Terms & Conditions

Operated by Helvetic Drive Ltd. | Effective upon publication

1. Company and scope

These Terms & Conditions apply to chauffeur-driven transport services supplied by Helvetic Drive Ltd. (“Helvetic Drive”, “we”, “us”) in Uganda. The contracting entity and invoice issuer is Helvetic Drive Ltd., Bbuto, Bweyogerere, Wakiso District, Central Region, Uganda. The customer must be at least 18 years old to book. These terms apply together with the individual written booking confirmation; mandatory law prevails in case of conflict.

2. Services and geographic scope

Services include private and leisure travel, business trips, airport transfers, city and long-distance journeys, field visits and longer assignments for organisations, and travel to remote destinations throughout Uganda. No self-drive rentals or cross-border journeys are offered. Single transfers and single-day chauffeur services may be booked. For bookings expressly offered as multi-day tours or assignments, a minimum of two days applies.

3. Booking and selected vehicle/driver

A customer may enquire via helveticdrive.com, email, WhatsApp or telephone. We provide the agreed itinerary, price, selected vehicle model, selected driver and relevant arrangements before travel. A booking becomes binding after written confirmation, acceptance of these terms and receipt of a 30% deposit. The customer chooses a specific vehicle and driver; neither will be substituted without the customer’s consent, except that a replacement vehicle may be offered in case of vehicle failure under section 12. If the selected driver becomes unavailable due to illness or emergency, the customer may accept an offered replacement or cancel free of charge with refund of payments made. Driver contact and registration details are shared before travel once available. Only expressly confirmed equipment is guaranteed.

4. Prices, taxes and payments

Quoted prices include applicable taxes and the agreed vehicle and chauffeur, maintenance, appropriate operating insurance, routine cleaning, and the driver’s meals and suitable overnight accommodation. Fuel, park entrance charges, parking and other entry or official fees are excluded unless expressly stated. Customers pay fuel directly at filling stations and excluded park/official fees directly on site. The vehicle is supplied with a full fuel tank and must be returned with a full tank at journey end. Fuel for the agreed route remains the customer’s responsibility. The 30% deposit secures the booking; the remaining 70% is due before travel begins. Payment is accepted by bank transfer or Visa/Mastercard via an external processor. Invoices may be denominated in USD, UGX or CHF and paid to the bank account specified on the invoice, in Uganda or Switzerland. The customer bears transfer charges and exchange costs so that the full invoiced amount is received. All amounts and additional charges must be agreed in advance where practicable.

5. Cancellation by the customer

The following cancellation charges are calculated on the total confirmed booking price: more than 14 days before the scheduled start: 0%; from 7 to 14 days before the start: 30%; from 3 to 6 days before the start: 50%; less than 72 hours before the start: 100%. To avoid overlap, the 7–14 day band applies from 168 hours up to and including 336 hours before departure; the 3–6 day band applies from 72 hours up to less than 168 hours; more than 336 hours is free. Deposits and other payments are credited against applicable charges. Any balance due is refundable. Mandatory consumer rights prevail. Approved refunds will be initiated within 14 working days, subject to shorter mandatory legal deadlines.

6. Booking changes, extensions and early termination

Changes to dates, route or arrangements are subject to availability. Any additional costs must be disclosed and accepted before being charged. Additional travel days are charged at the original agreed daily rate where the vehicle and driver are available; exceptional additional costs require advance agreement. If a customer voluntarily ends a journey early, services already delivered remain payable and unused reserved days are generally non-refundable, to the extent permitted by law. Rights arising from our failure to perform are unaffected.

7. Airport pickups, waiting and no-show

Customers should provide flight details and notify us of changes. We will reasonably accommodate flight delays. The first 60 minutes following actual landing are included; additional waiting may be charged only at a rate agreed in advance. If the customer does not appear at the agreed location after the agreed waiting period, and the driver has attended and made reasonable attempts to contact the customer, the booking may be treated as a no-show without refund, subject to mandatory law.

8. Route, working hours and safety

Transport covers the itinerary agreed in the booking; no fixed kilometre cap applies within that route. Material route changes may attract agreed additional charges. Driver availability is flexible to the itinerary, with a normal planning guideline of up to 10 hours per day and compliance with legal driving, rest and safety requirements. Night driving is possible where the driver considers conditions safe. The driver may refuse, interrupt or reroute a journey because of unsafe roads, flooding, severe weather, security threats or other serious risks, and will consult the customer where reasonably possible. Helvetic Drive may decline travel to high-risk regions.

9. Passengers, children and conduct

Passenger numbers must not exceed the vehicle’s licensed seating capacity. Passengers must comply with seat belt requirements and reasonable driver safety instructions; the driver may suspend transport if a passenger refuses to comply. Appropriate child seats are available without charge on advance request; the customer must disclose the number and ages of children. Smoking and alcohol consumption inside vehicles are prohibited. Pets are not accepted, except legally required accommodations for assistance animals. Customers are responsible for proven damage caused intentionally or through gross negligence, to the extent permitted by law; normal wear is excluded.

10. Luggage, roof rack and cleanliness

Bulky or unusual items must be declared before booking and accepted by us. Use of the vehicle’s roof rack and securing straps is included without extra charge, subject to safe securing and lawful load limits. We take reasonable care of luggage and are liable for proven loss or damage caused by our negligence or that of our driver, in accordance with applicable law. Routine interior and exterior cleaning is included. Reasonable documented extra cleaning costs resulting from extraordinary customer-caused soiling may be charged.

11. Game drives and remote areas

Vehicles may be used on permitted national park tracks and for game drives only where vehicle suitability, insurance and park rules allow. Park fees are paid by the customer directly. Helvetic Drive generally bears the vehicle risk for wildlife-related damage, except for damage proven to have been intentionally or grossly negligently caused by the customer, subject to applicable law. Customers are advised to maintain their own travel, medical emergency, repatriation and trip cancellation insurance; this is not included in the rental price.

12. Breakdown, interruption and cancellation by us

In the event of vehicle failure, we will seek a suitable replacement vehicle without additional rental charges, subject to availability. If continuation is impossible, we will refund the proportion relating to services not delivered. Where the breakdown is attributable to us, we will also cover reasonable, documented necessary additional accommodation or alternative transport expenses, subject to applicable law. If we cannot perform a confirmed booking and no suitable replacement is available, the customer may choose a free rescheduling or refund for undelivered services. Mandatory remedies remain unaffected.

13. Emergencies and liability

In a medical emergency the driver may call emergency services or take reasonable immediate action, including travelling to an appropriate hospital. External medical costs are normally borne by the customer or their insurer unless applicable law allocates responsibility otherwise. We provide services with reasonable skill and care. Nothing excludes liability for negligence, personal injury, fraud or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded. We are responsible for traffic fines arising from our driver’s driving offences; drivers must refuse unlawful customer instructions.

14. Force majeure

Where extraordinary circumstances beyond reasonable control materially prevent performance, we will offer rescheduling or a refund for undelivered services, less demonstrable unavoidable non-refundable costs where lawful. This does not restrict mandatory customer rights.

15. Business customers, privacy and complaints

For corporate or NGO bookings, the contracting customer and invoice recipient are agreed in advance. Drivers are bound by confidentiality regarding customer identities, itineraries and business discussions, subject to legal obligations. We may enter reasonable additional non-disclosure agreements. Complaints should preferably be made within 14 days after the journey; statutory rights are not affected. We aim to acknowledge complaints within five working days. Personal information is processed under our separate Privacy Policy.

16. Applicable law and contract records

Ugandan law governs these terms, without prejudice to mandatory consumer protection rules applicable to international customers. Parties should first seek an amicable solution; unresolved disputes may be brought before competent Ugandan courts, subject to mandatory jurisdiction rules. The version of the terms accepted at booking is recorded and linked in the confirmation. In case of discrepancies between translations, the English version is intended to prevail to the extent legally permissible.

17. Contact

Swiss-managed. Uganda-based. | Driven by Trust.