Frequently Asked Questions

The function of the apf is to help passengers and customers of

• bus companies (e.g. ÖBB-Postbus, Dr. Richard Linien, Flixbus)
• inner-city transport companies (e.g. Wiener Linien, Graz Linien)
• ticket sellers (e.g. One Mobility GmbH, Trainline)
• tour operators / travel agents (e.g. Ruefa Reisen)
• bus station operators (e.g. Vienna International Busterminal - VIB)
• transport associations (e.g. VOR, VVT, OÖVV)

to obtain their rights without going to court, as long as it concerns the (intended) transport of passengers or luggage.

The apf sees itself as an independent mediator between the companies and their passengers and customers.

Information on passenger rights for rail, bus, ship and flight is also available on the YOUR EUROPE portal.

A list of bus companies, inner-city transport companies and transport associations based or operating in Austria and their contact details can be found here:
Contact

The apf does not process arbitration requests related to complaints that:

• do not concern the transport of passengers (e.g., noise pollution, transportation policies),
  
  
• are not based on an alleged violation of passenger rights as defined by Regulation (EU) 181/2011,
  
  
• have not first been submitted to the respective company to resolve the issue, where no agreement was reached, or where a final response was not provided within three months after the complaint was lodged,
  
  
• involve a company where neither the point of departure/arrival nor the company's branch is located in Austria,
  
  
• are submitted to the apf more than two years after the initial submission to the company,
  
  
• are already subject to judicial or administrative proceedings, or have been conclusively decided or settled by a final court or administrative ruling,
  
  
• have already been the subject of a conciliation or enforcement procedure,
  
  
• fall under the jurisdiction of another alternative dispute resolution body or a national enforcement authority,
  
  
• are deemed frivolous or vexatious,
  
  
• involve a dispute amounting to less than €15, unless the issue has broader significance beyond the individual case,
  
  
• could seriously hinder the effective operation of the apf, such as cases requiring extensive evidence collection or those involving overly complex legal questions. This includes conciliation requests related to complaints about construction work, noise pollution, or general (transport) policy matters,
  
  
• involve a company that has taken on the passenger’s claim for compensation, but fails to submit the required additional documents, evidence, or pay the procedural cost contribution before the procedure begins.

Arbitration is a conflict resolution process in which a dispute is settled without the help of a court. The apf develops an individual solution proposal and thus mediates between those affected person and the company.

he apf acts as an arbitration body for all passengers and customers of bus companies, inner-city transport companies, ticket sellers, tour operators, travel agents, bus station operators and transport associations established in Austria.

In addition, the apf is an enforcement body in accordance with Regulation (EU) 181/2011 if the arrival or departure point of the company concerned is in Austria.

The apf does not replace the complaint management of the respective company. Before the apf can take action, passengers must try to reach an agreement with the company concerned.

If no agreement or final response from the company is received within three months of submitting the complaint, those affected can turn to the apf.

Online arbitration request

The arbitration procedure is free of charge for the passenger.

If costs arise during the procedure that are caused by the applicant themselves, such as postage and copying costs, any legal fees, etc., these must be borne by the applicant themselves.

1. All information and documents must be provided in writing.

The online arbitration form on this website should be used for this purpose.

If it is not possible to attach all documents electronically, copies of them can also be sent by post.

We require the following data:

First and last name
Address
Telephone number
Email address

1. A complete written description of the facts.
2. The written complaint that was sent to the company (letter, email).
3. Copies of all documents that are helpful for clarification (e.g. ticket, free travel pass, apprentice or vocational school ID, discount card, taxi or hotel bills, etc.).
4. All correspondence with the company
5. The claim against the company. What should we achieve for you? (Reimbursement, compensation, assumption of replacement costs, etc.)

By submitting the arbitration application, applicants acknowledge the apf's procedural guidelines and confirm that all information is true. Upon request, the apf will also send the procedural guidelines by email or post.

1. Checking whether proceedings can be opened
   As soon as the written arbitration form has been received by the apf, it will be checked whether arbitration proceedings can be opened.
2. Request from the company concerned to submit a written statement
   If arbitration proceedings are opened, the apf will request a written statement from the company concerned.
3. If it seems appropriate, the apf can invite one or all of the parties involved to a voluntary oral hearing at its business premises.
4. Development of a proposed solution by the apf.
5. Approval / rejection of the proposed solution by the parties to the proceedings.

If arbitration proceedings are not possible, we will of course inform you of the reasons for the rejection and will be happy to inform you about where you can turn instead.

Please refer to our procedural guidelines under "legal basis" for the exact procedures.

The processing time of the cases depends on the reaction time of the respective company and on the individual complexity of the case.

In any case, the apf is interested in finding a positive solution as quickly as possible within the framework of the arbitration process - in many cases this is possible within two to three weeks. In complex cases, a solution is sought within three months.

In order for the arbitration application to be processed, the apf needs all the necessary information in writing from the applicants.

Obligation to cooperate

During the arbitration process, both applicants and the company are obliged to participate in the process and to provide the apf with all the information required to assess the situation.

Incorrect and/or incomplete information can lead to the termination of an arbitration process.

Except in justified cases, other institutions and organizations should not be involved during the ongoing process.

At any stage of the procedure, applicants can be represented by a legal representative or a trusted person at their own expense.

Upon request, proof of authority to represent (e.g. by means of a power of attorney) must be provided.

The apf suggests a solution that in most cases leads to a settlement and thus to the end of the dispute.

The solution recommended by the apf may be different from the result of legal proceedings. Acceptance of the solution is not mandatory.

If the arbitration proceedings do not lead to an agreement, they will be discontinued.

In the case of arbitration requests based on alleged violations of applicable provisions of Regulation (EU) 181/2011, the supervisory authority responsible for the company concerned must be informed if proceedings are initiated as a result of the arbitration request.

The conclusion of the proceedings and the outcome of the proceedings must also be reported to the supervisory authority.

If the apf becomes aware of a violation of passenger rights, it will also consider filing an administrative criminal complaint with the responsible district administrative authority.

apf works out a solution which in most cases leads to resolution and thus termination of the dispute. The solution recommended by apf may be different from the results of judicial proceedings. Acceptance of the solution is not mandatory.

If the arbitration procedure does not lead to any agreement, it is then terminated.

If both parties accept the proposed solution, they thereby agree to an effective out-of-court settlement.

If one of the parties does not accept the apf solution, it has no binding effect.

After the arbitration procedure, claims can be asserted before the competent courts.
The arbitration proposal has a recommendatory character in this case.

The submission of the arbitration form to the apf and the duration of the arbitration proceedings inhibit the continuation of the limitation period (deadlines only start to run again after the proceedings have been concluded).

This means that even if no agreement is reached in the arbitration proceedings, you can assert your claims before the competent courts.

Regardless of the method of submitting the arbitration application, personal data is processed exclusively for the purpose of handling the case and carrying out the procedure.

Data without personal references are used in publications, such as the annual report on the performance of our tasks as an agency (according to Section 8 Paragraph 2 of the Federal Act on the Agency for Passenger Rights [PFAG] or Section 9 of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act [AStG]).

Due to legal obligations, we use collected data in an anonymized form for statistical evaluations (e.g. on the number of procedures, processing time, etc.).

Please use our online arbiration form to contact us

You will receive an email confirming that we have received your request. If you do not receive any further message from us within two weeks, please contact us again.

If deadlines must be met, please contact us earlier if necessary.

If electronic transmission is not possible for you, you can also send us your case by post.

By post:
Agency for Passenger and Passenger Rights
Bus Department
Linke Wienzeile 4/1/6
1060 Vienna

The apf can be reached on weekdays from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the telephone number +43 1 5050707 720.

The apf provides advice by telephone on passenger rights and the process of an arbitration procedure.

An arbitration request must, however, always be submitted in writing.