Bus passenger rights

By the Law on the Implementation of Regulation (EU) No. Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council, dated 16 February 2011 on the rights of bus passengers and amending Regulation (EC) No 181/2011 Regulation (EC) No. 127/13 prescribes the exercise of the protection of passengers' rights in bus transport on lines in the Republic of Croatia where the place of departure and the place of destination are located within the European Union and where the journey is 250 kilometers or more.

For domestic regular services in the Republic of Croatia, as well as for international regular passenger transport with at least one stop outside the European Union, certain exemptions apply from the application of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013. Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 (until March 1, 2017).

Passenger rights for bus services include:

  • Non-discrimination of passengers based on their nationality or by the point of sale where the ticket was purchased
  • The right to transport disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility (except in cases of failure to fulfil safety reasons or inadequate vehicle or infrastructure design)
  • Compensation for loss or damage to wheelchairs or other mobility equipment in the event of proven liability of the carrier or Bus station
  • The right to travel information to be provided to passengers before and during the journey, as well as information on passenger rights. At the request of persons with reduced mobility, information shall, where possible, be provided in acceptable forms
  • Establishment of a system of complaints (complaints) by the carrier at the disposal of all passengers
  • Resolving the complaint by the carrier within 3 months of receipt

Passenger rights for regular services between two or more European Union countries with a scheduled distance of at least 250 km include, amongst the following:

  • Guarantee of continuation or re-routing of the journey to the final destination or refund of the ticket price in cases of overbooking or in cases of cancellation or delay of departure by more than 120 minutes
  • Appropriate assistance in case of cancellation or delay of departure by more than 90 minutes when traveling with a scheduled duration of more than 3 hours
  • Information in case of cancellation or delay of departure
  • Compensation for death or bodily injury, as well as for loss or damage to luggage due to traffic accidents, and in particular, the assistance of the carrier with regard to the immediate practical needs of passengers after the accident

Your complaint concerning an infringement of the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 575/2013 In accordance with Regulation (EU) No 181/2011, the passenger is obliged to deliver first to the carrier within 90 days from the date on which the regular service was carried out (the data can be found on the ticket). The carrier is then obliged to inform within 30 days of receipt of the passenger's complaint whether his complaint has been adopted, rejected or is still under consideration.

The time to give a final answer is 90 days from the date of complaint submittion. Only in cases where the carrier has not resolved the passenger's complaint in the manner described above (as laid down in Article 27 of the Code of Civil Procedure). Regulation (EU) No. 181/2011) or if the passenger is not satisfied with the manner in which the complaint is resolved, the traveler has the right to file a complaint with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure as an implementing body in the Republic of Croatia.

Consequently, the Ministry will, without delay, and no later than 30 days from the date of delivery of the complaint, inform the passenger in writing about the established factual situation and the measures taken on the complaint. If the traveler is not satisfied with the measures taken or is not informed about the measures taken within the prescribed deadline, he can initiate an administrative dispute before the competent administrative court.