Please note: This translation is provided for convenience purposes and is not legally binding. Only the German version shall have legal effect and prevail in case of discrepancies.
Dear customer,
We are pleased to assist you with your travel needs. We act as an intermediary for individual tourist services (in particular accommodation or transport services).
Contracts for the brokered services (overnight stays and/or transport) are concluded directly between you and the provider of the respective service. The terms and conditions of accommodation or transport of the respective providers, which we make available to you prior to booking, apply.
Please read the following General Terms and Conditions ("GTC") for the brokerage of travel services by Switzerland Travel Centre AG, Binzstrasse 38, 8045 Zurich ("Travel Agent" or "STC") carefully. These terms govern the brokerage of services and define the rights and obligations of both you, as the customer, and us, as the travel agent. The mutual rights and obligations of the customer and the travel agent result from the individual contractual agreements, these GTC, and the applicable legal provisions. By using our intermediary services, you agree to these GTC.
STC’s services are provided in particular via websites such as www.swisshotels.com, www.swissrailways.com, and www.switzerlandtravelcentre.com, as well as via partner websites made available by STC.
1. Conclusion of Contract, Contractual Basis
A brokerage contract for individual travel services is established between the customer and the travel agent upon the acceptance of the customer’s booking request by the travel agent.
If the booking request is made electronically (e.g. via email, website, internet, SMS), the travel agent confirms receipt of the request electronically. This confirmation of receipt does not yet constitute acceptance of the booking request. In particular, it does not represent the conclusion of a travel contract (e.g. for transport or accommodation) by the brokered service provider. A travel contract is only concluded once confirmed by the respective provider.
The customer’s rights and obligations towards the brokered service provider are governed solely by the agreements made with that provider, particularly their terms and conditions. By booking a brokered service, the customer accepts the provider’s terms and conditions made available to them. This also applies to rebooking and cancellation conditions, which are solely determined by the provider. The travel agent does not become a contractual party for the booked service and assumes no liability for the services rendered by third parties.
2. Pricing and Payment
The price of the brokered service is determined by the service provider. The payment terms are based on the provider’s general terms and conditions or other applicable provisions. Further details, including available payment methods, can be found in the provider’s terms depending on the type of service.
3. General Contractual Obligations of the Travel Agent, Information and Advice
Based on these brokerage terms, the customer receives the best possible advice. If requested, the travel agent submits the booking request to the provider on behalf of the customer. After confirmation by the provider, the travel agent is responsible for delivering the documents related to the brokered service, unless it has been agreed that the provider will send the documents directly to the customer.
The travel agent is liable, within the scope of the law and contractual agreements, for selecting the correct source of information and accurately passing this information to the customer. However, the travel agent is not liable for the correctness, completeness or timeliness of this information, as it may change at any time.
Special requests are accepted by the travel agent solely for forwarding to the brokered service provider. Unless explicitly agreed otherwise, the travel agent is not liable for the fulfilment of such special requests. These requests are not contractual conditions or part of the booking declaration submitted by the travel agent to the provider. The customer is advised that special requests generally only become contractually binding upon explicit confirmation by the provider.
4. Customer Complaints
Claims and complaints must be addressed directly to the service provider. If such claims must be submitted within specific deadlines set by law or contract, those deadlines are not met simply by notifying the travel agent.
The travel agent is neither obliged nor authorised to advise the customer on the type, scope, amount, prerequisites, deadlines, or other legal provisions concerning potential claims against the service provider.
5. Remuneration Claims of the Travel Agent
The prices indicated for the services are those of the brokered service providers. The service providers are paid directly by the customer for the booked services. However, the customer agrees, upon first request, to provide the travel agent with the payment for the booked services by credit card as a deposit.
Any service fees payable by the customer to the travel agent – in connection with advice, handling of a booking, cancellation, rebooking, or other services on behalf of the customer related to the brokerage – are based on the service fees communicated to and agreed with the customer. Any commissions received from providers shall be retained by the travel agent.
The travel agent’s right to service fees remains valid even in the case of service disruptions or changes, including rebooking, withdrawal, cancellation, annulment, or termination of the brokered services by either the provider or the customer.
6. Reimbursement of Expenses, Fees, Collection
The travel agent is entitled to request payments in accordance with the service and payment terms of the brokered provider, provided these have been validly agreed between the provider and the customer and constitute legally binding payment terms.
The travel agent may assert claims for payment against the customer either as a collection agent for the provider, based on the agreement between the provider and the travel agent, or in their own right based on the agreed advance payment obligation of the customer as principal.
The above regulations also apply to cancellation or rebooking costs and other legally or contractually based claims of the brokered service provider.
The customer may not withhold or offset payments owed to the travel agent on the grounds that they have claims against the service provider – in particular due to inadequate performance under the brokered contract.
7. Travel Documents and Other Contractual Documents
The customer must carefully check all contractual and other documents received from the service provider (in particular booking confirmations, vouchers, and any other documents) for accuracy and completeness, especially their conformity with the booking and the mediation order.
If the documents relating to the brokered service are not sent directly by the provider, they will be handed over to the customer by the travel agent, either by post or electronically, at the travel agent’s discretion.
8. Customer’s Duty of Cooperation Towards the Travel Agent
The customer must notify the travel agent immediately of any errors or deficiencies in the travel agent’s brokerage activity that are recognisable to them. This includes, in particular, incorrect or incomplete information regarding personal data, other details, information or documents relating to the brokered services, as well as incomplete execution of mediation services (e.g. bookings or reservations not carried out).
The customer must promptly check the documents provided to them (e.g. booking confirmations, vouchers, invoices) for accuracy and completeness (see also section 7). Any discrepancies must be reported immediately to the travel agent. This applies in particular to inconsistencies relating to the customer’s personal details as per official identification documents (passport or ID). The travel agent points out that providers may refuse to deliver the service if the names in the travel documents do not match the names in the identification documents.
The travel agent accepts no liability for delays, inconveniences or failures of service that result from deviations or omissions not reported by the customer in accordance with their duty of notification.
In their own interest, the customer is advised to inform the provider or travel agent of any special needs or limitations in relation to the requested services.
9. Liability of the Travel Agent
The travel agent accepts no liability for any defects or damage incurred by the customer in connection with the brokered service.
Any personal liability of the travel agent resulting from the culpable breach of brokerage duties remains unaffected by the above provisions and is limited to the extent permitted by law. In any case, the travel agent is only liable for damage resulting from intentional or grossly negligent acts or omissions in connection with their brokerage activity. Liability for slight negligence as well as for indirect or consequential damages is expressly excluded. Liability for auxiliary persons is also excluded.
10. Force Majeure
If the brokered services cannot be provided due to force majeure (i.e. an external, unforeseeable event that cannot be prevented even with the exercise of reasonable care and the use of technically and economically reasonable means – for example natural disasters, terrorist attacks, war, epidemics and pandemics, telecommunications outages, strikes, official or unofficial measures, etc.), the consequences agreed between the customer and the brokered provider shall apply.
11. Data Protection
In connection with the brokerage of travel services, the following information is generally stored and/or processed in addition to the customer’s contact details (name, address, email, telephone number): travel dates, destinations, hotel, price, customer preferences, information on additional travel participants, payment details, date of birth, nationality, language, preferences, and other information provided by the customer to the travel agent. Further information on data protection can be found at: https://switzerlandtravelcentre.com/en/privacy-policy
12. Applicable Law and Place of Jurisdiction
The relationship between the customer and the travel agent is governed exclusively by Swiss law, excluding conflict of law provisions and the provisions of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG).
Subject to mandatory legal provisions, the courts at the travel agent’s registered office shall have exclusive jurisdiction for disputes between the customer and the travel agent.
13. Miscellaneous
The travel agent may amend these General Terms and Conditions at any time and without prior notice. The applicable version of the GTC is published on the travel agent’s websites or communicated to the customer in another way.
Should any provision or part of a provision of these GTC be or become invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected.
14. Contact
Switzerland Travel Centre AG, Binzstrasse 38, 8045 Zurich
E-Mail: info@stc.ch
15. Contract Language / Translations
The contractual language is German. Translations are provided for informational purposes only; in the event of discrepancies, the German version shall prevail.
Version dated: 10.09.2025
