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General Travel and Travel Card Terms

These are Oulu Regional Transport’s general travel terms. If different language versions of the terms cause conflicting interpretations, the Finnish terms will apply. The travel terms have been updated and approved by the Regional Public Transport Division on March 27, 2024.

1 Range of application

The following terms apply to all tickets issued for Oulu Regional Transport and their use in public transportation. Following these terms is a prerequisite for the continued customer relationship between Oulu Regional Transport and their customers.

2 General travel terms

2.1 Payments and benefits

Oulu Regional Transport reserves the right to collect payments from customers according to the current price list presented in service points and websites, which include on top of tickets

  • Travel card set-up payment, i.e. card fee
  • Sales commission for downloading tickets onto travel cards
  • Processing fees for returned, redeemed or transferred tickets
  • Processing fees for settling other matters regarding travel cards
  • Payment for printing timetables.

Sales points, including the buses, reserve the right to charge sales commission according to the price list. Oulu Regional Transport reserves the right to alter the price list. Changes to the price list, with which a payment is added onto Oulu Regional Transport’s card terms based on changes in legislation or with which a payment or commission already present in the price list is increased, will come into effect on a separately announced date. Changes to service pricing are announced on Oulu Regional Transport’s website.

  • Oulu Regional Transport can grant a person registered as a student season tickets with a student discount onto their personal Oulu Regional Transport travel card or the OSL application. People can register via channels defined by Oulu Regional Transport.

  • The benefits are granted by the basic education or private school of the municipality of Ii, Kempele, Liminka, Muhos, Lumijoki, Oulu or Tyrnävä.

    The school secretary files an order for pupil travel cards in the WalttiPro system, and Oulu Regional Transport delivers the travel cards to the pupils.

    Tickets downloaded onto pupil travel cards entitle to two bus trips per day on Mon – Fri between 6.00–18.00.

    Other Oulu Regional Transport tickets or value cannot be downloaded onto pupil travel cards. School tickets include transfer time.

    Tickets are in effect for the entire semester and can only be used on official school days.

    Downloading other services offered by the city or municipality onto the pupil travel card is not permitted.

2.2 Oulu Regional Transport travel card terms

  • Oulu Regional Transport travel cards (OSL Card) are purchased from regional service points or online. A card fee will be charged when setting up a new card according to the current price list.

    It is the customer’s responsibility to read the Oulu Regional Transport’s general travel terms before acquiring a travel card. Upon presenting a travel card to the customer, a customer relationship is formed between the customer and Oulu Regional Transport, which will remain in effect until one or both parties terminate it. To preserve the customer relationship, the customer must follow these terms.

    2.2.1.1 Personal OSL Card

    Anyone can acquire a personal travel card. However, the customer’s identity will be verified when acquiring a travel card.
    A personal travel card or tickets can be sold to underaged people or people with no legal capacity without the guardian’s or caretaker’s consent. If an underaged person does not have a picture ID, they must present some other trustworthy identification (such as Kela card). The underaged person or person with no legal capacity are responsible for following these terms together with their guardian or caretaker.

    Personal travel cards can be acquired for other people as well. In such cases, power of attorney for the person the card is being acquired for and the identification of the person acquiring the card must be presented. The representative does not need to have their own Oulu Regional Transport travel card, but their information will also be collected into the customer registry. The representative is the card owner and thus is alone responsible for following these terms, if they are an adult and of full legal capacity.

    The customer’s information will be recorded into Oulu Regional Transport’s travel card system’s customer registry. The registrar is the regional public transport authority, i.e. the city of Oulu / Regional Public Transport Division. Description of file defined by customer information legislation (523/99) 10§ is presented on our service points and Oulu Regional Transport’s website. More detailed information about the customer registry is listed in section 3.1.

    One can download the customer group’s season tickets, value, and tickets including personal, conditional benefits to their personal travel card. The card’s customer group is updated automatically onto the Oulu Regional Transport’s customer registry based on one’s social security number.

    2.2.1.2 Multi-user OSL Card

    Multi-user, holder-specific travel cards can be acquired by a business, community or private individual over 18 years old. Personal information of people acquiring holder-specific travel cards is not collected into the customer registry. Adult-priced tickets can be downloaded onto the travel card.

    2.2.1.3 Business or community OSL Card

    Businesses or communities with Business ID can acquire a travel card. The Business ID, name, address, phone number, contact person, and travel card number(s) of the business or community will be recorded in the customer registry. The validity of the business’s information will be verified from the Business Information System. The registrar is the city of Oulu / Regional Public Transport Division. The customer business or community has the right to request the recorded information from the registrar. Information may be printed for customers at service points.

    The representative of the business or community will be presented and printed the collected information in connection with travel card acquisition, and it is their responsibility to verify their correctness and approve them. The travel card is specific to the card holder, and adult-priced tickets can be downloaded onto it.

  • Oulu Regional Transport’s cards have a three (3) year warranty from the date of acquisition. After the card’s technical activity period (currently 8 years), the card cannot be used for payments, but the customer can transfer any leftover value to a new card at service points within a year. If the value is not transferred to a new card within a year, the value will be written-down.

    The card holder or owner commits to preserving the card carefully for the duration of the activity period. When a travel card is terminated, it must be returned to a service point for destruction.

    Travel cards endure the wear and tear of normal use. Cards must not be altered, copied, cut, folded or perforated.

    Cards that are damaged during the warranty period due to other reasons than the customer’s carelessness, can be exchanged for new travel cards without charge at service points. A new card fee may be charged for acquiring a new card during the previous card’s warranty period if it is discovered that the card has not been preserved carefully or it has been damaged intentionally.

  • Customers may request to see the payment history of specific tickets and downloads regarding their personal travel card from the period of one (1) year at service points or from Oulu Regional Transport’s customer service. Identification must be presented. The customer does not need to bring the travel card.

    Usage information of holder-specific travel cards is handed to the card holder. The card must be brought to the service point.

  • Value can be downloaded onto travel cards at Oulu Regional Transport’s authorized sales points, in the online store and on buses. Season tickets downloaded onto travel cards can be used to pay for travel on Oulu Regional Transport’s vehicles. Single tickets can be purchased with value downloaded onto travel cards in the Oulu Regional Transport’s area of operations as well as in other regions where the Waltti system is utilized. The travel card’s period of activity begins when the card is presented to the card reader for the first time.

    Using an Oulu Regional Transport travel card in other regions than that of Oulu Regional Transport, will leave a record on both Oulu Regional Transport’s and the other region’s payment registry.

    In order to travel, the customer must have an active ticket that entitles them to the journey. Without such ticket, a single ticket will be sold to the traveler. Additionally, an inspection fee may be imposed.

    The travel card must be presented to the card reader upon boarding the vehicle. Tickets include a transfer period, which is verified by presenting the travel card to the card reader.

    Tickets downloaded onto personal travel cards can only be used by the card owner, who must verify their identity if requested by the driver with trustworthy identification. Children or youth using travel cards must present trustworthy proof of their age to the driver if requested. Holder-specific travel cards can be used by other people.

    Value downloaded onto travel cards can be used to purchase single tickets for multiple people belonging to the same customer group.

    Downloading value onto travel cards always includes a sales commission based on the sales point.

    Season ticket or value which can be used to purchase single tickets can be downloaded onto the travel card. The downloaded season ticket’s period of activity begins when the travel card is presented to the card reader for the first time. When one season ticket is active on the travel card, another season ticket can be downloaded onto the card. The waiting season ticket’s activity period will begin once the active season ticket has been used up and the new season ticket is scanned aboard the bus.

  • The driver has the right to collect a single ticket payment defined in the current price list for people misusing a travel card. Inspectors have the right to collect a single ticket payment and an inspection fee.

    If a personal travel card including a personal travel ticket has been handed to another person, or if a personal, business or community travel card of another customer group has been handed to a person belonging to another customer group, the driver has the right to remove the card from the traveler. Removed travel cards can be inquired after from service points within three (3) days from removal. Identification must be presented when collecting removed travel cards. The card owner is responsible for all losses or other damage caused by the misuse. Compensation will not be paid for the time the card is removed.

  • 2.2.6.1 Personal OSL Card

    Report the lost travel card to a service point for deactivation. The customer must present identification for deactivating a travel card. For data security, it is recommended to report a lost card personally at location or by phone (not by mail, e-mail or online form). This also ensures the currency of deactivation. If the customer has multiple travel cards, they must offer the travel card number or otherwise determine which card should be deactivated (identified by, for example, ticket types on the card). The travel card is placed on a deactivation list which will be sent to service provider’s equipment remotely.

    Deactivated travel cards cannot be used for traveling. The card reader on buses will issue an alarm if a deactivated card is attempted to be used.

    A new travel card can be purchased to replace the deactivated card, and all tickets can be transferred from the deactivated card to the new card. Ticket information will be checked from the travel card customer registry.

    A processing fee defined in the current price list will be collected for transferring tickets, and a card fee will be collected for setting up the new travel card. The replaced, deactivated travel card will be removed from use. If the customer finds the replaced, deactivated travel card, they must deliver to a service point for destruction.

    Travel cards reported as stolen are treated as lost travel cards. The card fee for setting up a new card to replace a lost or stolen travel card is not compensated.

    2.2.6.2 Multi-user OSL Card

    Using holder-specific travel cards is equivalent to using or keeping cash. Holder-specific travel cards cannot be deactivated or tickets downloaded onto them cannot be transferred to another card. Oulu Regional Transport is not responsible for compensating tickets on lost or stolen holder-specific travel cards. The card fee for setting up a new card to replace a lost or stolen travel card is not compensated.

    2.2.6.3 Business or community OSL Card

    Report the lost travel card to a service point for deactivation. The customer must present identification for deactivating a travel card. The customer must present the business’s Business ID. For data security, it is recommended to report a lost card personally at location or by phone (not by mail, e-mail or online form). This also ensures the currency of deactivation. If the business has multiple travel cards, they must offer the travel card number or otherwise determine which card should be deactivated (identified by, for example, ticket types on the card). The travel card is placed on a deactivation list which will be sent to service providers’ equipment remotely.

    Deactivated travel cards cannot be used for traveling. The card reader on buses will issue an alarm if a deactivated card is attempted to be used.

    A processing fee defined in the current price list will be collected for transferring tickets, and a card fee will be collected for setting up the new travel card. The replaced, deactivated travel card will be removed from use. If the customer finds the replaced, deactivated travel card, they must deliver it to a service point for destruction.

    Travel cards reported as stolen are treated as lost travel cards. The card fee for setting up a new card to replace a lost or stolen travel card is not compensated.

  • Card owners have the right to terminate their travel card and customer relationship whenever they choose at service points. The card owner must present identification. If the card owner returns their personal travel card, they have the right to redeem the remaining tickets on the card. Redeemed tickets will be processed as unneeded as presented in section 2.7.

    If the person is unable to visit the service point personally, another person can handle the matter with power of attorney.

    In cases of death, tickets remaining on a personal travel card can be redeemed by a loved one or death estate, with appropriate documentation. A processing fee defined in the current price list will always be collected for redeeming tickets.

    Tickets cannot be redeemed if:

    • the redeemed value is less than the processing fee,
    • if the travel cards are not returned or
    • if the travel card is holder-specific.

    Employer-subsidized commuter tickets cannot be redeemed because the price consists of the customer’s and employer’s portion, not only the employer’s portion. Card fees are not compensated.

    Oulu Regional Transport reserves the right to terminate a customer relationship if the customer terms are not fulfilled. To preserve the customer relationship, the customer must follow Oulu Regional Transport’s general travel and travel card terms. Customer information recorded into the customer registry is preserved for one (1) after the customer relationship is terminated. The information recorded into the registry is listed in detail in the description of file.

  • 2.2.8.1. Defective OSL Card

    Oulu Regional Transport’s travel cards have a three (3) year warranty from the moment of acquisition. Within this period, defective travel cards can be replaced without charge at service points, if the damage is not due to the customer’s carelessness. Tickets on the damaged travel card can be transferred to the new travel card if the card’s contents can be clarified from the travel card system. The travel card number must be readable on the card or from some other documentation (such as the card’s payment history).

    A card fee defined in the current price list may be collected for setting up the new travel card, and a processing fee may be collected for transferring ticket to the new card, if it is detected that the travel card has not been preserved carefully or has been damaged intentionally.

    The defective travel card must be delivered to a service point for destruction in connection with acquiring a new travel card. The card fee for the defective card is not compensated. If the customer does not want a new travel card, the tickets on the defective travel card are processed as unneeded as presented in section 2.7.

    2.2.8.2 Returning unneeded tickets

    Customers may return unneeded tickets and value downloaded onto personal travel card upon request at service points. The customer must present the travel card and official identification.

    The amount of the return is calculated from the ticket’s price at time of purchase. The return is made

    • by paying the balance downloaded onto the card to the customer, or
    • by paying the price of the not yet started season ticket to the customer.

    A processing fee defined in the current price list is always collected in connection with returns. When returning season tickets of over 30 days, a processing fee is collected for each started and unused full 30-day period. A total of six (6) processing fees can be collected per return. If the paid return value is less than the processing fee, the tickets cannot be returned. Tickets downloaded onto holder-specific travels cards cannot be returned. Employer-subsidized commuter tickets cannot be redeemed because the price consists of the customer’s and employer’s portion, not only the employer’s portion.

    If the customer returns tickets due to a change in life situation (such as long-term hospital care, illness or unemployment), the tickets that were on the card when the life situation change took place can be considered. In cases of death, tickets remaining on a personal travel card can be returned by a loved one or death estate.

    2.2.8.3 Mistakes in ticket downloads

    If there are erroneous ticket downloads, they should primarily and immediately be fixed at the location where the mistake took place. If the travel card has been used after the erroneous ticket download, the issue can only be fixed at service points. In such cases, the fix request will be processed according to Oulu Regional Transport’s guidelines. If it can be detected that the mistake took place due to the customer’s own fault or carelessness, the tickets will be processed as unneeded as presented in section 2.7. If it can be detected that the mistake took place due to the service provider’s mistake, the tickets are processed as unneeded as presented in section 2.7, but no processing fee will be collected. The fix request must be filed within two (2) months after the customer noticed the mistake or should have noticed the mistake.

    If the mistake took place due to the service provider’s mistake, reasonable travel costs due to the mistake can be compensated to the customer (maximum of two (2) Oulu Regional Transport single tickets).

    2.2.8.4 Mistakes in value charges

    False or mistaken value charges can be returned to the travel card or compensated as single ticket travels from service points or Oulu Regional Transport customer service.

    Fix request for false value charges must be filed within two (2) months after the customer noticed the mistake or should have noticed the mistake. Fix requests will be processed according to Oulu Regional Transport’s guidelines.

2.3 Contactless payment terms

Contactless payment means purchasing travel tickets with a credit or debit card’s contactless payment feature or other contactless payment device. The following cards can process contactless payments: Visa, Visa Electro, Mastercard and Eurocard. Payment applications on mobile phones with linked payment cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay, are accepted.

An online receipt is sent to the customer paying with contactless payment. The customer can see their travels and prices and print them online.

Contactless payment entitles one to travel in the entire Oulu Regional Transport’s region. Travels paid with contactless payment include a 90-minute travel right, during which they can transfer vehicles.

Contactless payments utilize fixed daily prices, i.e. a payment ceiling, which is the maximum amount that can be charged from one (1) card during one (1) day. For contactless payments, this means the period between 00:00–23:59.

The right to transfer and payment ceiling are determined by the same contactless payment method. A credit or debit card and a payment application linked with the same card are not considered the same contactless payment method.

 

  • If a customer’s payment card has been charged erroneously, they must contact Oulu Regional Transport customer service within 30 days of the mistake. If the mistake took place due to the customer’s personal carelessness, the payment will not be compensated. If the mistake took place due to the service provider’s mistake, the payment may be compensated.

2.4 OSL application’s terms

The OSL applications separate terms apply to tickets purchased on the app. The terms are found on the app’s information.

2.5 Paper ticket terms

Oulu Regional Transport utilizes multiple different paper tickets, such as single tickets purchased aboard buses, single and day tickets purchased from kiosks, ticket books purchased from service points (includes adult and children’s single tickets), as well as event tickets used in connection to events.

The validity period, transfer period and QR-code are printed on the paper tickets.

Paper tickets must be scanned on the card reader when boarding the bus.

Unused paper tickets cannot be compensated or redeemed.

The validity period of paper tickets purchased from vehicles and kiosks begins from the moment of purchase. The validity period of other paper tickets begins when scanned.

The expiration date of single tickets of ticket books is printed on the ticket book, after which Oulu Regional Transport is not responsible for the functionality of the tickets.

A night fee defined in the current price list is collected for paper tickets purchased aboard buses on top of normal ticket price between 23:00–4:00.

2.6 Travel exceptions

If the card reader aboard the bus is not working, the traveler must ask the driver to check the travel card’s ticket information or transfer right on the driver’s card reader. Defective travel cards do not entitle free travel.

Lack of contactless payment device on the bus, compatibility issues between payment cards linked to mobile devices and the contactless payment device do not entitle customers to free of charge travel, subsequently paid compensation or validity extension of otherwise purchased tickets. If there is no contactless payment device aboard the bus, the travel may be paid for by other methods.

If no payment device functions aboard the bus due to device defects, the customer is entitled to free of charge travel, unless otherwise announced.

 

2.7 Requests for clarification and compensation

Requests for clarification regarding travel must be filed within two (2) months after the customer noticed the mistake or should have noticed the mistake. Requests for clarification are processed according to Oulu Regional Transport’s guidelines.

When filing requests for clarification, the customer must present their identification and appropriate documentation of the event to prove its validity. If the customer cannot visit a service point personally, another person may handle the situation with power of attorney.

If the compensation request and/or complaint is approved, appropriate costs can be compensated to the customer for the mistake according to the regulations of consumer protection. Compensations can be calculated from non-started season tickets and unused tickets as stated in section 2.7.2 or retrospectively.

  • According to used value based on the price list when the ticket was purchased.
  • According to used season tickets from the moment of download based on the price list when the ticket was purchased.

If a retrospective compensation claim is due to prevented ticket use (over five (5) days due to, for example, long-term hospital care, illness) within a particular period during the ticket’s validity period, the matter can be processed only for the part of the tickets which’s terms can be clarified (traveling with value or season tickets where the travel amount is tied to the validity period). The loss of value regarding season tickets is calculated in the system by dividing the season ticket’s price with the season ticket’s length and multiplying the result by the unused days.

A processing fee is collected if the compensation is based on the customer’s own mistake, carelessness or prevented use (over five (5) days due to, for example, long-term hospital care, illness). When returning season tickets of over 30 days, a processing fee is collected for each started and unused full 30-day period. If the compensation is based on the service provider’s mistake, processing fees will not be collected. If the value of the compensation or return is smaller than the sum of processing fees, the tickets will not be compensated, and they cannot be returned.

Card fees are not compensated. Employer-subsidized commuter tickets cannot be redeemed because the price consists of the customer’s and employer’s portion, not only the employer’s portion. There will be separate compensation instructions for large cases, such as bus transport strikes. Traffic disturbances, such as lack of shift or part of shift, or buses ahead or late of schedule do not usually entitle customers to compensation. Compensation can be paid on a case-by-case basis according to applications to Oulu Regional Transport.

3 Responsibilities, duties and rights of Oulu Regional Transport

  • Customer information is collected in the travel card system about personal travel card owners, as well as those download and use events that Oulu Regional Transport needs to offer customer service and consumer protection for the travel card system.

    The information is recorded in the Oulu Regional Transport’s travel card system’s customer registry. The registrar is the city of Oulu / Regional Public Transport Division. Description of file defined by customer information legislation (523/99) 10§ is presented on our service points and Oulu Regional Transport’s website.

    Personal information is collected based on the customer’s social security number from the Population Information System managed by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. The collected information is either presented or printed to the customer when acquiring a card and it is the customer’s responsibility to check and approve their validity. The customer has the right to request corrections of false information. Requests are sent to the registrar.

    Customers have the right to request to see the information collected in the customer registry from the registrar. Information can be printed for the customer at service points (requires identification).

    Information in the customer registry can be used in direct marketing according to personal information legislation 19 § with the customer’s express consent. Information will not be distributed to third parties.

    The card owner’s name, social security number, home and residence municipality and customer group are recorded in the travel card and the customer registry. Additionally, the card owner’s address and optionally their phone number and e-mail address as well as the travel card’s download data and travel information for the tickets that have monetary significance to the customer are only recorded in the customer registry. The latest maximum of seven (7) payment events are recorded on the travel card as well. Personal information on the travel card is encrypted.

    All customer information is visible for the service points and customer service workers. Customer information is preserved for one (1) year after the customer relationship is terminated. The devices of service providers only present information to drivers and sellers that is recorded on the travel card.

    The information recorded in the customer registry is listed in detail in the description of file. Typical uses for recorded personal information of customers are

    • sale of personal travel cards
    • changes in customer’s address information
    • identifying the owner of lost travel cards
    • deactivating lost travel cards
    • terminating travel cards after terminating customer relationships
    • exchanging defective travel card
    • identifying the customer based on the tickets on the travel card when returning payments
    • settling erroneous situations and checking download and use events based on the customer’s request.

    Oulu Regional Transport reserves the right to use collected customer information for online customer communications and direct marketing if the customer has given consent for this.
    Service point employees with updating and verification rights regarding customer information follow an unconditional obligation of confidentiality and secrecy.

    Service point employees have the right to process customer information and browse download events recorded onto the customer’s travel card as well as payments defined in the description of file only upon customer request.

  • Oulu Regional Transport is not responsible for situations where travel cards are used for other purposes than travel services and is not liable to compensate for damages not related to travel services caused by other contracted companies or service providers.

  • The Oulu Regional Transport travel terms are in effect indefinitely. Terms can be altered. If the change increases the card holder’s or owner’s responsibilities or decreases their rights and does not arise from change in legislation or authority decision, Oulu Regional Transport will announce the change by publishing a notice at service points and on their website. The change will take effect at the time declared in the notice.