All scheduled bus and coach services within the European Union are subject to EU Regulation (EU) No 181/2011, which protects passengers’ rights eur-lex.europa.eu. This means that all passengers (including those with disabilities or reduced mobility) enjoy the same core rights on any EU route. Some provisions apply to every journey, while extra protections kick in for long-distance trips (over 250 km) eur-lex.europa.eu.
Core Rights (All Journeys)
- Equal Treatment (Non-discrimination): Carriers must not discriminate based on nationality, residence or disability. Ticket prices and travel conditions must be offered equally to all EU passengers eur-lex.europa.eu.
- Accessibility: Persons with disabilities or reduced mobility have the right to travel without extra charge. Carriers may only refuse boarding on safety grounds (for example, if physical constraints make boarding unsafe) eur-lex.europa.eu atd.lv. Otherwise, disabled passengers must be accepted and assisted.
- Information: Passengers have the right to clear information about their journey and about their rights. This includes information before travel (e.g. on the carrier’s website or at the station) and during travel (e.g. announcements or displays) eur-lex.europa.eu
- Complaint Handling: Carriers must provide a way for passengers to submit complaints about any infringement of their rights eur-lex.europa.eu. Details of this process should be publicly available.
- Enforcement: Each EU country has a designated authority to enforce these rules. In Latvia, the Road Transport Administration (Autotransporta direkcija) is the independent body responsible for implementing Regulation 181/2011 on scheduled bus services and for reviewing any passenger complaints not resolved by the carrier atd.lv.
Additional Rights for Long Journeys (>250 km)
For scheduled services over 250 km (or journeys of more than 3 hours), passengers benefit from extra protections eur-lex.europa.eu
- Delay and Cancellation Assistance: If a long-distance journey is cancelled, or departs over 90 minutes late, the carrier must offer assistance free of charge. This includes snacks, meals and refreshments appropriate to the waiting time, and if an overnight stay is necessary, up to two nights’ hotel accommodation plus transport between the station and the hotel atd.lv eur-lex.europa.eu.
- Re-routing or Refund: If the journey is cancelled or delayed by more than 120 minutes (or if there are more bookings than available seats), the passenger must be offered a choice of either continuing the trip to the final destination at the earliest opportunity (under similar conditions) or a full refund of the ticket price for the unused portion. If choosing a refund, the carrier must also provide, if needed, a free return trip to the original departure point atd.lv eur-lex.europa.eu.
- Additional Compensation: If the carrier fails to offer one of the above options (re-routing or refund), the passenger is entitled to extra compensation equal to 50% of the ticket price (in addition to any refund) atd.lv eur-lex.europa.eu.
- Timely Information: Carriers must inform passengers promptly of any cancellations or significant delays at departure eur-lex.europa.eu.
Passengers with Disabilities or Reduced Mobility
Passengers with disabilities (including those using wheelchairs or other mobility aids) have special rights eur-lex.europa.eu
- Right to Travel and Assistance: Carriers and terminal operators must make necessary accommodations to allow disabled passengers to travel. Assistance (such as help boarding, use of lifts/ramps or guidance) must be provided free of charge. Ideally, the passenger should notify the carrier at least 36 hours before travel if assistance is needed atd.lv eur-lex.europa.eu.
- Accompanying Person: If a passenger needs a companion for safe travel, the carrier must allow that accompanying person to travel free of charge.
- Liability for Mobility Equipment: If a passenger’s wheelchair or other mobility equipment is lost or damaged, the carrier (or station manager, if the loss occurs at a terminal) must compensate the passenger. Compensation must cover the cost of repair or replacement of the equipment atd.lv eur-lex.europa.eu.
- Non-Refusal (Safety Exception): Aside from valid safety constraints, carriers may not refuse to board a passenger simply because of disability or reduced mobility eur-lex.europa.eu.
Compensation for Accidents and Baggage
All passengers are protected in case of accidents involving the bus:
- Personal Injury or Death: In the event of death or bodily injury resulting from a bus accident, the passenger (or their estate) is entitled to compensation. This includes reasonable funeral expenses or medical costs atd.lv eur-lex.europa.eu.
- Baggage Loss/Damage: Passengers are also entitled to compensation for the loss, theft or damage of luggage caused by an accident involving the vehicle atd.lv eur-lex.europa.eu.
(These compensation rights sit alongside any liability limits or insurance requirements set out in national law.)
Complaints and Enforcement
If a passenger believes their rights have been violated, they should follow these steps:
- Submit a complaint to the carrier: Within three months of the journey, the passenger should send a written complaint to the bus operator. The carrier must acknowledge and investigate the complaint. It must reply in writing within one month (and in any case no later than three months from receipt of the complaint) atd.lv.
- Escalate to the authority: If the carrier rejects the complaint or fails to respond satisfactorily, the passenger can then appeal to the national enforcement authority, Autotransporta direkcija. This appeal must be signed (either on paper or with a secure electronic signature) atd.lv. It should include details of the journey, the complaint and any replies received.
- Legal action: Independently of the above, the passenger may also choose to file a claim in court against the carrier. Under Latvian law, the time limit for such a legal claim is three years from the date of the incident atd.lv.
- National Body (Latvia): The Road Transport Administration (Autotransporta direkcija) is the designated body in Latvia to enforce Regulation 181/2011 on scheduled bus services. It reviews any unresolved complaints and has the power to impose penalties on carriers for non-compliance atd.lv eur-lex.europa.eu.
- You can also try to resolve your dispute using out-of-court procedures or an alternative dispute resolution entity. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is only available to EU residents. Patērētāju tiesību aizsardzības centrs (PTAC) is the responsible ADR authority in Latvia.
How to Submit a Complaint to the Latvian Authority
If your passenger rights under Regulation (EU) No 181/2011 have been violated and the issue cannot be resolved with the carrier, you may submit a complaint to the Road Transport Administration of Latvia (Autotransporta direkcija), the national enforcement body.
Submission Methods
Complaints can be submitted in Latvian or English using one of the following methods:
- In Person: Vaļņu iela 30 (3rd floor), Rīga, LV-1050, on weekdays from 08:30 to 16:30.
- By Post: Autotransporta direkcija, Vaļņu iela 30, Rīga, LV-1050, Latvia.
- By E-mail: Send a digitally signed complaint to info@atd.lv (a qualified secure electronic signature compliant with Latvian or EU standards is recommended, but not mandatory for complaints in English).
- Online Form: Complete the form on our website (Application Road Transport Administration_EN) and submit it via e-mail or post.
Required Information
Please include the following in your complaint:
- Full name, surname, and contact details (e-mail or postal address)
- Date and route of the service
- Ticket information (if available)
- Detailed description of the issue
- Any correspondence or response from the carrier
Additional Information for Non-Residents
Non-residents may submit complaints in English as outlined above. A qualified secure electronic signature with a timestamp is recommended but not mandatory.
Inquiries and Assistance
- E-mail: info@atd.lv
- Phone: +371 67280485 (Note: Assistance in English may not be available by phone)
Additional Notes
- The Road Transport Administration will review your complaint and respond in due course.
- Complaints regarding passenger rights violations can be submitted via the online form on our website (Application Road Transport Administration_EN).
Additional information:
- EU Regulation 181/2011 and guidance on passenger rights eur-lex.europa.eu;
- Autotransporta direkcija (Latvian Road Transport Administration) information on bus passenger rights atd.lv
- Sabiedriskā transporta pakalpojumu sniegšanas un izmantošanas kārtība Sabiedriskā transporta pakalpojumu sniegšanas un izmantošanas kārtība (in Latvian)
- JSC “Riga International Coach Terminal”, Laws and regulations https://www.autoosta.lv/en/noteikumi-un-normativie-akti/ (in English)
