General Terms and Conditions for Passengers for the Mediation of Transport Services

For your future reference, you can download a PDF version of these Terms and Conditions by clicking here ↗.

In force as of 30 January 2025

These General Terms and Conditions for Passengers for the Mediation of Transport Services (the “Terms and Conditions”) set out the terms and conditions applying to and governing the usage of the Bolt app - technology which connects passengers (hereinafter referred to as 'you') with drivers to help them move around cities more efficiently.

The term “us” or “we” refers to Bolt Operations OÜ a private limited company incorporated and registered under the laws of the Republic of Estonia with registration code 14532901, registered office Vana-Lõuna tn 15, Tallinn 10134, Republic of Estonia, or other Bolt group company or cooperation partner where Bolt Services are not provided by Bolt Operations OÜ. The list of Bolt group companies and partners is available at: https://bolt.eu/cities/

The Terms and Conditions are provided in Greek (and English) and you have access to these through the Bolt app or Bolt's website. In order to use the Bolt app you must agree to the Terms and Conditions that are set out below. You accept these Terms and Conditions upon your first registration to or use of the Bolt app and each time you log in to use the Bolt app thereafter.

Before using the services provided by Bolt app, you must register with Bolt app and create an account by providing true and accurate information during registration (first and last name, telephone number (refer also to clause 1.4 herein) and valid e-mail address) and define a secure individual password. Only then you are entitled to use the Bolt app and its services under these Terms and Conditions and applicable law. For more information about the collection and processing of your personal data, please refer to Bolt's Privacy Policy.

1. Using the Bolt app

1.1 Bolt provides an information society service through Bolt app that enables mediation of the requests for transport services between the passengers and drivers and Bolt does not provide transport services. Transport services are provided by drivers under a contract (with you) for the carriage of passengers.

1.2. Drivers provide transport services on an independent basis (either in person or via a company) as economic and professional service providers. Bolt is not responsible in any way for the fulfilment of the contract entered into between the passenger (you) and the driver. Disputes arising from consumer rights, legal obligations or from law applicable to the provision of transport services will be resolved between the passengers and drivers. Data regarding the drivers and their transport service is available in the Bolt app and receipts for journeys are sent to the email address listed in passenger’s profile.

1.3. You enter into a contract with the driver for the provision of transport services via the Bolt app. When you request a ride through the Bolt app, Bolt forwards the request to available drivers nearby. To facilitate this, the Bolt app identifies and shares your current location and destination with the drivers. Once a driver accepts your request, your identity details are shared with the driver. For the purposes of the transportation service, you can also contact by telephone the driver who accepted your request. The passenger is informed through Bolt app in advance about the possibility to choose between several categories of taxis, the basic features of each taxi category, the estimated cost of the trip, any additional charges and the payment methods offered. Depending on the payment options supported for a given location of the journey, you can choose whether to pay the driver for the transport service in cash or use Bolt in-App Payment. Payments for Bolt Business rides are handled by a separate agreement for Business journeys. Charges will be inclusive of applicable taxes where required by law. Charges may include other applicable fees, tolls, and/or surcharges including a booking fee, municipal tolls, airport surcharges or processing fees for split payments. If you wish, you may also choose to pay a Tip to the driver directly or via the use of Bolt in-App Payment. We may limit the maximum value of a Tip at our sole discretion.

1.4 During the installation of the Bolt app, passenger’s mobile number is linked to the respective Bolt user account and added to our database. If you are no longer using your mobile number, you must notify Bolt within 7 days so we can anonymize your account data. If you do not notify us about any change to your number, your mobile operator may issue the same mobile number to a new person who when using the Bolt app then may have access to your data.

1.6 Rooting, jailbreaking or modifying your mobile device at a hardware or operating system level in any manner which is against the manufacturer’s instructions makes the device susceptible to mobile threats. You acknowledge that We are not liable for any losses in connection with the use of such a modified mobile device, and that We have no obligation to support the use of such a device.

1.7 You may not, and may not allow any other party to launch or cause to launch any programs or scripts for the purpose of scraping, indexing, surveying, or otherwise data mining any part of Bolt’s mobile applications and/or websites or data.

1.8 You must be at least 18 years old to obtain access to the Bolt app, including to accept these Terms and Conditions. In addition, you must ensure that the persons using transportation services via Bolt app on your behalf are at least 18 years old. The driver is entitled to refuse the service to the passenger or any other person using services on passenger’s behalf that is unable to prove that he or she is at least 18 years old.

1.9 The services provided by the Bolt app do not include the use of the Internet, which is a prerequisite for the use of Bolt's services. You are responsible for ensuring access to the Internet at your own expense.

1.10. If any of the activities the passenger pursues via the Bolt Platform or if any of the information the passengers provide to Bolt and / or Bolt platform is deemed to be illegal content under applicable laws or otherwise contravenes these Terms and Conditions, Bolt reserves the right to:

(i) remove, disable access or demote such content,

(ii)suspend, terminate or restrict any monetary payment due from Bolt to you, (iii) suspend or terminate the information society service in whole or in part, and

(iv) suspend or close your Bolt account.

2. Bolt in-App Payment

2.1 Depending on the payment options supported for the given location of the journey, You can pay for the transport services with a card, mobile carrier billing or other payment methods (e.g: Bolt Business) as and when available through Bolt App. By providing Bolt in-App Payment service, Bolt acts as commercial agent for the providers of the transport services. Every driver has authorised Bolt as their commercial agent for the mediation of conclusion of contracts between the driver and the passenger, including the power to accept payments from the passengers and to forward the payments to the driver. Your obligation to the provider of the transport service will be fulfilled when the payment order is given to transfer funds to Bolts’ bank account. You, as a passenger are responsible for ensuring that the payment takes place and ensuring that sufficient funds are available.

2.2 You may choose to pay a Tip to the driver using the Bolt In-app Payment service. The Tip can be paid via the In-app Payment by means authorised by Bolt for that purpose. Bolt will not hold a commission for the brokerage of the Tip and the Tip will be transferred to the driver in full amount, excluding any taxes, if applicable. Bolt reserves the right to withhold the Tip, if the payment of the Tip is suspected as being fraudulent, illegal, for a purpose other than as a gratuity related to the service provided or used in conflict with Bolt’s Terms and Conditions

2.3 When making payments by Bolt in-App Payment, Bolt receives your payments and forwards money to the driver. Bolt may ask additional data from you to verify payment method.

2.4 When making payments by Bolt in-App Payment for transport services, Bolt is not responsible for possible third-party payment costs (e.g mobile operators, bank fees). These service providers may charge you additional fees when processing payments in connection with the Bolt in-App Payment. Bolt is not responsible for any such fees and disclaims all liability in this regard. Your payment method may also be subject to additional terms and conditions imposed by the applicable third-party payment service provider; please review these Terms and Conditions before using your payment method.

2.5 Bolt will be responsible for the functioning of Bolt in-App Payment and provide support in resolving problems. The resolution of disputes related to Bolt in-App Payment also takes place through us. For payment support service please contact: info@bolt.eu. Inquiries submitted by e-mail or Bolt app will receive a response within one business day. Bolt will resolve Bolt in-App Payment related complaints and applications within two business days.

2.6. Upfront Fare. Fare for a given instance of Transportation service provided by the Driver (i.e Upfront Fare) is calculated according to the applicable taxi fares (including, where applicable, any applicable booking fees) regulated by law and it is communicated to you via the Bolt app before the ride is requested. Upfront Fare is an estimation only and is not legally binding. This means that it shall not be applied if you change the destination during the ride, the ride takes materially longer than estimated due to traffic or other factors, or when other unexpected circumstances impact the characteristics of the ride materially (e.g a route is used where tolls apply). Nevertheless, final price paid for the Transportation Service provided by the driver will be calculated according to the applicable taxi fares.

2.7 Platform fee (the “Platform Fee”) means a fee charged to you by Bolt as part of its information society service as may be displayed from time to time in the Bolt App. The fee pertains to the provision of vehicle search services and the maintenance of the technology used in the Bolt app and it does not relate to the transportation service provided by the driver. When a Platform Fee is applicable it will be shown as a component of the fare in the Bolt App and the price estimated shown to you in the App will include the Platform Fee. If a Platform Fee applies it will be payable to Bolt through the Bolt in-app payment in addition to the fare that is payable to the Driver.

3. Ordering and cancelling transport services

3.1 If you order a transport service through the Bolt app and the driver has agreed to undertake the work then the transport service is considered to be ordered.

3.2 Once a driver confirms that he/she will complete your journey, you will enter into a separate agreement with the driver for the provision of the journey on such terms and conditions as you agree with the driver. As Bolt provides only the information society service/mediation service, Bolt does not provide journeys and is not a party to your agreement with the relevant driver.

3.3 Cancelling the use of an ordered transport service is considered to be the situation when the driver has replied to your request and you subsequently reject, cancel, refuse the transport service or do not show up at the meeting point. When a transport service request is cancelled after a certain time period you may be required to pay a cancellation fee, as will be communicated to you in the Bolt app.

3.4 If you cancel a transport service request on multiple successive instances within 24-hour we may temporarily block your account for warning. After multiple such warnings, we may suspend your account for longer period (e.g. 6 months). After that period you could ask to reactivate your account and your application will be reviewed by Bolt.

3.5 When a driver notifies the passenger about the arrival of the vehicle to its destination and passenger or people for whom the transport was ordered do not arrive at the vehicle within a certain time period as specified in the Bolt app, the request will be deemed cancelled. Sometimes a driver may decide to cancel your request, please note that Bolt is not responsible for such situations.

3.6 Once the driver arrives and sends you a notification that he/she has arrived the Bolt app may begin charging fare on a waiting time basis according to the rates specified in the Bolt app.

3.7 If you have requested transport services using the Bolt app and cause damage to the driver’s vehicle or its furnishing (among else, by blemishing or staining the vehicle or causing unpleasant odours to the vehicle’s cabin), the driver will have the right to require you to pay a penalty of 50 EUR and require compensation for any damages to recover the damage exceeding the penalty..

3.8 To ensure a safe and reliable Bolt platform for everyone, we may take actions against you, such as suspending you from using the platform for 6 months, under our Marketplace Conduct Guidelines for Riders ↗. By using the Bolt app you confirm that you have read the Marketplace Conduct Guidelines for Riders ↗ and agree to comply with them.

3.9 Bolt may suggest to you a certain category of journeys in the Bolt app. The main criteria for the suggestions are price of the journey, estimated time of arrival of the vehicle and your historical category selection behaviour. You are under no obligation to order the journey from the category suggested to you by Bolt.

4. License to use Bolt app

4.1 As long as you comply with these Terms and Conditions, we agree to grant you a royalty free, revocable, non-exclusive, right to access and use the Bolt app in accordance with these Terms and Conditions, the Privacy Notice and the applicable app-store terms. You may not transfer or sub-license this right to use the Bolt app. In the event that your right to use Bolt app is cancelled, the corresponding non-exclusive license will also be cancelled.

5. Liability

5.1 As the Bolt app is only an information society service (a means of communication) between passengers and drivers, we cannot guarantee or take any responsibility for the quality or the absence of defects in the provision of transport services. As the usage of Bolt app for requesting transport services depends on the behaviour of the drivers, Bolt does not guarantee that transport services will always be available to you.

5.2 The Bolt app does not offer or broker transport services for passengers. It is also not a transport agency service for finding passengers for transport providers. The Bolt app serves as a platform only for organising the provision of transport services.

5.3 Bolt shall not be responsible for the accuracy or completeness of any information provided by the passenger when using the services of Bolt.

5.4. You can cancel your transport service request in the app free of charge before a driver has accepted it. However, please note that once a driver has accepted your request, in accordance with Article 3a (3)(ia) of Law 2251/1994 on Consumer Protection, you do not have a right of withdrawal for transport services.

5.5 The Bolt app is provided on an "as is" and “as available” basis. Bolt does not represent, warrant or guarantee that access to Bolt app will be uninterrupted or error free. In case of any faults in the software, we will endeavour to correct them as soon as possible, but please keep in mind that the functioning of the app may be restricted due to occasional technical errors and we are not able to guarantee that the app will function at all times, for example a public emergency may result in a service interruption.

5.6 Bolt, its representatives, directors and employees are not liable for any loss or damage that you may incur as a result of using Bolt app or relying on, the journey contracted for through the Bolt app, including but not limited to:

5.6.1. any direct or indirect property damage or monetary loss;

5.6.2. loss of profit;

5.6.3. loss of business, contracts, contacts, goodwill, reputation and any loss that may arise from interruption of the business;

5.6.4. loss or inaccuracy of data; and

5.6.5. any other type of loss or damage.

5.7 The limitation in this clause does not intend to limit liability or alter your rights as a consumer as defined by Law 2251/1994 on Consumer Protection as amended and currently in force, which rights cannot be excluded under Greek law. The limitation of liability does not apply either when there is an insurance cover in case of damage caused to life, integrity or health, or claims under the applicable laws on product liability.

5.8 To the extent applicable under applicable law, the financial liability of Bolt in connection with breach of the contract will be limited to 500 euros. The limitation of the liability won’t apply in the event of liability resulting from fraud or gross negligence. You will have the right to claim for damages only if Bolt has deliberately violated the contract. Bolt will not be liable for the actions or inactions of the driver and will not be liable for damages that the driver causes to the passengers. Damages affecting the passenger in the context of the transport service provided through Bolt will be settled between the parties to the transport contract (i.e. the passenger and the respective driver).

5.9 You agree to fully indemnify and hold Bolt, their affiliate companies, representatives, employees and directors harmless from any claims or losses (including liabilities, damages, costs and expenses of any nature) that they suffer as a result of your use of the Bolt app (including the journeys you obtain through your use of the Bolt app).

5.10 Bolt may immediately end your use of the Bolt app if you breach these Terms and Conditions or we consider it necessary to protect the integrity of Bolt or the safety of drivers.

5.11 Bolt is entitled to suspend, for a reasonable period of time and after having issued a prior warning, the processing of notices and complaints submitted through the Internal Complaint-Handling System by the passengers and drivers that frequently submit notices or complaints that are manifestly unfounded. While assessing the circumstances for the suspension, Bolt considers the following:

(a) the absolute numbers of items of manifestly illegal content or manifestly unfounded notices or complaints, submitted within a month; and

(b) the relative proportion of notices and complaints in relation to the total number of items of information provided or notices submitted within a month; and

(d) (if applicable) the intention of the complainant for submitting manifestly unfounded complaints.

6. Duration and Termination

6.1 You may freely use the Bolt app and the services provided (where available) and you may withdraw from these Terms and Conditions at any time at no cost without providing any reasons by closing your account.

6.2 Bolt has the right to terminate its contract with you or suspend the provision of services under the contract with immediate effect, should you be in breach of your contractual obligations. In any other case, Bolt has the right to terminate its contract with you upon a reasonable written notice.

7. Good practice using the Bolt app

7.1 As Bolt is not a provider or broker of the transport services, any issues with defects or quality of the transport services will be resolved in accordance with the rules and regulations of the transport service provider or the relevant public authority.

7.2 We ask to fill out a feedback form in the Bolt app. This enables us to offer suggestions to the drivers for improving the quality of their service. In addition, drivers have the right to rate users.

7.3 We expect that you use the Bolt app in good faith and be respectful of the drivers who offer their services through the Bolt app. In addition to any other rights we may have to take actions against you under these Terms and Conditions and our Marketplace Guidelines for Riders, Bolt retains the right to close your account if you have violated the terms set out in this Terms and Conditions or if your activities are malicious, i.e. withholding payment for the provision of the transport service, fraud, being disrespectful towards the drivers, etc. In these cases, your Bolt app account may be revoked without prior notice.

7.4 Bolt will make every effort to ensure that only drivers, who have integrity and are respectful of their profession and passengers, use the Bolt app. However, we are in no position to guarantee that every provider of transport services, located by the Bolt app, satisfies the aforementioned criteria at all times. If you experience objectionable transport service, please notify the company responsible for the service, a supervisory authority or our customer support.

7.5. To ensure safety of the Bolt platform for all users, Bolt may ask the rider to verify their identity. If Bolt is unable to verify the identity of the rider, the Bolt service may be suspended for the rider until the verification process is completed.

8. Amendments to the Terms and Conditions

7.1 If any substantial amendments are made to the Terms and Conditions, then you will be notified by e-mail or Bolt app notifications in a timely manner. In case you continue using Bolt app under the amended Terms and Conditions, you will be deemed to accept the amendments. If you do not agree to the amended Bolt Terms, you must stop accessing and using the services in accordance with clause 6.

9. Final Provisions

The General Terms and Conditions will be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Estonia subject to the mandatory laws of Greece. If the respective dispute resulting from General Terms or Agreement could not be settled by negotiations among the parties concerned, then the dispute will be finally solved by the Harju County Court in Tallinn, Estonia if you are considered as business. If you are considered as a consumer under Law 2251/1994 as amended and currently in force, you may bring proceedings against Bolt either in Harju County Court in Tallinn or in the courts of your domicile. Proceedings may be brought against you by Bolt only in the courts of the Member State in which you are domiciled. If any provision of the Terms and Conditions is held to be unenforceable, the parties will substitute for the affected provision an enforceable provision that approximates the intent and economic effect of the affected provision.

Marketplace Conduct Guidelines: Riders

We want everyone to have safe, smooth, and satisfying experiences with Bolt. By protecting the integrity of our marketplace, we ensure that drivers are able to provide services in a safe and productive environment, riders receive prompt and delightful services, and the BOLT marketplace can continue to function in a sustainable way.

In order to create a clear expectation for how you, the Rider, can help us create that environment, we provide a list of Conduct Guidelines. By following them, you help us keep drivers safe and happy, and on the road for you.

These are simple rules of thumb Riders should follow:

Always be kind to your driver and respectful of their car;
Try not to cancel your ride unless you absolutely have to, it will take you longer to get where you are going, and it wastes the driver’s time;
Always show up for your ride. Keep an eye out for the driver arriving, and don’t keep them waiting too long.

Consistent failure to uphold any one of the above standards is directly harming integrity of the Bolt Marketplace and is sufficient to prompt a warning or suspension of ability to request ride hailing services.

Why are these guidelines important to the Bolt Marketplace?

Be kind to your driver and respectful of their time, and their car. By doing this, you enable drivers to operate efficiently, which enables you and other riders to receive quick and delightful service whenever you need it.

Being kind to your driver and respectful of their car creates a productive and satisfying environment for drivers to offer their services. By creating this environment, we create a marketplace that drivers want to be in. The more drivers available, the faster you can get where you are going.

Everyone needs to cancel a ride from time to time, that’s totally fine. But cancelling excessively wastes drivers time and negatively affects other riders’ experience by occupying these drivers with orders they won’t be able to complete. A cancellation charge for cancelling an order after a driver has already made significant progress in heading towards the pickup location, which aims to compensate the driver for their effort, may be applied. But it is not sufficient for offsetting the impact on the marketplace of heavily repeated consistent behavior of this type on other riders’ ability to be matched with drivers who can get to them quickly. Nor does it fully offset the lost opportunity cost for the driver who had their ride cancelled.

If you’ve ordered a ride and you are unable to take it, or no longer need to, cancelling it is far better than just not showing up when the driver arrives. We do understand that sometimes cancellations are necessary, but not showing up for your ride wastes driver time and leaves other riders without access to that driver’s services until your order is cancelled or completed.

How are these guidelines enforced?

Always be kind to your driver and respectful of their car:

We consider at minimum the ratings that drivers leave on riders, averaged over a certain number of relatively recent orders. Other signals such as reports to customer support could be considered as well. If the aggregate of driver feedback about a rider dips below a certain threshold, that rider can be warned and suspended.

In general, treat your driver in the same way you would want to be treated, and treat their car like it was your own. But to be more specific, here is a list of the most common behaviors that can lead to getting negative feedback from your driver:

Be careful not to damage your driver’s car in any way
Be kind and courteous. Don’t shout at your driver or call them names
It’s best to avoid controversial topics, such as politics
If you feel like you are about to be ill, ask the driver to pull over
Don’t keep the driver waiting a long time for you to reach the car for pickup

Try not to cancel your ride unless you absolutely have to:

We understand that cancellations are necessary sometimes, your plans change and you need to stay where you are, you realise you forgot your wallet and you can’t find it, or the driver we matched you with can’t get to you fast enough, and we make room for that within the guideline. We look for repeated cancellation tendencies and if this reaches a certain threshold, the rider can be warned and suspended.

Always show up for your ride. Keep an eye out for the driver arriving, and don’t keep them waiting too long:

Nothing is more wasteful of a driver’s time than not showing up for the ride. However, we understand that not all rides that end for this reason were the result of the rider intentionally not showing up. In some situations, it can be difficult for the driver and rider to locate each other, which can lead to the driver cancelling the ride and indicating that the rider didn’t show up, when in reality, the rider was actively searching for the car. For that reason, we again look at repeated behavior over time that signals a tendency not to respect orders made and thus greatly harms integrity of the BOLT Marketplace. We do not focus on single incidents.

Some helpful tips to avoid your rides being cancelled for this reason:

Keep an eye on the app for when your driver will be arriving. Try to be at the pickup location when they arrive
If you can’t be at the pickup location immediately, call or chat with your driver and tell them you are on your way
If you are struggling to find the driver, call or chat with them to coordinate

In general, communication goes a long way in making sure that your driver will wait for you, rather than cancelling the ride and claiming that you did not show up.

What happens if I violate the guidelines?

We would rather not restrict access to any of our services, but we have an obligation to our users and suppliers to protect the integrity of Bolt Marketplace. As such herein described repeated behavior that harms integrity of it can lead to riders being suspended from access to ride hailing services for 6 months.

If we detect such behavior, you will receive a warning in the Bolt app the next time you try to take a ride. This will contain a link to these guidelines, so that you can refresh on how to avoid further action if you would like to continue using the platform.

If we continue to detect behavior harming the integrity of Bolt Marketplace, then you will be suspended from access to ride hailing services. A message will appear when you try to order a ride to explain this, and you won’t be able to continue.

What can I do if I’m suspended?

You can be suspended from using ride hailing specifically, not from other Bolt services, or the app itself. You will still be able to use the app for other purposes, such as using our scooters, renting an e-vehicle, checking your ride history and your account information, contacting our Customer Support to address your concerns

Can I appeal my suspension?

If you believe that you were suspended unfairly or by mistake, you have the right to contact Bolt support via the app and request your suspension to be reviewed.

If you’d like to know more about how Bolt processes your data impacting such decisions - please check our Privacy Policies, you can read them here.