A bus ticket refund is governed by the conditions attached to the ticket you bought, and is claimed from whoever sold it to you.
ContactDetails.co.za is an independent directory. We are not any of the companies listed here and cannot act on your behalf. Everything on this page is a routing aid so you reach the right official channel with the right information in hand.
Who actually handles this
The operator if you booked directly, or the agent if you booked through one. The refund terms are the ones that applied when you bought, which is why the ticket conditions matter more than any general rule.
What to do, in order
- Find the booking reference and the ticket conditions you agreed to.
- Check whether the ticket is refundable at all, and what cancellation penalty applies at this stage.
- Claim from whoever sold you the ticket, in writing, with the reference.
- Ask for a reference number and an expected timeframe for the refund.
- If the operator cancelled the service rather than you, say so explicitly. That is a different situation from a passenger cancellation and is usually treated differently.
What to have ready before you make contact
- The booking reference.
- The ticket conditions or the confirmation email.
- Proof of payment.
- The reason for the refund, and whether the cancellation was yours or the operator’s.
Verified long-distance bus operator routes
Every route in this table was taken from the organisation’s own official contact page and checked on 21 August 2026. Contact details change, so confirm on the official site before relying on one for anything urgent.
| What it is for | Contact |
|---|---|
| Intercape 24 hour call centre and bookings | 021 380 4400 |
| Greyhound contact centre and bookings | 011 611 8000 |
| Citiliner contact centre and bookings | 011 611 8000 |
| Intercape queries and complaints email | [email protected] |
| Greyhound bookings email | [email protected] |
Who owns what when something goes wrong with a delivery or a journey
- The retailer, if you bought online, is who your contract is with. It owes you the goods, in the condition you paid for, at the address you gave. Which courier it chose is its arrangement, not your problem.
- The courier physically carries the parcel and is the party that can trace it. It works from the waybill number and generally caps its liability unless extra cover was bought.
- The operator, for a journey, runs the service and holds the booking, unless you booked through an agent, in which case the agent holds it and is usually the only party that can change it.
- A consumer body such as the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud takes unresolved consumer complaints, free of charge, once the supplier’s own process has been exhausted.
The most common dead end is being sent back and forth between a retailer and a courier. If you bought online, say plainly and in writing that your contract is with the retailer and that delivery is its obligation.
Common mistakes that cost time
- Claiming without reading the ticket conditions, which are what actually decide the outcome.
- Not stating clearly whether the operator cancelled or you did. They are treated very differently.
- Claiming from the operator when an agent sold you the ticket.
- Not asking for a reference and a timeframe, which leaves nothing to follow up on.
If it is not resolved
The Consumer Goods and Services Ombud handles unresolved consumer complaints against participating suppliers, free of charge to the consumer. It also expects you to have gone through the supplier’s own complaints process first.
Escalation works on evidence. Keep a short written log of every contact: the date, the channel you used, the name of the person you spoke to and the reference number you were given. Every formal complaints process asks for exactly that history, and having it ready is usually the difference between a fast resolution and starting over.
| What it is for | Contact |
|---|---|
| CGSO consumer complaints call centre | 0860 000 272 |
| CGSO WhatsApp | 081 335 3005 |
| CGSO general email | [email protected] |
Related contact pages
- Bus Ticket Refund Contact Details
- Transport
- ContactDetails.co.za home
- Pharmacy Direct Contact Details
- One Plan Contact Details
- Bus Company Contact Details South Africa
- Verify Contact Details South Africa
- Intercape Refund Contact Details
- How to verify a contact number before you use it
Frequently asked questions
The operator cancelled the trip. Am I entitled to a refund?
A cancellation by the operator is a different matter from a passenger cancellation and is generally treated more favourably. Make clear in writing which of the two happened.
How long does a refund take?
It varies by operator and payment method. Ask for a timeframe and a reference number when you claim, so you have something to follow up on.
Can I get a refund on a non-refundable ticket?
Usually not on request, though the position can differ where the operator failed to provide the service. The ticket conditions are the starting point.
The contact routes on this page were checked against each organisation’s official source on 21 August 2026. Where a detail has changed, the official source is always the authority.