GTC

Passenger information – Subject of the contract:

The business activity of BLAGUSS REISEN GMBH (“Blaguss Reisen”) consists of ticket sales and booking arrangements for bus travel provided by third parties.
By purchasing one or more tickets at vib-wien.at, passengers accept the following “General Terms and Conditions”.

The transportation company providing the bus service (Operator, Carrier), which is therefore responsible and liable for such service, is indicated on the front of the ticket. Its General Terms and Conditions also apply.

Liability:

Blaguss Reisen is liable solely for correct issuance of tickets and correct provision of passenger information; however, this liability is limited to wilful intent and gross negligence.
Therefore, Blaguss Reisen is not liable for any other damages, in particular any damages arising from delays, violations of safety obligations (including in bus stop areas), or traffic accidents.
The exclusion of liability also applies if delays, bus cancellations or other circumstances involving connecting transportation (bus lines, airlines, train or ship transport) prevent a passenger from making their connection.

Promotions:

Please note that special conditions apply for promotions. These promotional conditions always apply solely to new bookings, and are often valid only when an additional service (plane ticket, etc.) is also booked. In addition, all such promotions are valid only from the effective date as published.

Check-in process:

Passengers who already have a valid ticket need simply arrive at their gate a half-hour before departure. You will then be checked in (review of travel documents and acceptance of your ticket), your luggage will be loaded aboard, and you will be assigned a seat. If you do not have a ticket yet, or if the departure date needs to be confirmed (open return date), we will gladly take care of this for you if open seats are still available. You have a very good chance of getting a seat if you purchase your ticket at least two days before departure; in some cases, however, bookings may be closed several days before departure.

Departure time:

The departure times indicated in published timetables are in local time. In case of any inconsistency, the times indicated on the ticket shall take precedence over the timetable. Due to the number of different lines and partners involved, changes may occur even within a valid timetable period. Please talk to an agent at our VIB ticket counters or email us at info@vib-wien.at with any questions you may have.

Buses:

Blaguss Reisen buys tickets for various international carriers. We ask that you always be sure to check the destination signs on the front of your bus before boarding. The standards for buses on these lines typically include air conditioning, video, toilets, reclining seats and a refrigerator. However, the standards for non-Austrian carriers may be different than the usual standards in Austria.

Transport conditions:

In general, you will need a valid ticket and travel document (passport or ID card) for cross-border bus travel. Keep in mind that a Schengen visa is valid only for countries that are parties to the Schengen Agreement. If the passenger is unable to present a valid travel document, then the boarding staff or driver is required to deny the passenger entry to the bus.
As mentioned previously, Blaguss Reisen sells tickets for bus travel provided by a number of different carriers. Therefore, there is no uniform set of transport conditions that apply to all lines.

The following rules are those that typically apply to bus trips for which tickets can be bought through Blaguss Reisen. For the actual transport conditions that apply to your specific bus trip, please contact the transportation company with which you are travelling, which is indicated on the front of your ticket.

Seats:

In general, your access to a seat is ensured as soon as you buy your ticket (except for open-return tickets).
The option to reserve a seat for an additional fee depends on the specific carrier, and will be indicated in the booking process if applicable.

Please comply with seat belt requirements!

Luggage:

Luggage is normally limited to one suitcase (standard dimensions) and one carry-on item per person, provided that no additional conditions are imposed by the carrier.
Please check your carrier’s website in advance for information on its luggage rules, or consult the relevant timetable.

Please attach a clearly visible tag to your luggage, indicating your name, address, telephone number and travel destination.

Please note that additional fees (insurance etc.) may occasionally be charged for luggage. Again, please check your carrier’s website in advance for information, or consult the relevant timetable.

Liability for your luggage lies with the carrier. For more information, see the carrier’s GTC (General Terms and Conditions). Blaguss Reisen is not liable for theft or damage to your carry-on luggage. Please mind it carefully during your trip, and never leave your luggage unattended! Please consult the transport conditions for your carrier, where you will also find the maximum liability amount for lost luggage – and note that in general, you will need to demonstrate that the driver is at fault for lost luggage claims.

Tickets:

Each passenger must have a valid ticket/booking confirmation. When boarding the bus, please ensure that the boarding staff or the driver has taken the correct section from your ticket. This is very important, because an error can be easily corrected at the time of boarding.
However, a missing ticket section could cause problems for you when boarding your next bus.
Different lines have different ticket validity periods which depend on the individual carriers. The maximum validity period for an open-return ticket is 180 days.

Booking tickets:

We ask that you book your tickets in a timely fashion. Reservations cannot be made by phone; only a purchased ticket will guarantee you a seat on the bus. We recommend buying your ticket at least 2 days in advance. Departure days and times may change on certain holidays, e.g. Easter, Whitsun, Christmas and the New Year, as well as the start and end of holiday periods. Many lines are already fully booked a few days before departure.

Return confirmation:

All open-return tickets must be reserved in advance!
You can reserve yours at the VIB counter for a €3.00 fee.

Please check with your carrier (indicated on your ticket) well ahead of time about how long before your departure you must submit your return confirmation. Otherwise, there is a risk that a seat cannot be guaranteed on certain lines for the date and time you wish to travel.

Our agents are available at VIB ticket counters or by phone for any information you may need.

Booking changes:

You may change your booking to a different name or a different departure date for an €10.00 fee. It is generally not possible to make booking changes for tickets obtained at special prices during promotional events.

Cancellation:

A €8.00 fee is charged for ticket cancellations 8 days or more before the scheduled departure.
Within 1 to 7 days before departure, the cancellation fee is €10.00.

Ticket costs will not be reimbursed for passengers who have missed their scheduled departure (“no-shows”). Starting two hours before departure and after the departure date, a 100% cancellation fee will be charged for no-shows.

Reimbursements can be requested via email at info@vib-wien.at, or directly at the VIB ticket counter.
Most tickets obtained during promotional events for a reduced price or subject to specific booking conditions cannot be reimbursed or re-booked.

If unforeseeable circumstances such as war, civil unrest, epidemic or government instructions make it difficult or impossible for the carrier to provide the scheduled transportation, the carrier may cancel the trip and must reimburse the paid ticket price to the passenger in full. The carrier cannot accept any additional claims by the passenger.

Lost ticket:

Please keep your ticket in a safe place, as lost or stolen tickets generally cannot be replaced. In the worst-case scenario, you may have to buy your ticket again at full price.

Passports/visas:

It is the passenger’s responsibility to be aware of entry requirements (visas, etc.) for all countries along their chosen route. Our agents will of course be happy to help you with all the information that is available to them. If you are unable to travel due to a missing visa, expired travel documents, etc., the above cancellation conditions apply. Please note that our agents will review your travel documents on behalf of the carrier at the time you purchase your ticket.

Children and adolescents:

Children and adolescents under age 16 must always be accompanied by an adult.
If the adult accompanying them is not their parent or legal guardian, a declaration of consent from the parent or legal guardian is required.
For safety reasons, unaccompanied children and adolescents are not permitted to travel with our carriers!

Adolescents aged 16 or older, up to the day before their 19th birthday, may travel alone with written authorisation from their parent or legal guardian.

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (German)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (English)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Bosnian)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Bulgarian)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (French)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Greek)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Italian)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Croatian)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Macedonian)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Romanian)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Russian)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Serbian)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Slovenian)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Spanish)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Turkish)

Authorisation for unaccompanied minors (Hungarian)

In addition, please note the requirements of the Austrian Foreign Ministry:
http://www.bmeia.gv.at/reise-aufenthalt/reiseinformation/spezielle-zielgruppen/kinder-und-jugendliche/
NOTE: Outside of Austria, the child welfare laws of the relevant destination state apply. For detailed information, contact the embassy or consulate for the country in question.

TIP: If only one parent is travelling with the child, some countries require a signed authorisation from the other parent.
If this signature cannot be obtained, we recommend bringing a copy of the court custody ruling with you.
In addition to the signed authorisation, it can also be helpful to bring along a copy of the child’s birth certificate and the non-travelling parent’s passport.

Timetable changes:

Due to the large number of carriers we work with, changes are always a possibility. We therefore reserve the right to make changes to prices and timetables. Please ensure that you have the most up-to-date information when planning a trip with our carriers.

Additional fees:

All costs, taxes and fees for the booked trip are included in the ticket price. However, we must charge additional fees for any changes, re-booking, cancellations, open-return ticket reservations, and other additional processing of your ticket. The amount of such fees will not exceed the original price of your ticket.

Complaints:

Complaints about our services (ticket sales and booking arrangements) can only be processed if they are reported immediately to our on-site Blaguss personnel. For problems arising during your bus trip, please immediately inform your driver or other staff from the transport company providing the bus trip. In many cases, the problem can be resolved right away. Complaints submitted to us more than one month after the fact cannot be processed.

Arbitration board: Independent Agency for Passenger Rights (APF)

In Austria, passengers who are not satisfied with the company’s decision can address their complaints to the APF. Please use the complaint form at www.passagier.at to submit your documents.
If you are unable to submit your documents electronically, please send them by post to:
APF, Bus Division, Linke Wienzeile 4/1/6, A-1060 Vienna

On behalf of everyone at VIB, we wish you a safe and pleasant trip!

Blaguss management and the VIB team