Refund & Cancellation Policy
Last updated: June 4, 2026
This Refund & Cancellation Policy is part of the Royal Chicago Buses LLC Terms of Service and applies to every reservation. We are a charter operator: when you book, we hold a vehicle and a driver for your date and time and turn away other business for that slot. Because of that, our cancellation charges are based on how much notice you give. Please read this before you book.
How Cancellation Charges Work
Reservations are paid in advance. If you cancel, the amount we can refund depends on how far in advance of your scheduled pickup time you cancel. All cancellations must be made in writing to info@royalchibuses.com, or by calling (773) 923-0220, and are effective when we receive them. The notice tiers below are measured from your scheduled pickup time. If we are able to resell your reserved vehicle and time to another customer, we will reduce the cancellation charge accordingly.
Cancellation & Refund Schedule
- 7 or more days before pickup (168+ hours): Full refund of the trip charge, less any non-refundable deposit and any non-refundable peak-date charge described below.
- 72 hours to 7 days before pickup: 50% of the trip charge is refunded; the other 50% is retained as a cancellation charge. Any non-refundable deposit and peak-date charge are also retained.
- Less than 72 hours before pickup: No refund. The full trip charge is retained.
- No-show: If your party is not present at the scheduled pickup time and location and we cannot reach you, the trip is treated as a no-show after a reasonable wait, and no refund is issued. The full trip charge is retained.
Deposits and Peak Dates
- Deposit: Any deposit identified as non-refundable at the time of booking is non-refundable regardless of when you cancel.
- Peak dates: Reservations for peak dates — including New Year’s Eve, major holidays, prom and graduation season, and large local events — may require a non-refundable peak-date charge, which is identified at booking and is not refunded if you cancel.
Changes to a Reservation
If you need to change your date, time, vehicle, or itinerary instead of cancelling, contact us as early as possible and we will do our best to accommodate you, subject to availability. A change is not confirmed until we confirm it in writing. If a requested change increases the price, the difference is due before the trip; reductions, where we can accommodate them, are credited. We are not able to guarantee changes requested inside 72 hours of pickup.
Weather and Events Beyond Anyone’s Control
If a trip cannot safely or lawfully be performed because of severe weather, a government order, a public-health emergency, or another event of force majeure as described in our Terms of Service, we will work with you in good faith to reschedule your trip to a comparable date at no rebooking penalty. If rescheduling is not possible, we will refund the trip charge for the unperformed service, less any non-refundable deposit and peak-date charge and less any costs we have already incurred for your trip. A force-majeure event affecting your event does not entitle you to a refund if we are able and ready to provide the vehicle.
If We Cancel
If Royal Chicago Buses cancels a confirmed reservation for a reason within our control and cannot provide a comparable substitute vehicle of equal or greater capacity and class, you will receive a full refund of all amounts you paid for that reservation, including any deposit. A substitution of a comparable or larger vehicle is not a cancellation.
Overtime, Stops, Damage, and Cleaning
Charges you incur during a trip are separate from the cancellation schedule and are not refundable once incurred. These include:
- Overtime beyond your reserved hours, billed at the rate and in the increments stated in your booking confirmation.
- Additional or unscheduled stops and itinerary changes you request during the trip.
- Tolls, parking, and venue or airport access fees we pay on your behalf.
- Damage and cleaning fees under the Terms of Service, including a cleaning fee for sickness (vomit), spills, broken glassware, or excessive trash, and the actual cost of repairing or replacing any damaged interior, equipment, or fixtures. The applicable amount is provided at the time the charge is assessed, with documentation available on request.
How Refunds Are Issued
Approved refunds are issued to the original payment method through our payment processor, Stripe. Please allow up to 5–10 business days for the refund to appear, depending on your bank or card issuer. We refund the amount due under this Policy; payment-processor fees, where applicable, may not be refundable.
Billing Questions and Chargebacks
If you have a question about a charge or refund, contact us first at info@royalchibuses.com or (773) 923-0220 and we will review it promptly. Please do not file a chargeback for charges that are valid under this Policy and our Terms — such as a non-refundable cancellation charge, a no-show, overtime, or a documented damage or cleaning fee. We will contest disputes over valid charges with documentation, as described in our Terms of Service.
Contact Us
Royal Chicago Buses LLC
Email: info@royalchibuses.com
Phone: (773) 923-0220
Reservations: 24/7
