International travel by bus or coach to other countries must be operated accordance with the relevant international law. You must have an EU Community licence to carry out international services.
Travel to EU Member States
International travel by bus or coach must be operated accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1073/2009. You must have an EU Community licence to operate international services.
Regular services to EU Member States, excludes services to the UK
Regular services between EU Member States may only be carried out once an EU Authorisation has been issued.
Click here for more information on Regular services to EU Member States (not including UK)
Occasional services to EU Member States – does not include services to the UK
Occasional services to EU Member States may only be carried out under the cover of a Journey Form.
Click here for more information Occasional services to EU Member States
Regular services to the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland)
Regular and special regular services between EU Member States and the UK are authorised under the Protocol to the Agreement on the International Occasional Carriage of Passengers by Coach and Bus (Interbus Agreement).
Occasional travel to the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland), Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine
Occasional travel to the above countries is governed by the Interbus Agreement. Occasional travel to these countries may only be carried out under the cover of an Interbus Waybill.
As part of the Interbus Agreement, closed-door tours are also deemed to be occasional travel. The Interbus Agreement defines a closed door tour as: “closed-door tours, that is to say services whereby the same bus or coach is used to carry the same group of passengers throughout the journey and to bring them back to the place of departure. The place of departure is in the territory of the Contracting Party in which the transport operator is established.”
Parts of the EU – UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement remain in force. These allow cabotage to take place on the island of Ireland as part of occasional services. Cabotage is the pick-up and set down of passengers in a country that is not the operators Member State of establishment.
Important notes:
- Regular services cannot be undertaken using a Waybill.
- Cabotage in England, Scotland or Wales is not permitted i.e. no journeys are permitted solely in England, Scotland and Wales as part of an occasional service.
- Cabotage during occasional services within the UK is limited to Northern Ireland. For example, an Irish operator picking up passengers Newry for set down in Belfast as part of a Dublin – Belfast service.
Click here for more information on Interbus Occasional services