Journey Planning:

When organizing your trips, always take into account the legal regulations regarding bus driver working hours. Trip or circuit planning should adhere to the conditions outlined in Regulation 561/2006.

Budget Requests - Necessary requirements:

Customer details;
Start and end date and time of the service;
Itinerary: place of origin, intermediate stops and destination;
Any other information relevant to the service;

Proposal Presentation - Includes:

Budget prepared based on the data provided by the client (Subsequent changes subject to a price update).
Costs with displacement of the vehicle and driver for the route in question;
Expenses with empty vehicle and driver;
Toll and parking expenses, except for exceptions to be specified.
VAT at the current legal rate in the national territory (6%).

Offer validity and booking conditions:

Proposal valid for 30 days.
Client acceptance is only considered valid after the proposal is duly signed and returned to PORTUGALBUS services.
The reservation confirmation requires acceptance from PORTUGALBUS, subject to vehicle availability for the requested date. It only becomes effective upon a response through the same channel.
If at the time of booking, the company does not have its own vehicles available to provide the requested service, it may use subcontracted services, ensuring conditions equivalent to the proposed offer.

Payment:

Payment for the service should be made as described in the specific conditions of the proposal, and it is considered effective upon successful collection.

Extra hours:

Driver expenses are to be paid by the client;

Driver(s) expenses:

The expenses of the driver(s) such as meals and accommodation are for the account of the client, unless otherwise indicated.

Second Driver:

Whenever the service exceeds 15 hours in duration, 10 hours of driving, or 4 hours and 30 minutes of driving without a 45-minute break, a second driver is considered with the respective charge, at the expense of the client.

Booking cancellation:

Cancellation of a previously made reservation entails cancellation costs as outlined in the specific conditions of the proposal.

Delays

Whenever there is a delay which can be imputed to the transport company, the latter will do its best to minimise its effects;
In case of delays caused by unrelated situations, such as accidents, works and weather conditions, no liability will be attributed.

Vehicle replacement:

If the vehicle in transit suffers a breakdown, which cannot be repaired in time (03h00) to continue the journey, the company will seek another to replace it.

Damaged equipment:

It is the responsibility of the contracting entity any damage caused by passengers to the contracted vehicle.

Luggage:

The company is responsible for luggage under the legal terms, including loss or damage caused by the vehicle during transport.
The transport of luggage to and from the bus is the responsibility of the passenger.

Lost / Found:

The company and the driver are not responsible for any lost or left objects in the vehicle. However, items found in the vehicle will be held by the company for 90 days and can be claimed by their respective owner.

Civil Liability:

Passenger transport vehicles are insured against civil liability, in the amount of € 50,000,000, in accordance with the legislation in force, covering any physical damage caused to passengers inside the vehicle during the journey.

Driver's driving and rest times:

When arranging your bus journeys, always bear in mind the legal regulations, in terms of working and driving times for bus drivers, as set out in Regulation 561/2006;
- The daily driving range (from the start to the end of the driver's working day) is 13 hours;
- 9h00 is the effective daily driving limit (10h00 twice a week);
- A driving period lasting 4h30 requires a break of 45 minutes which may be continuous or split into two minimum breaks of 15 and 30 minutes respectively;
- The driver's daily rest period is 11:00h (09:00h three times per week);
- In case of rentals exceeding the legal limits, a second driver must be hired and the client will be responsible for the extra cost of the second driver.
- Non-compliance with legal time provisions by the client will result in the immobilization of the vehicle. It is the client's responsibility to arrange transportation for passengers to the destination, as well as cover all costs associated with the immobilization.
- Non-compliance with the rules has legal implications for the transport company, but also for the organising entity (customer).
- Weekly rest: after six days of daily driving.

Rights and Obligations of the Operator, Staff and Passenger:

In addition to those recommended by best practices, all safety measures required by Decree-Law No. 9/2015 of January 15th are properly posted in the vehicle for passenger reference. These measures are highlighted for passenger safety:
- The passenger must have the respective identification document (citizen card or passport).
- The use of seat belts is mandatory;
- It is prohibited to move inside the vehicle when it is in motion.
- Smoking is forbidden inside the vehicle;
- It is forbidden to carry large volumes with the passenger;
- For hygiene and safety reasons, you must not eat or drink inside the vehicle.

In the event of a dispute:

According to Law No. 0144/2015, in the event of a dispute, the consumer can resort to the Alternative Dispute Resolution Entity for Consumer Disputes (CNIACC) via email at cniacc@fd.unl.pt.
For more information, please refer to the Consumer Portal at www.consumidor.pt.