Ticket Refunds: Bus, Train, Air Travel | INFOBUS

Everyone has experienced a sudden change of plans that required canceling a trip. But returning a ticket can often be a complicated process — so today, we’ll explain how ticket refunds work for different types of transport.

How to Get a Refund for Your Ticket

Returning a ticket on the INFOBUS website is easy. You can do it in one of three ways:

1. Through your personal account on the INFOBUS website or in the mobile app.
2. By using the confirmation email you received after payment.
3. By contacting our customer support and providing your ticket number.

Refunds are usually processed quickly — typically within 15 minutes to 5 business days.

Let’s take a look at the refund policies of different carriers across various types of transport. Please note that each carrier sets its own refund policies.

Bus:

On the INFOBUS website, you can find a detailed refund policy for each route. Just click “Details of route” in the bottom right corner to view it.
 

You can also find the refund policy on most tickets.

If your ticket doesn’t include this information, please contact our support team for assistance.

Below are some examples of refund policies from different carriers:

• Carrier: FIRMA-GALIZ -SV S.R.L

• Carrier: SINDBAD

• Carrier: Pavlyuk-Trans 

Carriers independently provide refund information using our partner platform for managing sales listings — BusSystem.

Important Note!

Be sure to review the refund policy and route details before booking — some tickets are non-refundable.

These tickets are marked with a special symbol and cannot be refunded under any circumstances.

There are also exchange vouchers that must be exchanged for a boarding pass at the bus station ticket office at the place of departure.

Such tickets are marked with the relevant symbol, and once exchanged, any refund operations must be handled directly at the ticket office.

Railways:

The policies for returning railway tickets differ between Ukrainian and European carriers. 

Ukrzaliznytsia tickets can be returned either at the ticket office (if paid in cash) or on the carrier’s website (if paid by card).

Train tickets from European carriers can usually be returned independently — via the link in your email or through your personal INFOBUS account — or by contacting the INFOBUS support team.

The refund conditions for train tickets are generally similar to those for bus tickets and may vary by carrier:

• Up to 15 minutes before departure (for some long-distance routes: 0–6 hours before departure) — 100% retention fee;
• More than 15 minutes before departure (for some long-distance routes: over 6 hours) — full refund with no retention fee (carrier: RegioJet);
• Less than 7 hours before departure — the ticket is non-refundable (carrier: Czech Railways).

Refunds for Včasná jízdenka Evropa (VJE) Tickets: 

Včasná jízdenka Evropa is a special offer from the Czech railway company České dráhy (ČD), also known as the “Timely Ticket from Europe to Ukraine” (Včasná jízdenka Evropa na Ukrajinu). It allows you to purchase tickets in advance — for example, from Prague or another Czech station to Chop or Mukachevo.

Refund rules vary depending on the route:

• To/from Ukraine: Refunds or changes are not allowed. Refunds are only possible for sleeping berth reservations.
• To/from Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia: Until 23:59 the day before departure — €3 retention fee; On the day of departure — No refund (100% retention)
• Sleeping berth reservations: Until 23:59 the day before departure — 10% retention fee (minimum €1); On the day of departure — 50% retention fee (minimum €3)
• Seat reservations: 0–15 minutes before departure — 100% retention fee (no refund); From 15 minutes before departure — full refund

Note: Each carrier and each route may have different refund policies. Even routes operated by the same carrier can have different conditions.

Airplane:

Different airlines have different refund policies.

The cheapest economy class tickets, which come with minimal services, are typically non-refundable. Tickets in higher fare classes or with additional flexibility may be refundable, but the compensation amount is determined by the airline.

If you’re a frequent flyer with a particular airline, you may be eligible for certain benefits, such as the ability to modify an already purchased ticket (for example, changing the departure date or requesting a refund).

In some cases, even with an economy class ticket, it’s possible to reclaim the airport tax, depending on the airline’s rules.

Here are some tips from INFOBUS on how to return a flight ticket: 

• The closer it is to the departure date, the harder it is to get a refund, and the less you may receive. So, in case of force majeure, try to request a refund as early as possible
• Always read the refund terms carefully before purchasing a ticket to understand how much you might be refunded if plans change unexpectedly.

If you have any questions about changing your departure date or requesting a refund, our INFOBUS support team will be happy to help.

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Wishing you safe and happy travels!