Coach delay & cancellation: how to claim a refund and 50 % compensation

A cancelled coach or a departure delayed by hours is annoying, but you are not without rights: for scheduled journeys from 250 kilometres, EU Regulation 181/2011 applies. It obliges operators such as FlixBus & Co. to offer you the choice between onward travel and a ticket refund in the event of cancellation, overbooking and a departure delay of more than 120 minutes. If they fail to do so, 50 % of the ticket price is added as compensation.

Important: unlike rail, what counts for coaches is the delay at departure, not the arrival time. The generator below calculates your claim and produces the formal request, including reimbursement for refreshments and hotel.

Getting your ticket price back made easier: compare travel credit cards

If you pay for tickets by credit card, you can also request a chargeback through your bank when a journey is cancelled. Some travel credit cards also include travel insurance. The free comparison shows which card suits you.

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Important notice on use
This tool is an automated template letter generator (self-help aid). It merely inserts your data into standard legal templates. No individual review of your case takes place. This free service does not replace legal advice from a solicitor. Use is at your own risk, and no guarantee of success is given.

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Select your coach operator to create a form including the appropriate recipient address:

Your coach rights at a glance

Situation	Your entitlement (Regulation (EU) 181/2011)
Cancellation, overbooking or departure delay of more than 120 minutes	Choice between onward travel at no extra cost and a refund of the ticket price
Operator does not offer this choice	In addition, 50 % of the ticket price as compensation
Departure delay of more than 90 minutes from the bus station, journey of more than 3 hours	Snack, meals or refreshments
Overnight stay necessary	Up to two nights, a maximum of 80 euros per night, including transfers, not in the event of severe weather or natural disasters
Information about the disruption	At the latest 30 minutes after the scheduled departure

Entitlements to compensation and assistance apply in principle only to scheduled services with a planned route from 250 kilometres.

Operator selection: direct forms

FlixBus National Express Megabus Scottish Citylink BlaBlaCar Bus ALSA Avanza Bus Monbus Socibus Itabus MarinoBus BusCenter Rede Expressos Gipsyy RegioJet Omio Trainline Long-distance Coach (General)

Checklist: immediate help at the stop

If you are currently stranded, secure your entitlements with these steps:

Checklist for coach cancellation or delay

Demand information: The carrier must inform you about the disruption at the latest 30 minutes after the scheduled departure. Ask if nothing is forthcoming.
Declare your right of choice: State in writing whether you want onward travel or a refund, and save the message as a screenshot.
Secure evidence: Photograph the display, take screenshots of the app showing the time, and note the scheduled and actual departure.
Use the assistance: With a delay of more than 90 minutes from the bus station (journey of more than 3 hours), you are entitled to refreshments and, if necessary, a hotel.
Keep receipts: Receipts for food, hotel (up to 80 euros per night, two nights) and transfers, plus the ticket and proof of payment.
Keep an eye on the deadline: Submit your complaint within three months of the journey.

Case examples: when the operator has to pay

Example 1: Journey cancelled, no offer

A traveller has booked a journey from Hamburg to Berlin for 30 euros (around 290 kilometres). The coach is cancelled and no onward travel or refund is offered.
Result: They can claim a refund of the 30-euro ticket price and, in addition, 50 % compensation (15 euros), 45 euros in total.

Example 2: Replacement coach offered after 150 minutes

The departure is delayed by 150 minutes. The operator offers to continue the journey with a replacement coach or to receive the ticket price back.
Result: As the passenger was offered the choice, the 50 % compensation does not apply. They can choose between onward travel and a refund, and are entitled to refreshments if the scheduled journey lasts more than three hours.

Example 3: Cancellation due to severe weather and overnight stay

Because of a severe storm, the night coach is cancelled, and onward travel is only possible the next day.
Result: A refund or onward travel remain possible. However, the operator does not have to cover hotel costs in the event of adverse weather conditions or natural disasters. Refreshments are still due.

FAQ: your coach rights in detail

When do I get 50 % of the ticket price back for a coach?

When your journey has been cancelled, was overbooked, or the departure was delayed by more than 120 minutes and the coach operator offered you neither onward travel nor a refund of the ticket price. The 50 % is paid on top of the refund. The prerequisite is a scheduled service with a planned route of at least 250 kilometres.

Does arrival delay count for coaches?

No. Unlike rail, EU Regulation 181/2011 is based on delay at departure, cancellation and overbooking. A delay during the journey, for example due to traffic, does not give rise to a claim under the Regulation.

How long do I have to submit my complaint?

Complaints should reach the carrier within three months of the journey. The company should state within one month how it is handling the complaint and respond conclusively at the latest after three months.