General Conditions of Carriage
FRS Fähre “Loreley”
General Conditions of Carriage
For carriage by vessels operated by FRS Fähre Loreley GmbH
| General Provisions | § 1 |
| Transport Contract and Fare | § 2 |
| Tickets | § 3 |
| Schedule Changes, Delays, and Cancellations | § 4 |
| Increased Fare | § 5 |
| Obligations of the Carrier | § 6 |
| Obligations of the Passenger | § 7 |
| Carriage of Luggage | § 8 |
| Carriage of Animals | § 9 |
| Exclusion from Carriage | § 10 |
| Special Trips | § 11 |
| Carriage of Vehicles | § 12 |
| Carrier’s Disclaimer of Liability and Refunds | § 13 |
| Alternative Dispute Resolution | § 14 |
| Choice of Law and Jurisdiction | § 15 |
§ 1 General Provisions
These General Conditions of Carriage (hereinafter “GCC”) apply to all regular transport services provided by FRS Fähre Loreley GmbH (hereinafter “Carrier”) and – where indicated – to special trips operated by the Carrier. Upon conclusion of the contract, the GCC form part of the transport agreement; the passenger acknowledges them as binding.
§ 2 Transport Contract and Fare
1. The transport contract is concluded upon booking by the passenger and confirmation of the booking by the Carrier, or, at the latest, upon issuance of the ticket. A transport contract is also deemed concluded by using the ferry services provided.
2. The passenger is entitled to carriage only for the trip stated on the ticket. If passengers must be excluded from carriage due to lack of space, the fare paid will be refunded unless the Carrier can offer a suitable alternative. Further claims by the passenger are excluded.
3. If a ticket is used for a trip other than the one specified, carriage will be provided only if sufficient capacity is available. This also applies to tickets without a specified date and departure time. The validity period of the ticket is determined by the tariff regulations (hereinafter “ATB”).
4. Fares must generally be paid before the start of the journey. Upon conclusion of the contract pursuant to para. 1, the fare becomes due. The applicable passenger fares and tariff regulations are published on the Carrier’s website and at the Carrier’s offices in the form of the General Tariff Conditions.
In addition to payment in cash or by voucher at the immediate place of departure, the passenger may also pay by (credit) card or prepaid card, and account customers by presenting the KeyCard. The passenger undertakes to ensure sufficient account coverage. Costs arising from non-redemption or chargeback are borne by the passenger unless caused by the Carrier.
5. When claiming fare reductions, eligibility must be proven at the ticket counter upon purchase or during ticket inspection. Combining multiple reductions is not permitted.
§ 3 Tickets
1. Upon receipt, tickets must be checked for accuracy. Any discrepancies must be reported to the Carrier without delay so that corrections can be made. If no complaint is made, the Carrier may assume the documents have been correctly issued.
2. The passenger must present the ticket at any time upon request by the Carrier, its employees, or authorized persons. Ticket stubs may be detached or validated only by a person authorized by the Carrier. Damaged, incomplete, or lost tickets become invalid. The same applies to tickets with QR or barcodes that are no longer readable due to the passenger’s fault.
§ 4 Schedule Changes, Delays, and Cancellations
1. The Carrier’s timetables can be viewed on its website at https://www.frs-rheinfaehren.de/faehre-loreley or locally on site. The Carrier reserves the right to make changes to the schedule, including at short notice.
2. The Carrier strives to adhere to sailing times, in particular departure and arrival times. Nevertheless, due to special wind and weather conditions on the Rhine (e.g. low water), delays may occur. The passenger accepts the possibility of such delays. No refund or compensation claims arise from delays not attributable to the Carrier or caused by weather conditions.
3. The Carrier reserves the right to withdraw from the contract in the following cases:
a. Cases of force majeure and equivalent events (e.g. weather influences, epidemics, failure of port facilities, strike, collision, and similar events). These result in the dissolution of the contract without mutual claims for damages; the obligation to pay the fare lapses, and fares already paid will be refunded.
b. For special trips pursuant to § 11, in particular where the minimum number of participants is not reached. The Carrier’s withdrawal dissolves the contract without mutual claims for damages; the obligation to pay the fare lapses, and fares already paid will be refunded.
§ 5 Increased Fare
If a passenger is found without a valid ticket, an increased fare of € 60.00 (sixty euros) is payable. This also applies where a fare reduction is claimed but the required conditions are not met. The provisions of sentences 1 and 2 do not apply if obtaining the ticket or proof of reduction was omitted for reasons not attributable to the passenger. If the passenger presents a valid ticket purchased prior to the journey at a Carrier sales outlet within one week from the date of inspection, the increased fare is reduced to € 7.00 (seven euros).
§ 6 Obligations of the Carrier
1. The Carrier undertakes to carry passengers using a vessel that complies with statutory safety regulations.
2. In the event of cancellation or delay, the Carrier informs passengers via the Carrier’s website. The passenger will be carried on the next departure with available capacity.
§ 7 Obligations of the Passenger
1. The passenger must comply with all orders of the ship’s command or any other person authorized by the Carrier.
2. The passenger must not soil or damage ship areas, facilities, or objects; must not misuse or damage safety devices; and must not throw any objects overboard.
3. All of the Carrier’s vessels are non-smoking by default. The passenger undertakes to smoke only in designated areas on the outside deck. This also applies to e-cigarettes and similar substitutes.
4. Irrespective of the Carrier’s information and publications, the passenger is obliged, up to the start of the journey, to inform themselves via the channels provided by the Carrier about possible cancellations, delays, or timetable adjustments.
5. The passenger is liable to the Carrier for any damage attributable to the passenger.
§ 8 Carriage of Luggage
1. Weapons; flammable, corrosive, toxic, explosive, or foul-smelling items and/or substances; items or substances that may annoy other passengers; as well as items and/or substances whose possession or transport is prohibited or criminal, are excluded from carriage. If passengers cannot immediately prove the harmlessness of an item or substance, § 10 para. 1 applies. If such items or substances are discovered only during transport, the ship’s command may take possession of them, store them, and disembark them at the next port at the passenger’s expense.
2. The passenger must supervise and take care of their luggage at all times; in particular, they must not create hazards, e.g. by improper or prohibited placement of luggage.
3. (Commercial) transport of dangerous goods must be reported to the Carrier in good time, in any case before driving onto the ferry.
§ 9 Carriage of Animals
1. Ordinary domestic animals are carried upon payment of the applicable fare. The Carrier reserves the right to refuse to carry (domestic) animals, in particular for the following reasons:
a. Where there is a potential risk to the safety of persons or the vessel
b. Where the animal causes nuisance to other passengers
c. Where the animal owner fails to exercise proper supervision
d. Where (breeding) animals are not brought on board in suitable transport containers
Furthermore, animals may not be placed on seats. Dogs must be kept on a leash and muzzled upon staff instruction.
§ 10 Exclusion from Carriage
1. Persons who pose a risk to the safety or order of operations or to passengers may be excluded from carriage. This applies in particular to
a. passengers under the influence of alcoholic beverages or other intoxicating substances,
b. passengers who are unable to travel due to a contagious disease and did not cancel before the start of carriage,
c. passengers who fail to comply with §§ 7, 8, 9 of these GCC (even after orders by the ship’s command),
d. persons who, due to personal circumstances, require an escort but travel without one
2. Children below compulsory school age and under 6 years may be excluded from carriage unless accompanied for the entire journey by a person at least 16 years old.
3. If exclusion from carriage occurs for the above reasons, there is no entitlement to a refund of fares already paid. Further compensation is excluded.
§ 11 Special Trips
1. Special trips are all trips that are specifically designated and advertised as special trips. A minimum number of participants applies. If the minimum number is not reached, the Carrier reserves the right to withdraw from the contract; see § 4 para. 3(b) of these GCC.
2. For special trips, only the following provisions apply: § 1, § 2 paras. 1, 2, 4, § 3 paras. 2, 3, § 4 paras. 2, 3, § 5, § 6 para. 1, § 7, § 8, § 10, § 11, § 13, and § 14.
3. For special trips, the passenger has no right of withdrawal, return, rebooking, or transfer of tickets. A statutory right of cancellation is also excluded.
4. There is no obligation to carry animals.
§ 12 Carriage of Vehicles
1. Vehicles are carried only in accordance with the applicable tariff and upon payment of the fare. The current tariffs are published on the Carrier’s website and by notices, or can be obtained at the Carrier’s business and sales offices.
2. The passenger must inform the Carrier before driving onto the vessel if the vehicle’s ground clearance (e.g. due to modifications such as lowering, gas box, steps, (waste-water) tanks, etc.) is reduced and/or falls below the legal minimum. If the passenger fails to provide (timely) notice, the Carrier is not liable for resulting damage to the vehicle. Otherwise, § 14 of these GCC applies. Parking spaces on board are assigned by the crew; the passenger must follow instructions. The passenger must ensure the vehicle is properly parked (e.g. handbrake applied and, where applicable, first gear engaged) and safely secured. If the passenger uses a Carrier employee to fulfil obligations incumbent on the passenger, such assistance is provided purely as a courtesy. The passenger is liable for this auxiliary person; the person is deemed solely the passenger’s agent. Motorcycles and bicycles must be adequately secured against tipping.
3. (Dangerous) items pursuant to § 8 para. 1 of the GCC are excluded from carriage even if they remain in the vehicle during (part of) the trip.
§ 13 Carrier’s Disclaimer of Liability and Refunds
1. The Carrier’s liability for personal injury and for luggage and delay damages is limited pursuant to § 77 of the German Inland Navigation Act (BinSchG) in conjunction with §§ 541, 542 of the German Commercial Code (HGB), or pursuant to Art. 3 of Regulation (EC) No. 392/2009 of 23/04/2009 in conjunction with the provisions of the Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea, 1974 (as amended by the 2002 Protocol).
2. Passenger claims for damages are excluded. Exempt from this are claims for damages arising from injury to life, body, or health or from the breach of essential contractual obligations (cardinal obligations), as well as liability for other damages based on intentional or grossly negligent breach of duty by the Carrier, its legal representatives, or vicarious agents. Essential contractual obligations are those whose fulfilment is necessary to achieve the purpose of the contract. In the event of a breach of essential contractual obligations due to simple negligence by the Carrier, its legal representatives, or vicarious agents, liability is limited to foreseeable damage typical for this type of contract.
3. Any refund of third-party services is made solely in accordance with statutory provisions and these GCC and only upon presentation of the corresponding original receipts.
§ 14 Alternative Dispute Resolution
1. The Carrier is willing to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before the following consumer arbitration body: Schlichtungsstelle Reise & Verkehr, Fasanenstraße 81, 10623 Berlin (https://schlichtung-reise-und-verkehr.de).
§ 15 Choice of Law and Jurisdiction
1. All contracts between the Carrier and the passenger are governed by German law, unless mandatory law provides otherwise.
2. The place of performance of the Carrier’s obligations is Sankt Goarshausen.
3. For disputes arising out of the contract, the exclusive place of jurisdiction is St. Goar, Germany, unless another place of jurisdiction applies due to mandatory provisions of applicable law.
Version: October 2025