Terms and Conditions for Holiday Tours
These terms of contract are based on the legal relationship between you and the EUROBUS Group (in particular also the Car Rouge brand), hereinafter referred to as the tour operator, and apply to all package tours or individual services offered in our own name. In the case of services provided by third parties, such as package tours of other coach operators or tour operators, or individual services such as flight tickets, tickets, rental cars, hotel accommodation, etc., you conclude the contract directly with that company and we are not a party to the contract.
1. Conclusion of contract, fellow travellers, payment
1.1. Your booking is binding for you. The travel contract between you and us is concluded upon our unconditional acceptance of your written, telephone, electronic or personal booking. If the person booking reserves for further participants, he or she is liable for their contractual obligations (in particular payment of the tour price) as for his or her own obligations. For travel arrangements by other tour operators and by airlines that are merely arranged for you by the tour operator, their own contractual and travel conditions apply.
1.2. Our services are as set out in the service description in the brochure or tour description. Special requests form part of the contract only if they have been confirmed in writing and without reservation by the booking office. Unless otherwise stated in the tour description, services begin at the departure point for river cruises, rail tours and coach tours, and at the airport in Switzerland for fly tours and boutique tours.
1.3. Your payment: On receipt of the booking confirmation, a deposit per person falls due for immediate payment. The balance must reach your booking office no later than 30 days before the start of the trip. For short-notice bookings, the full amount is payable on booking. If the deposit or balance is not paid on time, we have the right to withdraw from the contract without compensation and to claim the cancellation costs in accordance with clause 2.2.
1.3.1. Reka cheques / credit cards: Up to 50% of the package, but a maximum of CHF 500.– per person and trip, may be paid with Reka cheques (except day trips and promotional tours). Tickets for musicals and operas do not count towards the basic package price.
1.4. Unless otherwise stated, our prices are per person in Swiss francs, with accommodation in a double room, including applicable value-added tax and the current airport and security charges. For price changes, see clause 7.
1.4.1. Booking fee: In addition to our package prices, your booking office may charge a booking fee for advice and sales. For VIP Travel-Club members, the booking fee is waived for direct bookings. Club information is available on request.
2. Changes to the booking or cancellation of the trip by the traveller
2.1. Changes to the booking: For a change of name, nomination of a substitute traveller, changes to the travel dates within the period of validity of the tour programme, booked additional services, the destination or the boarding point up to 31 days before the departure date, we charge a handling fee of CHF 100.00 per person. After this period, the cancellation conditions of clause 2.2 apply. For trips including flights, the provisions of the respective airline apply.
2.2. Cancellations: If you cancel your trip before it begins, we charge a handling fee of CHF 100.00 per person. Handling fees are not covered by any cancellation insurance. Any booking fees or insurance premiums are not refundable. Depending on the date of your withdrawal or change in accordance with clause 2.1 or 2.2, we must charge the following cancellation costs, as a percentage of the invoice total, in addition to the handling fee.
2.2.1. Cancellation costs for one-day coach trips (except rustexpress.ch): One-day coach trips cannot be cancelled; in the event of a no-show, the tour price paid is not refunded. Changes of name are possible at no cost. Rebooking to another date incurs a handling fee of CHF 20.– per booking.
2.2.2. Cancellation costs rustexpress.ch a) Individuals and groups
up to 7 days before departure 0% of the tour price
6 – 4 days before departure 50% of the tour price
3 – 0 days before departure / no-show 100% of the tour price
b) Partial cancellation of group bookings of 20 or more people
Up to 2 days before departure 0% of the tour price
1 – 0 days before departure 80% of the tour price
c) Change of date for individual travellers and groups
up to 7 days before departure 0% of the tour price
from 7 days before departure CHF 20.– per booking
d) Hotel bookings: Cancellation costs for hotel bookings in Europa-Park
up to 15 days before departure 0% of the tour price
14–8 days before departure 80% of the tour price
7–0 days before departure
and no-show 100% of the tour price
2.2.3. Cancellation costs for all other coach tours up to
61 days before departure 0% of the tour price
60–31 days before departure 10% of the tour price
30–22 days before departure 30% of the tour price
21–15 days before departure 50% of the tour price
14–8 days before departure 80% of the tour price
7–0 days before departure and no-show 100% of the tour price
2.2.4. Cancellation costs for fly tours, river cruises and coach tours combined with ocean cruises
up to 121 days before departure 10% of the tour price
120 – 90 days before departure 20% of the tour price
89 – 60 days before departure 35% of the tour price
59 – 30 days before departure 50% of the tour price
29 – 15 days before departure 80% of the tour price
14 – 0 days before departure / no-show 100% of the tour price
For flights, the cancellation conditions of the respective airline and fare class apply in accordance with clause 6
2.2.5 For hotel-only offers, ocean cruises and Rivage Boutique tours, the cancellation conditions stated in the respective offer or the cancellation conditions of the respective partner apply.
2.2.6 For travel-only and last-minute tours, the cancellation costs are 100% from the time of booking
If the cancellation costs of our partners exceed the costs under 2.2.1 to 2.2.4, the partners' cancellation costs will be passed on to you.
2.3. The decisive factor for calculating the deadlines is the receipt of your written notice by us or by the booking office; if it arrives on a weekend or public holiday, the next working day applies.
2.4. Substitute person: If you have to cancel the trip, you may nominate a substitute traveller, who will take up the trip under the same conditions. If this substitute traveller enters into the contract, you and he or she are jointly and severally liable for payment of the entire tour price, the handling fee and any additional costs. A substitute person is permitted:
a) for trips within Switzerland, until the start of the trip
b) for trips in Europe and in countries without a visa requirement (excluding fly tours), up to 48 hours before the agreed departure
c) for overseas trips, ocean cruises, fly tours, and trips to countries with a visa requirement, by arrangement with your travel agency and subject to our organisational possibilities (varying times for obtaining visas). A further condition is that the companies involved in the trip (hotels, airlines or shipping companies) also accept these changes, which can be difficult, especially in high season, or may fail because of airfare regulations.
2.5. Event tickets
2.5.1. Tickets for events, even if booked within a package, can no longer be cancelled and are charged in full in the event of rebookings and cancellations, regardless of timing.
2.5.2. If EUROBUS is able to resell event tickets, only the handling fee will be charged. Settlement takes place after the trip has been carried out.
2.5.3. The cancellation insurance covers the cost of admission tickets as soon as the booking has been confirmed by us.
3. Insurance
The compulsory insurance cover is not included in our package prices and varies depending on the tour price or type of trip. It is valid only if the cancellation is due to illness, accident or death. If you already have your own cancellation or repatriation insurance, you can waive this insurance when booking.
4. Entry formalities
Swiss citizens require, depending on the country, a valid identity card, a valid passport or a visa for the trips (different regulations can be found in the respective tour description). Citizens of other countries are asked to state their nationality when booking and to enquire at the relevant embassies. Travellers are themselves responsible for complying with these regulations and for obtaining and carrying the necessary travel documents (such as passport, identity card, vaccination certificate, etc.). Please check your travel documents for completeness and accuracy before your departure. If you are refused entry because of incorrect or missing documents, the return travel costs are at your expense (clause 10).
5. Your coach (mostly EUROBUS)
Seats are allocated in the order of bookings and are assigned for the entire duration of the trip (except river cruises). We expressly reserve the right to use vehicle types other than those advertised, or vehicles of partner companies. If, for example, two coaches are used for a trip, changes to seat allocation are possible. All journeys are made in non-smoking coaches.
6. Flights
All flights are in economy class. We and the airlines involved expressly reserve the right to change flight schedules, to use other aircraft types and to use other airlines. A change of aircraft type or airline does not constitute a change to the programme. The introduction of new charges or increases to existing charges remain reserved. On unaccompanied trips, you are yourself responsible for arriving at the airport in good time on the day of your connecting or return flight. This also applies in the event of flight schedule changes that occur after your departure from Switzerland. If you miss a connecting or return flight, any additional costs are at your expense. For flights, the cancellation conditions of the respective airline and fare class apply. Tickets that have been issued cannot be rebooked or cancelled. As a rule, flight tickets must be issued at the time of booking. Rebookings, cancellations or changes of name cost 100%. In addition, we charge a handling fee of CHF 100 (long-haul trips CHF 200.-) per ticket.
7. Changes to programme and prices
7.1. Changes before conclusion of the contract: We expressly reserve the right to change brochure details, service descriptions and prices in the brochures and on the price lists before your booking. Should this be the case, your booking office will inform you of the changes before the contract is concluded.
7.2. Price changes after conclusion of the contract: In exceptional cases, it is possible that the agreed price must be increased. Price increases may arise for the following reasons:
a) a subsequent increase in transport costs (including fuel surcharges)
b) newly introduced or increased government levies or charges (e.g. airport taxes, landing fees, embarkation and disembarkation fees, etc.)
c) changes in exchange rates
d) price increases ordered by the government (e.g. value-added tax)
If the costs of these travel services increase, they may be passed on to you. We will implement the price increase no later than 22 days before the start of the trip. If the price increase exceeds 10%, you are entitled to the rights set out in clause 7.4.
7.3. Programme changes, changes after your booking and before the start of the trip: In your interest too, we reserve the right to change the tour programme or individual agreed services (such as accommodation, mode of transport, means of transport, airlines, flight times, etc.) if force majeure or an event that could not be foreseen or averted despite all due care, such as natural disasters, unrest, strikes, government measures, epidemics, etc., makes this necessary. We will endeavour to offer you equivalent substitute services. We will inform you as quickly as possible of such changes and their effect on the price.
7.4. Your rights if, after conclusion of the contract, the tour price is increased or changes are made to the programme or to transport arrangements: If the programme change or the change to individual agreed services leads to a significant change to an essential point of the contract, or if the price increase exceeds 10 percent, you have the following rights:
a) You may accept the change to the contract;
b) You may withdraw from the contract in writing within 5 days of receiving our notification, and you will receive an immediate refund of the tour price already paid;
c) Or you may notify us in writing within 5 days of receiving our notification that you wish to take part in an equivalent substitute trip proposed by us. If you do not send us a notification under letter b) or c), you agree to the price increase, the programme change or the change to individual agreed services (the 5-day period is met if you hand your notification to the Swiss Post on the 5th day).
8. Cancellation of the trip by the tour operator
8.1.a) Guaranteed departures: If there are fewer than 10 participants, we reserve the right to cancel the trip for ecological and economic reasons. The deadlines under point 8.1.b) apply.
8.1.b) Other departures: A fixed minimum number of participants applies to our other trips. If this number is not reached, we reserve the right to cancel the trip no later than 22 days (for trips of more than 4 days) or 14 days (for trips of up to 4 days) before the start of the trip. For day trips, the deadline is reduced to 1 day.
8.2. Compelling reasons: Should compelling reasons, such as force majeure, natural disasters, unrest, strikes, government measures, epidemics, pandemics, etc., make the safe conduct of the trip considerably more difficult or impossible, we may cancel the trip or parts of it, or end it early. In such a case we will inform you as quickly as possible.
8.3. Chartering: In some cases, our group tours are based on the complete charter of means of transport (aircraft, ship). We reserve the right, in the event that such a means of transport is chartered elsewhere, to cancel the trip no later than 90 days before the start of the trip.
8.4. Substitute trip: We will endeavour to offer you an equivalent substitute trip. If you do not take part in it, the amounts paid will be refunded to you, in the case of a cancellation for compelling reasons less the expenses in accordance with 8.5. Any further claims on your part are excluded.
8.5. If we cancel the trip or parts of it on the grounds of compelling reasons, we may charge you for the expenses demonstrably incurred, in particular services from our partners that are not refunded.
9. Programme changes, cancellation and services during the trip
If programme changes have to be made during the trip, we will endeavour to offer an equivalent substitute service or alternative. Should the programme have an objectively reduced value as a result of the change, we will compensate you for this. If unforeseen, necessary programme changes lead to additional costs because, through no fault of ours, no equivalent substitute service or equivalent return transport option is available, and the measure is taken in the objective interest of the customer, these additional costs are borne by the customer. During the trip, the customer is entitled to withdraw only if a significant part of the agreed services is not provided and no reasonable alternative can be offered, or if the customer rejects the substitute service for important reasons.
10. Termination of the trip
10.1. Termination of the trip by the traveller: If you break off the trip, the tour price cannot be refunded; any additional costs (e.g. return transport) are at your expense. If you have to break off the trip for compelling reasons (illness, accident, etc.), our driver / tour guide will help you organise your return journey. Only if the trip is broken off for compelling reasons will we reimburse you for those services for which we are not charged (less an appropriate handling fee).
10.2. Termination of the trip by the operator: If we have to break off the trip, in particular for compelling reasons in accordance with 8.2., any additional costs are at your expense, with those services for which we are not charged being deducted from the additional costs.
11. If you have a complaint
11.1. Complaints: If the trip does not correspond to the contractual agreement or you suffer damage, you are obliged to report this defect or damage to our driver / tour guide without delay.
11.2. Remedy: The driver / tour guide will endeavour to provide a remedy within a reasonable period during the trip. If no remedy is provided, a remedy is not possible or it is insufficient, have the driver / tour guide confirm in writing the defects or damage complained of and the failure to remedy them. However, he or she is not authorised to acknowledge any claims for compensation or the like. If you fail to make the complaint and obtain the written confirmation, we can no longer deal with your complaints etc. after the end of the trip and you lose all claims.
11.3. Asserting a claim: If you wish to assert claims against us for defects, refunds or compensation, you must submit your complaint to us in writing within 30 days of the actual end of the agreed trip. If you do not assert your claims within 30 days of the actual end of the agreed trip, all claims are lost.
12. Liability of the tour operator
12.1. General: We will reimburse you for the objective value of agreed services that were not provided or were poorly provided, or of damage suffered, insofar as it was not possible for the driver / tour guide to provide an equivalent substitute service on the spot. This is provided that we or our contractual service providers are at fault. The following clauses remain reserved.
12.2. Limitations and exclusions of liability
12.2.1. International agreements and national laws: If international agreements and national laws contain limitations or exclusions of compensation for damage arising from non-performance or improper performance of the contract, we are liable only within the scope of these agreements and laws. International agreements and national laws with limitations or exclusions of liability exist in particular in the transport sector, such as air travel, shipping and rail transport.
12.2.2. Exclusions of liability: We are not liable to you if the non-performance or improper performance of the contract is attributable to the following causes:
a) omissions on your part before or during the trip
b) unforeseeable or unavoidable omissions of a third party who is not involved in the contractually agreed service
c) force majeure, natural disasters, unrest, strikes, government measures, epidemics, pandemics or an event that we, the intermediary or the service provider could not foresee or avert despite due care
In these cases, any obligation on our part to pay compensation is excluded.
12.2.3. Personal injury, accidents, etc.: For personal injury, death, bodily harm, etc. resulting from non-performance or improper performance of the contract, we are liable only if we or a service provider caused the damage intentionally or through gross negligence. The limitations and exclusions of liability in international agreements and national laws (clause 12.2.1) remain reserved. The use of car parks and parking garages is at your own risk.
12.2.4. Damage to property and financial loss, etc.: For damage to property and financial loss arising from non-performance or improper performance of the contract, we are liable only if we or a service provider caused the damage intentionally or through gross negligence. This liability is limited to a maximum of twice the tour price, subject to lower liability limits or exclusions of liability in international agreements and national laws (clause 12.2.1). The use of car parks and parking garages is at your own risk.
12.2.5. Valuables, cash, jewellery, credit cards, etc.: We expressly draw your attention to the fact that you are yourself responsible for the safe keeping of valuables, cash, jewellery, credit cards, photo and video equipment, etc. You must on no account leave these items in an unattended coach or anywhere else unsupervised. We are not liable for theft, loss, damage or misuse.
12.2.6. Coach, train, flight and ship timetables, etc.: Even with careful travel organisation, we cannot guarantee compliance with these timetables. Delays can occur precisely because of heavy traffic, congestion, accidents, overloaded airspace, diversions, delayed border clearance, etc. We are not liable in any of these cases. We strongly advise you to allow for possible delays in your travel planning.
12.3. Events during the trip
12.3.1. Liability for third-party services: Outside the agreed tour programme, local events or excursions may possibly be booked during the trip. It cannot be ruled out that such events and excursions involve risks. These events and excursions are not offered by us, and it is your own responsibility whether you wish to take part. We are not liable for the correct performance of the contract. We point out that the safety standards of EUROBUS may not be observed by third-party providers. EUROBUS gives no guarantee for the services of third parties, and the customer alone is responsible for checking the provider, its staff and the equipment.
12.3.2. Safety on cycling and hiking tours: You take part in your sport at your own risk. Good health is a prerequisite for participation. Should a participant not meet this requirement, the tour guide is entitled to refuse participation in the hikes or cycling tours. The tour price paid will not be refunded. You are yourself responsible for compliance with the respective road traffic regulations customary in the country, even when travelling with a group.
12.4. Non-contractual liability
For damage to property and financial loss, we are liable on a non-contractual basis only in cases of gross negligence or intent.
12.5. Wasted holiday time, lost enjoyment of the holiday, etc. Liability for wasted holiday time, lost enjoyment of the holiday, frustration damages, etc. is excluded
13. Data protection
13.1. We require various data from you and your fellow travellers (such as first and last name, date of birth, address, telephone number, etc.) for the correct processing of the contract. We are subject to the Swiss Data Protection Act. We are obliged to keep your data secure and store it in Switzerland. Insofar as necessary for processing the contract, we will forward your data to the service providers. These may be located abroad, where data protection may not meet Swiss standards. Both we and the service providers may be obliged, by statutory provisions or official orders, to forward data about you to (foreign) authorities. This applies in particular, but not exclusively, to flights to the USA (Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), or TSA Secure Flight Program) and Canada.
13.2. Depending on the services booked, you provide us with particularly sensitive personal data. For example, a dietary request may allow conclusions to be drawn about religious affiliation. Such data is generally forwarded to service providers for the correct performance of the contract or, in certain circumstances, disclosed to government bodies on the basis of statutory obligations or official orders. By providing us with such information, you expressly authorise us to use this information in accordance with this provision.
13.3. We will take the liberty of informing you about our programmes and trips in future. You have the option of unsubscribing from this service at any time. You agree that the data you provide may be used by the companies of the EUROBUS Group for advertising purposes and market research. Photos and films may be taken on our trips and used for marketing purposes. We reserve the right to forward your data to authorities and third parties in order to enforce our legitimate interests. The same applies in the case of suspected criminal offences.
14. Travel and health
Travelling with EUROBUS requires good mental and physical health. If in doubt, enquire before or when booking about the health requirements that are essential for the full enjoyment of our trips.
15. Securing of customer funds
The security of the amounts you have paid in connection with your package tour is guaranteed in accordance with the new federal law.
16. Travel guarantee
Guaranteed there and back thanks to the statutory Guarantee Fund of the Swiss travel industry. We are a member.
17. Ombudsman
Before legal proceedings, you should turn to the independent Ombudsman of the Swiss travel industry. The Ombudsman strives to achieve a fair and balanced settlement for any type of problem between you and us or the booking office at which you booked the trip. Address: Ombudsman der Schweizer Reisebranche, Postfach, 8033 Zurich.
18. The invalidity of individual provisions of the travel contract does not lead to the invalidity of the entire contract.
19. Applicable law and place of jurisdiction
19.1. Applicable law: Swiss law applies exclusively to the legal relationship between you and us.
19.2. For actions against the tour operator, the exclusive place of jurisdiction is agreed to be Windisch. We may sue the consumer at his or her place of residence or in Windisch.
Version February 2025