, such as it being delayed or losing your luggage, you may be entitled to compensation.
Cooperation:This website is co-funded by the European Union.
Translated page: This text has been translated from Swedish. The text and appearance of the page may look different from the original page.
Before reading:
This information applies to bus travel within Sweden that is longer than 150 km, and bus travel within the EU that is longer than 250 km.
If you travelled by bus in public transport, you should read the page on public transport.
More information about public transport
Delayed or cancelled bus
If your bus travel was cancelled or delayed by at least 120 minutes, the bus company must offer you a choice between the following options:
Making the trip to your final destination with the delayed bus.
Rebooking to an equivalent journey without it costing you anything.
Getting your money back within 14 days from when you requested it.
If the bus is more than 120 minutes late, but the travel company does not offer you these options, you have the right to get your money back. Besides compensation for the cost of the ticket, you should receive financial compensation that amounts to 50 per cent of the ticket price. You have a right to receive the compensation within one month from when you requested it from the bus company.
If the delay is less than 120 minutes, you cannot demand any compensation by law. Some bus companies nonetheless offer some kind of compensation. In such cases, it is stated in their terms and conditions.
Right to food, drink and lodging when the bus is delayed
If your bus travel according to the timetable is more than three hours long and also delayed by at least 90 minutes, the bus company is obliged to offer you snacks, food and drink in relation to how late the bus is. This only applies if it is practically possible for the bus company to arrange it.
If the delay means that you have to stay overnight during the journey, the bus company must pay for lodging, as well as transportation to the lodging. The bus company is obliged to arrange lodging for you for a maximum of two nights for a maximum of EUR 80 per night.
Your right to lodging does not apply if the cancelled or delayed bus travel is due to severe weather conditions or natural disasters that make the bus journey impossible or unsafe to carry out.
No damages due to delayed bus travel
If the delayed or cancelled bus journey means that you cannot go to work, you cannot claim damages for loss of work income. Nor can you claim damages if you missed an event or the like due to the bus travel.
Changing your mind, cancelling or rebooking a bus ticket
When you buy a bus ticket, you have no legal right of withdrawal. This means that you cannot change your mind about the purchase and get your money back. Nor can you demand to rebook the trip.
It is the terms and conditions for your ticket that determine if you can rebook or cancel it and get your money back. So to find out what applies, you have to read the terms and conditions.
Lost or damaged luggage
There is no law that determines who is responsible for the luggage you have with you on the bus journey. It is the bus company’s own terms and conditions that apply. If your luggage is lost or damaged, you must read the bus company’s terms and conditions. It is most often you yourself as the passenger who is responsible for your luggage.
If the bus company does not take responsibility for your lost or damaged luggage, you can contact your insurance company. Sometimes you can get compensation through your home insurance.
Source: KonsumentverketKonsument Europa
This website is co-financed by the European Union. ECC Sweden is part of the Swedish Consumer Agency and is co-financed by the EU.