GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR BUS TRANSPORT OF PASSENGERS ON REGULAR INTERNATIONAL LINES OF UNION IVKONI LTD
AND
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE SALE OF BUS TICKETS FOR INTERNATIONAL BUS LINES AND THE USE OF THE ONLINE SYSTEM OF UNION IVKONI LTD
These General Terms and Conditions also apply to travel on routes operated by carrier "Group Plus".
TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
1. "Carriage of passengers" is the activity of an entity which provides passenger transportation services by motor vehicle for hire or against payment or economic benefit.
2. "Public carriage of passengers" is transport of passengers carried out for hire by others or against payment and economic benefit, which is carried out by a motor vehicle.
3. "International carriage of passengers" is any carriage of passengers that crosses a state border and is carried out in accordance with the international treaties and agreements to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party, subject to compliance with the internal legislation of each country on whose territory the transport is carried out.
4. " "Bus route" is a permanent route for the execution of bus transports according to an approved schedule.
5. "Regular bus routes" are those services which involve the carriage of passengers at fixed intervals along fixed routes, with passengers get on and off at pre-determined stops. The service is available to all subject to a mandatory reservation where necessary.
6. "Carrier" is any natural person or legal entity registered as a trader, who carries out public transport of passengers and goods using vehicles intended for this purpose, and who holds a Community License and certified copies of the license issued by the Minister for Transport, Information Technology and Communications.
7. "Passenger" is a person who, on the grounds of the contract of carriage (ticket) or on another legal basis, uses the carriage service for the carriage of passengers and their luggage and/or other services provided by the Carrier, against payment of the carriage price.
8. "Client" is a person who wishes to purchase a travel ticket and intends to use the Carrier's passenger transportation service and/or use the system for selling bus tickets through the Carrier's website.
9. "Ticket" is a transport document for a single journey with one vehicle for a specified time on a specified route, or other evidence of a concluded contract for the carriage of a passenger, which legitimizes the passenger as a party to the contract of carriage.
9.1 "Fiscal ticket" is a ticket that is issued by a fiscal device and has all the necessary legally required requisites.
9.2. "Blank ticket" - is a ticket not issued by a fiscal device, having all the necessary legally required requisites, issued on chemical paper in at least two copies and with at least two security elements on the paper and/or placed during printing, printed in accordance with the Ordinance on the terms and conditions for printing and control of securities.
9.3 "Reservation voucher" - automatic confirmation of a ticket purchased online.
10. "Round trip ticket" is a transport document for transport in two directions on the same route.
11. "Ticket revalidation" is a change of travel date and/or time.
12. "Cancellation" is refusal of travel.
13. "Luggage receipt" is a document establishing the belonging of specific luggage to a specific passenger.
14. "Luggage" are items belonging to a passenger, separated into a suitcase and/or a bag and/or another device for carrying items, intended for transportation in the luggage compartment of the bus and which is subject to check-in.
15. "Hand luggage" are items belonging to a passenger, separated or not in a bag and/or backpack and/or other means for carrying items, which the passenger carries with them, which are not intended for transportation in the luggage compartment of the bus, and which the passenger keeps with them during the journey in the passenger compartment of the bus.
16. "Departure Time" is the time of departure of the bus from an initial or subsequent scheduled stop (and/or stated on the ticket) and is the earliest possible time for the departure of the bus. The time of departure may be changed by the Carrier in case of occurrence of circumstances and reasons beyond the control of the Carrier.
17. "Arrival Time" is the time of arrival of the bus at an intermediate or final stop as scheduled (and/or stated on the ticket), which is approximate, taking into account traffic conditions and other factors beyond the Carrier's control. The time of arrival may be changed by the Carrier in case of occurrence of circumstances and reasons beyond the control of the Carrier.
18. "Discount" is the value of the reduction in the ticket price that the Carrier provides to: legally defined passenger categories; in case of promotions and campaigns; customer discount cards or the ones provided in the General Terms and Conditions, etc.
19. "Delay" is a deviation from the previously announced travel time, which deviation exceeds the total travel time by ten percent, but not less than one hour.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Union Ivkoni Ltd has the status of Carrier, under License No. 0317 for international bus carriage of passengers for hire or against consideration, issued by the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications.
1. Effect of the General Terms and Conditions
These General Terms and Conditions define the responsibilities, rights and obligations of the Carrier and the Passenger when transporting passengers on international bus routes of Union Ivkoni Ltd and the conditions for selling bus tickets for international bus routes and using Union Ivkoni Ltd's online system. They are applicable and mandatory for all Passengers traveling on international bus routes of Union Ivkoni Ltd and all bus transportation of passengers on these routes. In the case of special regulatory requirements and rules for the transportation of passengers of any of the countries through whose territory the relevant international bus transport is carried out, which are incompatible with the clauses of these General Terms and Conditions, the regulatory requirements and rules of that country shall apply.
These General Terms and Conditions apply and are effective from the date of their publication on the Carrier's website at www.union-ivkoni.com. Until these General Terms and Conditions enter into force, the previous ones announced in the same way shall apply. In the event of changes to the General Terms and Conditions, they shall apply and enter into force from the date of their publication on the Carrier's website at www.union-ivkoni.com. Extracts from these General Terms and Conditions are published on the back of the tickets due to the technical impossibility of printing the entire text. In the event of a difference between the text of these General Terms and Conditions and the extracts from them printed on the back of the tickets, the clauses of the General Terms and Conditions published on the Carrier's website at www.union-ivkoni.com shall apply. The General Terms and Conditions are available in hard copy at each of the Carrier's cash desks and offices and can be made available for perusal upon request by Customers and Passengers. When conducting promotions and campaigns, the terms of which differ from the rules of these General Terms and Conditions, the rules of the relevant promotion or campaign will apply for the period for which it is announced.
2. Carriage contract
The ticket is the bus transport contract, which is concluded between the Carrier and the Passenger upon purchase of the ticket by the latter. By virtue of the concluded contract, the Carrier undertakes to transport the Passenger and their luggage on the route specified in the ticket against payment by the Passenger of the transport price and compliance with these General Terms and Conditions. The Carrier assumes its responsibilities, according to Art. 42 - Art. 48 of the Road Transport Act, applicable regulations and these General Terms and Conditions. By purchasing the ticket, respectively concluding the contract of carriage, the Passenger fully and without exception accepts these General Terms and Conditions, which constitute the conditions, rights and obligations of the parties to the contract of carriage, and undertakes to comply with the same.
3. Conditions and rules for purchasing and receiving tickets
3.1. Each Client has the opportunity to make a physical purchase of a ticket, on-site at the ticket offices and the Carrier’s offices, as well as from counterparties of the Carrier, for which tickets these General Terms and Conditions are also applicable.
3.2. Each Client has the opportunity to use the ticketing services and purchase a ticket through the online ticketing system on the Carrier's website at www.union-ivkoni.com, in accordance with the requirements of these General Terms and Conditions and the access and purchase rules. Through its online bus ticketing system, Union Ivkoni Ltd offers bus ticketing services for Union Ivkoni Ltd bus routes, but makes no commitment to provide assistance when using the system.
3.2.1. In order to access the online system for selling tickets on the Carrier's website, it is necessary for the Client to have ensured the availability of the following technical parameters:
- Stable internet connection;
- Internet browser - minimum versions: Mozilla Firefox 8.0; Internet Explorer 8 or Google Chrome.
3.2.2. Steps and method of purchase of a ticket through the online ticket sales system on the Carrier's website:
- Select the desired destination;
- Select the type of ticket – one-way / round trip;
- Select departure date;
- Mark +/- 3 days if you want to see the schedule and prices for travel around the desired date;
- Click on the “Search” button;
- In the next step, select your desired departure time; in case you have selected a round trip ticket, select the corresponding return time as well. Click on the "Next" button.
- The online purchase of tickets is automatically suspended 2 (two) hours before the departure of the bus from the respective stop;
- In the next step, you must fill in - Name and Surname, Number of discount card or voucher (if you have any); Fill in your date of birth to receive an age discount if you qualify (child, youth up to 26, pensioner). Discounts do not accumulate - the system automatically selects the largest discount.
- Select a "Departure" and "Return" seat number (for a round-trip ticket).
- When purchasing tickets for more than one passenger for the selected journey, click the "Add Ticket" button and enter the details of each subsequent passenger up to a maximum of 5 passengers. You must enter an e-mail address and a contact phone number.
- Read the General Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy and mark in the indicated place that you agree with and accept them.
- Click the "Buy tickets" button. In this operation, you will be redirected to a page of our service bank for secure entry of data from the card you are paying with. The operation is carried out by the bank. Union Ivkoni Ltd does not have access to your bank card details;
- Fill in the name, bank card number and its validity, as well as the CVC2 code indicated on the back of the card, according to the requirements of the bank issuing the bank card and the terms of payment by bank card;
- Upon successful payment you will be redirected back to the Union Ivkoni Ltd website to obtain a booking number. If payment fails, the booking will be automatically cancelled within 15 minutes. You will receive information by email about the successful booking. Your booking request constitutes a purchase of a ticket from Union Ivkoni Ltd;
Note:
- Booking a seat on the buses of Union Ivkoni Ltd is carried out after 100% payment of the ticket price;
- You can use the discounts provided by the company; however, upon receipt of the ticket and during the journey, you must present to Union Ivkoni Ltd employees, upon request, a document certifying the basis for the discount. Otherwise, it is necessary to pay the difference in the ticket price (the value of the discount) or, alternatively, there is a possibility that you may be refused the transport service.
3.2.3. Ticket prices published on the Carrier's website at www.union-ivkoni.com for travel with Union Ivkoni Ltd are indicated in Bulgarian leva. Union Ivkoni Ltd reserves the right to change the prices published on www.union-ivkoni.com. When the price of the ticket is changed, the price valid at the time of purchase of the ticket by the Passenger shall be valid. When selling tickets online, no additional fees are charged on the price of bus tickets.
3.2.4. These General Terms and Conditions regulate the relationship between the clients of the online ticketing system on the Internet site of the Carrier at www.union-ivkoni.com, respectively the owner of the system Union Ivkoni Ltd, and provide information on working with this system to each Client for the time of using the system – from the initial entry into it, the purchase of a bus ticket, the receipt of a reservation voucher, and until logging off the system.
3.2.5. The Client bears personal responsibility for all their actions performed when using the online ticketing system at www.union-ivkoni.com, including responsibility for unauthorized access attempts through www.union-ivkoni.com to foreign directories, networks, computers and other devices. Union Ivkoni Ltd is not responsible for the information displayed or the consequences of using other websites to which www.union-ivkoni.com provides a link.
3.2.6. The Client agrees that Union Ivkoni Ltd, including its employees depending on their duties, shall have access to the following information: email address, IP addresses, and other information collected through the use of the online ticketing system, but shall have no right to disclose/ distributes this information, except in the presence of a legal basis and/or in the cases provided for in these General Terms and Conditions.
3.2.7. The information provided on the website www.union-ivkoni.com is entirely the property of Union Ivkoni Ltd and/or its partners, suppliers and users. Use of the content is subject to a written agreement with Union Ivkoni Ltd.
3.2.8. Union Ivkoni Ltd has the right to restrict the access of some or all of its Clients to part of the services or to all services of the website www.union-ivkoni.com (in case of unauthorized access, force majeure, etc.).
3.2.9. Union Ivkoni Ltd reserves the right to change the design and functionality of the bus ticketing website without prior notice.
3.2.10. Union Ivkoni Ltd has the right to provide to third parties, aggregated references from the data www.union-ivkoni.com in the presence of a legal basis and/or for the purpose of advertising.
3.2.11. Union Ivkoni Ltd is not responsible for the content of advertisements, as well as for the trademarks, which are present on the website of www.union-ivkoni.com. They are the sole responsibility of the advertisers.
3.2.12. The intellectual property rights on the online bus ticketing system for the carriage of passengers on the website at www.union-ivkoni.com, software products, documents and other materials belong to Union Ivkoni Ltd. The Client has no right independently or through a third party to modify, improve, copy, reproduce, adapt, hide, disassemble, sublicense, license the Internet Reservation System or any part of the content provided by www.union-ivkoni.com.
3.3. Tickets purchased at the Carrier's physical offices and ticket offices are received at the point of purchase upon payment of the carriage price.
3.4. Tickets purchased through the online system are received at Union Ivkoni Ltd cash desks no later than 60 minutes before the departure of the bus from the respective stop, and in special cases, for which the Client is expressly notified - by the bus driver when boarding the vehicle.
3.4.1. In order to receive their ticket, the Customer must provide an employee at the relevant Union Ivkoni Ltd box office with a booking slip or the booking number. In case of non-presentation of the document or data specified in the previous sentence, the Carrier has the right to refuse to issue a ticket and provide the transport service.
3.5. The ticket contains the data specified by the Client in the booking form. It is the Passenger's responsibility to check the data specified in the ticket immediately after receiving it for compliance with the desired destination, date, time of travel, as well as the passenger's data, as well as to request and become familiar with all information regarding these General Terms and Conditions, timetables, stops, departure and arrival times, destinations, required travel documents, border and customs requirements and generally all necessary travel information before purchasing a ticket. The provision of incorrect or incomplete data by the passenger will invalidate the purchase of the ticket. In these cases, Union Ivkoni Ltd is not responsible for the purchase of a bus ticket and the execution of the transport.
4. Validity, revalidations and cancellations of tickets
4.1. In the case of revalidation, cancellations or refusal of travel on a one-way ticket, the following rules apply and the following fees are due from the Passenger:
- up to 7 days before the date of departure from the starting point - no fee for revalidation and cancellation.
- from 7 days to 48 hours before the departure date - no fee for revalidation and for cancellation - a fee of 10% of the ticket value, deducted by the Carrier from the ticket value for refund.
- from 48 hours to 1 hour before departure - The passenger pays a fee of 10% of the ticket value in case of revalidation, and in case of cancellation - a fee of 30% of the ticket value, deducted by the Carrier from the ticket value for refund.
- Less than 1 hour before departure and up to 1 hour after departure: The Passenger pays a fee of 20% of the ticket value in case of revalidation, and in case of cancellation 50% of the ticket value is withheld by the Carrier.
- more than 1 hour after departure, the ticket is considered used and no refunds are issued to the Client.
- Each passenger is entitled to one revalidation. A revalidated ticket cannot be cancelled if it is not used and no refunds will be issued to the Customer.
4.2. In case of revalidation, cancellations or refusal of travel on a round-trip ticket, the following rules apply and the following fees are payable by the Passenger:
- Before the first direction of the ticket is used, the conditions for a one-way ticket apply.
- Round trip ticket is considered as one whole unit. After using the first direction, a round-trip ticket can only be revalidated for which the conditions for a one-way ticket revalidation apply and the Passenger is liable for the one-way revalidation fees calculated on the value of the ticket for the second direction, which value is not equal to half of the total value of the round-trip ticket, but is determined according to the price of the purchased ticket on the date of travel.
- Each passenger is entitled to one revalidation. A revalidated ticket cannot be cancelled if it is not used and no refunds will be issued to the Client.
4.3. In case of travel cancellation, the refund amount for a ticket paid by bank card will be refunded in accordance with the terms of travel cancellation to the bank account covering the card with which the ticket was purchased, upon presentation by the Customer of the note (receipt) from the POS Terminal when purchasing the ticket and the bank card with which the ticket was purchased for verification.
4.4. In case of cancellation of a trip, the refund value for a ticket purchased through the online system will be refunded by bank transfer in accordance with the conditions for cancellation of a trip, within 10 /ten/ working days from the date of cancellation of the ticket. The receipt of the sums from the cancelled tickets depends on the banking conditions of the bank issuing the card with which the cancelled ticket was purchased by the Customer.
5. It is the duty and responsibility of every Passenger to keep the ticket until the end of the journey and to present it for inspection, both to employees of the Carrier and to control authorities. The carrier is not responsible for a lost, stolen, destroyed (in full or in part) ticket. The value of such a ticket is non-refundable.
6. Rules before, during and after the trip
6.1. Travel documents, general provisions.
6.1.1. It is the duty and responsibility of the Passenger to inquire in advance from the official sources of information about the documents they need to travel through and to the various countries to which he is traveling, according to the requirements of those countries, as well as to possess valid documents and to carry these documents while travelling. In this sense, the offices and ticket offices of the Carrier are not an official source of information.
6.1.2. During the trip, each passenger is obliged to carry a valid identity document - passport and/or identity card, as well as, if necessary, to ensure the presence of: a valid visa for the country to which the person is traveling; valid transit visas for the countries through which they pass; valid Schengen visa.
6.1.3. The employees of Union Ivkoni Ltd have the right to check and establish the regularity of the passenger's necessary travel documents, including the visas listed above. Pursuant to Article 20 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act and the European Regulations, the Carrier's employees check and establish the regularity of the foreigner's identity and travel document and the presence of a Bulgarian visa, when one is required; availability of visas for the country/countries the individuals wish to visit or transit through, if required.
6.1.4. In the absence and/or non-presentation by the Passenger of a regular, valid document required for the trip and/or concerns about the regularity of the passenger's documents or in the absence of a valid passport, identity card, visa or any other documents required by Bulgarian legislation, from the legislation of the country to which the passenger wishes to travel and/or through which the relevant passenger will pass in transit, the employees of Union Ivkoni Ltd do not allow the passenger to board the bus and be transported to their desired destination, in which case the value of the purchased ticket is non-refundable.
6.1.5. In the event that during a journey and after checking the regularity of a passenger's documents by the relevant authorities, the absence of a required travel document or the invalidity of such a document is found, as a result of which the passenger is removed from the bus by the relevant authorities, the Carrier shall not be liable, there is no obligation to refund the price of the ticket, nor any obligation to return the passenger to the starting point of departure.
6.1.6. Children under the age of 14 are not allowed to be transported without an adult companion and in compliance with the applicable regulations.
6.1.7. Transportation of unaccompanied children over 14 years of age is carried out in the presence of a parental consent for unaccompanied travel of a child abroad, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs model, notarization of the signatures of both parents, a valid ID card and/or passport and other necessary travel documents;
6.1.8. Transport of children up to 150 cm and up to 36 kg. is carried out solely if a safety seat is provided for travel by the passenger;
6.1.9. For the transport of passengers with disabilities or with limited mobility who travel on a regular bus route, when the point of getting on and off is located on the territory of an EU member state, the conditions of carriage, the exceptions to them and the terms of notification of the Carrier shall apply, according to Regulation (EC) 181/2011 of 16.02.2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
6.1.10. Transport of animals and pets on Union Ivkoni Ltd buses is prohibited!
6.1.11. Only guide dogs accompanying a disabled person, certified with the necessary documents, are allowed to be transported.
6.2. The passenger is obliged to report to the bus departure point indicated in the ticket and/or the carrier's website at www.union-ivkoni.com no later than 60 minutes before the departure time.
6.3. Boarding and travel rules
6.3.1. Passengers are allowed on board the buses only after presentation of a valid travel ticket issued by the Carrier or its counterparty in the manner provided in these General Terms and Conditions and the law and the described documents.
6.3.2. Passengers in a visibly intoxicated state and/or under the visible influence of drugs or intoxicating substances, as well as persons with behaviour that endangers the safety, life or health of other passengers and/or the crew of the bus or significantly impair their well-being. The assessment of the passenger's condition is carried out by the bus driver, who is also responsible for the transport. Upon establishing the above, the driver may refuse carriage of the passenger and boarding and carriage on board the vehicle, and the passenger is not entitled to a refund of the ticket price and/or claims for replacement transportation.
6.3.3. Passengers must comply with the instructions of the driver or other personnel of the Carrier immediately before boarding the bus, during the journey and immediately after getting off the bus.
6.3.4. After checking and certifying the validity of the ticket, personal documents and those necessary for the trip, Passengers hand over to the driver or other staff of the Carrier their luggage intended for transport in the luggage compartment of the bus, which is checked and the piece of the luggage receipt is inserted, as in availability of additional luggage, beyond the free allowance specified by the Carrier, the Passenger shall pay the fee for additional luggage according to these General Terms and Conditions (see item Luggage).
6.3.5. After boarding the bus, the Passenger takes their seat as indicated in the ticket or as instructed by the driver or other personnel of the Carrier. After taking their seat, the passenger is obliged to look around, orient himself and familiarize with the emergency exits from the vehicle in case of an accident (the two doors for alighting and boarding, all the windows of the bus, the two hatches on the roof of the vehicle). During the journey, the Passenger has no right to change their seat without the express permission or instruction of the driver or other personnel of the Carrier. The passenger undertakes to observe and comply with the "Instructions for safe travel" published on the official website of Union Ivkoni Ltd at www.union-ivkoni.com".
6.3.6. The Carrier has the right to change the passenger seat numbers in the relevant bus without notice due to circumstances beyond its control.
6.3.7. All passengers are obliged to use seat belts in buses during the journey within the limits of the statutory regulations. Each passenger is personally responsible for wearing a seat belt.
6.3.8. Passengers do not have the right to talk to the bus driver while driving and distract them, except for cases requiring the driver's intervention for the purpose of safety, life protection, health of other passengers and/or the Carrier's staff.
6.3.9. Getting up from the seat and moving along the aisle between the seats is undesirable during movement in view of the safety of passengers or in view of the possibility of the occurrence of an unforeseen circumstance during movement that would endanger and/or damage the health and life of Passengers.
6.3.10. Passengers are not allowed to obstructed the aisle between seats with hand luggage or otherwise.
6.3.11. Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is strictly prohibited on Union Ivkoni Ltd buses!
6.3.12. It is absolutely prohibited to bring and consume food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in the passenger compartment of Union Ivkoni Ltd buses. All buses serving lines with a one-way length of more than 300 kilometres are equipped with a mini bar offering dry food, mineral water, hot and cold soft drinks and beer. The bar is available to customers only during scheduled breaks.
6.3.13. Passengers who litter the bus, intentionally or through negligence, are obliged to pay the Carrier a cleaning fee in the amount of not less than BGN 50. The fee is due and paid by the passenger at the moment the littering is detected by the driver or other personnel of the Carrier. The fee is not payable by the Passenger in case he/she presents indisputable proof that he/she did not cause the littering.
6.3.14. Passengers bear property liability for damages caused to the bus they are traveling in, regardless of whether it is a culpable or negligent act. Passengers who cause any damage to the bus they are traveling in shall pay a repair fee equal to the cost of the repair (spare parts and labour), but not less than BGN 100, at the time of discovery of the damage.
6.3.15. The Carrier, through the driver, has the right to cancel the contract of carriage of a Passenger, without notice and with immediate effect, in the event that the Passenger, despite a verbal warning given by the bus driver or other staff of the Carrier on the bus, in the following cases: The Passenger behaves in a manner which is outside the bounds of normal behaviour and is so disturbing that it is no longer reasonable for the Carrier or other passengers to continue the journey; The Passenger uses high-grade alcohol, drugs, smokes on the bus and does not stop these actions; The Passenger refuses to pay a cleaning fee and/or a repair fee; The passenger, by action or inaction, endangers the safety, health, their own life and/or the lives of other passengers and/or the carrier's staff; The Passenger does not comply with the objectively justified instructions of the driver or other personnel of the Carrier on the bus, such as safety and/or other instructions. In such cases, the driver must notify in advance the relevant competent traffic control officer and/or the Customer Service Centre of the Carrier, and if possible and if they consider it necessary, reasonable and applicable - the relevant authorities in the relevant country, which they can ask for assistance. A passenger for whom the hypotheses listed above are present and applied is taken off the bus at the first possible safe place (e.g., parking lot, petrol station, etc.) along the route. Such a passenger is not entitled to a refund of the ticket price and/or claims for substitute transportation.
6.3.16 During breaks/stops or police checks Passengers must get off the bus when prompted by the driver or the Carrier's service staff. When stopping for a break, the passenger is obliged to observe the rest time announced by the driver or the service staff. The driver has the right to continue the journey if, up to 5 minutes after the end of the announced rest time, there is still a Passenger who has not returned to the bus and is not responsible for the absence of a passenger after the end of the rest time. In such cases, the Carrier is not responsible for refunding the ticket or providing replacement transportation.
6.3.17. In the case of special requirements and measures for behaviour in vehicles or for travel introduced by certain government authorities for specific or indefinite periods of time (such as measures to combat the COVID 19 pandemic) are mandatory for Passengers to comply with. In the event that a Passenger does not comply with and/or does not meet these requirements of a particular country to or through which they are traveling and as a result is unable to start or continue their journey, the Carrier shall not be responsible for refunding ticket funds or providing substitute transport.
6.3.18. In the event of an emergency, Passengers are obliged to strictly follow the instructions of the driver or the bus staff in order to protect their life and health. In such a situation, Passengers receive information from the driver or staff until notification of the relevant employees of the Carrier from the Customer Service Centre, who fully take over the communication with passengers after that moment, including to respect the rights of passengers in such situations according to Regulation (EC) 181/2011 of 16.02.2011 of the European Parliament and the Council.
6.3.19. Upon arrival at the final stop of the respective Passenger's journey (this may not be the final stop of the route, but an intermediate one), the Passenger may get up from their seat only after the bus has come to a complete stop. The passenger is not allowed to go to the exit while the vehicle is still in motion for personal safety. Before disembarking, the passenger should have prepared their hand luggage and belongings in advance and should have prepared to get off without making other passengers wait while arranging for getting off. Passengers should pay the necessary attention when getting off the vehicle, should not create conditions for bumping into other passengers and should use the aids - handles and handrails when getting off.
6.4. Pre-announced travel time and arrival time information is approximate, taking into account traffic conditions, traffic jams, delays in processing passengers at border crossings, bad weather conditions, transport accidents, technical breakdowns and other factors beyond the Carrier's control. The time of arrival can be changed by the Carrier in the event of a delay due to the occurrence of circumstances and reasons beyond the Carrier's control /force majeure circumstances/.
6.5. In the event of a missed trip due to the Carrier's fault, 100% of the ticket value for the missed section will be refunded, as well as compensation for the passenger's direct travel expenses to the place of departure of the bus when cost-supporting documents are presented.
6.6. Luggage regulations
6.6.1 The passenger is entitled to the following types of luggage, included in the ticket price, without additional payment:
- Hand luggage up to 5 kg. with dimensions in centimetres 30x40x20 or a total of 90 cm.
- Checked luggage intended for transport in the luggage compartment of the bus up to 30 kg. with total dimensions (sum of dimensions) up to 180 cm or 80x60x40 cm.
6.6.2. The passenger has the right to prepaid (paid upon purchase of the ticket) additional luggage (second luggage) intended for transportation in the luggage compartment of the bus up to 30 kg with dimensions of 80x60x40 cm or a sum of the dimensions up to 180 cm, which is paid for at the following prices:
- 10 euros for a trip up to 1500 km.;
- 15 euros for a trip between 1501-3000 km.;
- 20 euros for a trip over 3000 km.
6.6.2.1. In the event that the Passenger chooses to pay for the additional luggage (second luggage) intended for transport in the luggage compartment of the bus up to 30 kg with dimensions 80x60x40 cm or a sum of the dimensions up to 180 cm, on the spot (with the driver) immediately before departure, the prices change, as follows:
- 15 euros for a trip up to 1500 km.;
- 20 euros for a trip between 1501-3000 km.;
- 25 euros for a trip over 3000 km.
6.6.3. For each checked luggage, the Passenger receives a luggage receipt according to the provisions of Art. 39 of the Road Transport Act. It is not allowed to transport luggage without issuing a luggage receipt or to accept and transport luggage that does not belong to a passenger, in accordance with Art. 37 par. 4 of the Road Transport Act.
6.6.4. The carrier is responsible for checked luggage in the luggage compartment of the bus from the moment of its acceptance by the passenger against the issuance of a luggage receipt until the moment of its handover to the passenger against presentation of the luggage receipt. The carrier is responsible for the luggage located on the vehicle, unless the damage or absence is due to the nature or defects of the luggage itself, or despite the measures taken, the damage could not have been prevented (force majeure).
The carrier stores the unclaimed luggage with due diligence and is responsible for their storage for a period of 3 months. With regard to compensation for damaged, destroyed, lost luggage, while these were the responsibility of the Carrier, the provisions for determining compensation according to the Road Transport Act, Regulation (EC) 181/2011 of 16.02.2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and the applicable civil legislation in the Republic of Bulgaria shall apply.
6.6.5. The carrier is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged luggage before it is accepted by the driver on the bus (checked luggage) and after handing over the luggage upon arrival at the relevant stop.
6.6.6. The Carrier is not responsible for the Passenger's hand luggage, the protection and storage of which is the exclusive care and obligation of the Passenger.
6.6.7. It is prohibited to place and carry in the luggage of passengers carried in the luggage compartments of buses the following: cash (regardless of currency and size), securities, documents, credit and debit cards, traveller’s checks, securities, objects of numismatic or artistic value, ewelry and other articles of precious metals, precious and semi-precious stones, GSM handsets, smart devices and tablets, all video and audio equipment, computer configurations and laptops, chargers, optical devices and parts thereof. In the event of total or partial loss and/or damage to luggage containing the above-listed valuables, items or the like, despite the ban on their carriage, Union Ivkoni Ltd shall not be responsible for them and shall not refund their value or pay compensation for the same.
6.6.8. It is prohibited to place and carry in passengers' luggage (regardless of hand luggage or transported in the luggage compartment of the bus), as well as in the passengers themselves, firearms and ammunition, explosives and incendiary substances, smoke bombs and cartridges, dynamite, gunpowder and plastic explosives substances, mines, grenades and other explosive-laden containers and devices, capsule-detonators, detonators and fuses, highly flammable and/or poisonous chemical substances, fireworks and other pyrotechnics, narcotic, intoxicating, psychotropic and poisonous substances and/or their analogues, as well as precursors or equipment and materials for the production of narcotic substances, objects and substances that, due to their nature or packaging, pose a danger to the life and health of passengers on the bus, movable cultural monuments with no permit, certificate or other document certifying the right to their storage, use and transfer, religious materials of prohibited or unregistered sects and organizations, excise goods with unpaid excise duty, excise goods /such as cigarettes and alcohol/ with excise duty paid but above the legal quantitative limits for personal use, all types of ATM skimmers prohibited by law, any other goods, substances, objects, etc. prohibited by law.
7. Other provisions
7.1. Every Passenger who has purchased a ticket is insured during the trip with a mandatory "Passenger accident in public transport" insurance, which covers the risks of permanently reduced working capacity and death. In the event of a desire for a greater value of insurance compensation and coverage of other insurance risks, the Passenger may personally conclude a separate insurance contract of their choice.
7.2. The carrier is not responsible for passport, visa and customs and other possible problems of the passengers, which are entirely the responsibility of the passengers. In the event of a fine or pecuniary sanction being imposed on such a passenger by the control authorities in connection with the mentioned in the previous sentence and/or security during the journey, the fine shall be paid by the offender and shall not be the responsibility of the Carrier.
, as well as for "Life" and "Medical expenses" risk insurance.
7.3. The carrier provides guarantees for the functional condition of the facilities in the bus, related to increasing the comfort of travel, and their absence or non-functioning cannot be the subject of complaints.
7.4. Complaints related to travel are valid only in writing, made within 1 month from the date of travel, together with a copy of the ticket and luggage receipt. Without providing the above documents, complaints will not be considered. The provisions of the Road Transport Act, Regulation (EC) 181/2011 of 02.16.2011 of the European Parliament are applicable to complaints.
7.5. Reports of irregularities during travel can be submitted by phone: 02 989 5555 and/or via e-mail: office@union-ivkoni.com
7.6. Wearing of protective masks in the means of public transport of passengers is recommended, in view of the regulations of the health authorities in relation to the epidemiological situation due to the spread of COVID-19.
7.7. Due to the epidemiological situation due to the spread of COVID-19, the use of the toilet on the bus is temporarily suspended and prohibited.
7.8. These General Terms and Conditions, as far as applicable, also apply when carrying out Random Passenger Transport, and in case of application of different travel conditions, the same are agreed in the specific contract for random passenger transport concluded with the relevant Client.
For any and all other cases that are not explicitly detailed in these General Terms and Conditions, the provisions of the Road Transport Act, REGULATION No. 11 of 31.10.2002 on international road transport of passengers and goods, Regulation (EC) 181/2011 of 16.02. 2011 of the European Parliament and the applicable provisions of the current legislation of the Republic of Bulgaria shall apply.
