Terms of Service

Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Last Updated: January 3, 2026

Welcome to BusTicket. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of our bus ticket booking platform and services. By accessing or using BusTicket, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account, booking tickets, or using any of our services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of our services.

2. Definitions

  • "Platform": The BusTicket website, mobile applications, and all associated services
  • "User" or "You": Any individual or entity using our Platform
  • "Services": Bus ticket booking, seat selection, payment processing, and related services
  • "Operator": Third-party bus companies providing transportation services
  • "Booking": A confirmed reservation for bus travel
  • "Trip": A scheduled bus journey between two locations

3. User Accounts

3.1 Account Creation

  • You may book tickets as a guest or create a registered account
  • You must be at least 18 years old to create an account
  • You must provide accurate, complete, and current information
  • You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials

3.2 Account Types

Guest Users:

  • Can book tickets without registration
  • Receive booking confirmations via email
  • Cannot access booking history or save preferences

Registered Users:

  • Full access to all platform features
  • Booking history and management
  • Promotion collection and usage
  • Notification preferences customization

3.3 Account Security

  • You are responsible for all activities under your account
  • You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized access
  • We implement account lockout after 5 failed login attempts (30-minute lockout period)
  • You must not share your account credentials

3.4 Account Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that:

  • Violate these Terms
  • Engage in fraudulent activities
  • Provide false information
  • Harm other users or the platform
  • Remain inactive for extended periods (with notice)

4. Booking Services

4.1 Ticket Booking Process

  1. Search for available trips
  2. Select seats from our interactive seat map
  3. Provide passenger information
  4. Apply promotions (if available)
  5. Complete payment
  6. Receive booking confirmation

4.2 Seat Selection & Locking

  • Selected seats are temporarily locked for 10 minutes
  • Locks expire automatically if booking is not completed
  • We use MongoDB TTL indexes and Socket.IO for real-time seat locking
  • You must complete booking within the lock period to secure seats
  • Locked seats are visible to all users in real-time

4.3 Booking Confirmation

  • Each booking receives a unique reference number
  • Confirmation sent via email and SMS (if provided)
  • Booking reference required for modifications and cancellations
  • Digital tickets are valid for travel

4.4 Passenger Information

You must provide:

  • Full name (as per identification document)
  • Age and gender
  • Contact information (email and phone)
  • Optional: ID document number

Important: Passenger names should match identification documents. Operators may deny boarding if names don't match.

4.5 Pricing

  • Prices displayed are in Vietnamese Dong (VND)
  • Prices may vary by seat type and location (front, middle, back)
  • Dynamic pricing may apply during peak seasons
  • All prices include applicable taxes
  • Promotional discounts are applied at checkout

5. Payment

5.1 Payment Methods

We accept:

  • PayOS (recommended payment gateway)
  • Credit/Debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, JCB)
  • Bank transfers
  • E-wallets (MoMo, ZaloPay)

5.2 Payment Processing

  • All payments are processed securely through certified payment gateways
  • Payment details are encrypted using SSL/TLS
  • We do not store complete credit card information
  • Payment confirmation required before ticket issuance

5.3 Payment Status

  • Pending: Payment initiated, awaiting confirmation
  • Completed: Payment successful, booking confirmed
  • Failed: Payment unsuccessful, booking not confirmed
  • Refunded: Payment returned to original payment method

5.4 Payment Security

  • PCI DSS compliant payment processing
  • 3D Secure authentication for card payments
  • Encrypted transaction data
  • Fraud detection and prevention systems

6. Cancellations & Refunds

6.1 Cancellation Policy

  • Cancellations must be made before the trip's departure time
  • Refund amount depends on cancellation timing
  • Cancellation deadline is set per trip by the operator
  • Some trips may be non-refundable

6.2 Refund Schedule

Standard refund rates (may vary by operator):

  • More than 24 hours before departure: 80-90% refund
  • 12-24 hours before departure: 50% refund
  • Less than 12 hours before departure: 20% refund
  • After departure or no-show: No refund

6.3 Refund Processing

  • Refunds processed within 5-7 business days
  • Refunded to original payment method
  • Refund status tracked in booking details
  • Email notification sent upon refund completion

6.4 Operator Cancellations

If an operator cancels a trip:

  • Full refund provided automatically
  • Alternative trip suggestions offered
  • Email notification sent immediately
  • Refund processed within 3 business days

7. Promotions & Discounts

7.1 Promotion Types

  • Fixed Amount: Deduct specific amount from booking
  • Percentage: Percentage discount with maximum cap
  • Both types may have minimum order requirements

7.2 Promotion Usage

  • Promotions must be collected to your account before use
  • Each promotion has a per-user collection limit (typically 1)
  • Total usage limit applies across all users
  • Promotions are valid between specific start and end dates
  • One promotion per booking
  • Cannot be combined with other offers

7.3 Promotion Terms

  • Promotions are non-transferable
  • We reserve the right to modify or terminate promotions
  • Invalid or expired promotion codes will be rejected
  • Fraudulent promotion usage may result in account termination

8. Reviews & Ratings

8.1 Review Eligibility

  • Only users with completed bookings can leave reviews
  • Reviews are "verified booking" reviews
  • One review per completed trip

8.2 Review Content

You agree that your reviews will:

  • Be honest and based on personal experience
  • Not contain offensive or inappropriate language
  • Not violate others' privacy or rights
  • Not include promotional content or spam

8.3 Review Ratings

Rate your experience on:

  • Overall rating (required)
  • Cleanliness
  • Punctuality
  • Staff service
  • Comfort
  • Value for money

8.4 Review Moderation

We reserve the right to:

  • Remove reviews that violate our guidelines
  • Hide reviews with inappropriate content
  • Verify review authenticity
  • Allow operators to respond to reviews

9. User Responsibilities

9.1 Accurate Information

You must:

  • Provide accurate passenger information
  • Update contact details when changed
  • Use valid email and phone numbers
  • Verify booking details before confirmation

9.2 Prohibited Activities

You must not:

  • Use the platform for fraudulent purposes
  • Impersonate others
  • Scrape or collect data without permission
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access
  • Resell tickets for profit
  • Create multiple accounts to abuse promotions
  • Submit fake reviews
  • Interfere with platform operations

9.3 Travel Responsibilities

You must:

  • Arrive at departure location on time
  • Bring valid identification
  • Follow operator's rules and regulations
  • Respect other passengers and staff

10. Operator Relationship

10.1 Third-Party Services

  • Bus operators are independent third parties
  • We facilitate bookings but do not operate buses
  • Operators are responsible for:
    • Vehicle safety and maintenance
    • Driver qualifications
    • Schedule adherence
    • Passenger safety during travel
    • Baggage handling

10.2 Operator Disputes

  • Direct disputes with operators should be resolved with the operator
  • We may assist in dispute resolution
  • We are not liable for operator actions or services
  • Operator ratings help inform other users

11. Intellectual Property

11.1 Platform Content

All content on BusTicket is protected by intellectual property laws:

  • Logos, trademarks, and branding
  • Website design and layout
  • Software and code
  • Text, graphics, and images

11.2 License Grant

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to:

  • Access and use the platform for personal use
  • Book tickets for yourself or others
  • View and download booking confirmations

You may not:

  • Copy or reproduce platform content
  • Modify or create derivative works
  • Use content for commercial purposes
  • Remove copyright or trademark notices

12. Privacy & Data

12.1 Data Collection

We collect and process personal data as described in our Privacy Policy, including:

  • Account information (name, email, phone)
  • Booking details and passenger information
  • Payment information (processed securely)
  • Usage data and analytics
  • Device and browser information

12.2 Data Usage

Your data is used to:

  • Process bookings and payments
  • Send booking confirmations and reminders
  • Improve our services
  • Comply with legal requirements
  • Detect and prevent fraud

12.3 Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures:

  • Encryption (SSL/TLS)
  • Secure authentication (JWT, OAuth2)
  • Access controls and audit logging
  • Regular security assessments

13. Notifications

13.1 Email Notifications

You will receive emails for:

  • Booking confirmations
  • Payment receipts
  • Trip reminders (24h and 2h before departure)
  • Trip updates or changes
  • Cancellation confirmations
  • Promotional offers (if opted in)

13.2 SMS Notifications

You may receive SMS for:

  • Booking confirmations
  • Trip reminders
  • Important updates

13.3 Notification Preferences

Registered users can customize notification preferences in account settings.

14. Liability & Disclaimers

14.1 Platform Availability

  • We strive for 99.9% uptime but cannot guarantee uninterrupted service
  • Maintenance windows may cause temporary unavailability
  • We are not liable for losses due to downtime

14.2 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

  • We are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
  • Our total liability is limited to the amount you paid for the booking
  • We are not liable for operator actions or service quality
  • We are not liable for acts of nature, force majeure, or unforeseen events

14.3 Warranty Disclaimer

Services are provided "AS IS" without warranties of any kind, express or implied.

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless BusTicket, its officers, directors, and employees from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from:

  • Your use of the platform
  • Your violation of these Terms
  • Your violation of any third-party rights
  • Fraudulent or illegal activities

16. Changes to Terms

16.1 Modification Rights

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time:

  • Changes posted on this page with updated "Last Updated" date
  • Significant changes will be communicated via email
  • Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance

16.2 User Responsibility

You are responsible for reviewing Terms periodically.

17. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of Vietnam. Any disputes shall be resolved in the courts of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

18. Dispute Resolution

18.1 Informal Resolution

Before legal action, you agree to:

  1. Contact our support team with your complaint
  2. Provide detailed description of the issue
  3. Allow 30 days for resolution attempt

18.2 Arbitration

If informal resolution fails, disputes may be submitted to binding arbitration in Vietnam.

19. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full effect.

20. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms:

Email: talenthive.website@gmail.com
Phone: 0762685089
Address: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

21. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and BusTicket.

By using BusTicket, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms of Service.

Last Updated: January 3, 2026