Travelling & Public Transport
Train delay, flight cancellation or baggage loss: If consumers have problems with airlines or other transport companies, they can turn to a dispute resolution body.
1. Train, bus, flight and ship companies
The Schlichtungsstelle für den öffentlichen Personenverkehr e.V. Söp*
(Conciliation Body for Public Transport)
This ADR entity assists consumers in case of delays, cancellations, missed connections, denied boarding and lost or damaged baggage. There is another ADR body which deals with complaints against airlines (see below).
Useful information: You may also direct the complaint to the Söp even if the airline is not based in Germany. It is essential that the company is a member of the Söp and that the journey is related to Germany.
Practical tip: File the conciliation request against an airline or an travel agency.
Fasanenstraße 81
10623 Berlin
Phone.: +49 30/64499330
E-Mail: kontakt@soep-online.de
The Schlichtungsstelle Luftverkehr beim Bundesamt für Justiz*
(Air Transport Arbitration Body at the Federal Office of Justice)
deals with complaints against airlines which are not members of the Söp (see above). You might contact this ADR body in case of flight delays, cancellations or problems with the baggage.
Useful information: You may also address the complaint to this ADR entity if the airline is not based in Germany or the EU. It is essential that the ADR entity is competent and that the journey is related to Germany.
Adenauerallee 99-103
53094 Bonn
Phone: +49 228/994106120
E-Mail: luftverkehr@bfj.bund.de
2. Local traffic/ Public Transport (train, bus, subway and tramway)
The Schlichtungsstelle für den öffentlichen Personenverkehr e.V. (Söp)* mediates in complaints against local public transport companies that are members of it. The online form is available in German.
There are further ADR bodies for complaints against local transport companies. Please check if the transport company in question is affiliated with one of the following ADR schemes:
- Schlichtungsstelle Nahverkehr Nordrhein-Westfalen
- Schlichtungsstelle Die Nahverkehr-Schlichtungsstelle (SNUB)*
Binding decisions: The decision of the SNUB is legally binding for the trader.
3. Package tours
Consumers can also complain about travel companies (online booking platforms) at the Conciliation Body for Public Transport (Söp) and file a request for arbitration. You can find the participating travel companies in the online form "Travel".
Fasanenstraße 81
10623 Berlin
Phone: +49 30/64499330
E-Mail: kontakt@soep-online.de
For complaints against tour operators that are not members of the Söp, consumers can turn to a general consumer conciliation body.
*Alternative Dispute Resolution body
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.