These general terms and conditions regulate the legal relationship between you, the language trip participant, and us, the language travel agency of Linguista Language Travel, a trademark of Media Touristik AG (hereinafter “Linguista Language Travel”). They are applicable for the services listed on this website and in the prospectus.
1. Application and Conclusion of Contract
1.1 The service descriptions published on the website and in the prospectus are to be understood as an invitation to submit an offer.
1.2 The customer can register personally, by telephone, in writing (e.g. letter, email, fax) or via the Internet. By registering, you are submitting a binding offer to Linguista Language Travel to complete the booking. The booking is made upon acceptance of the registration by Linguista Language Travel.
1.3 By registering you accept the general terms and conditions of Linguista language courses in connection with your language course.
2. Linguista Language Travel Services
2.1 The services of Linguista Language Travel are determined according to the general service descriptions in our brochure and on our website www.linguista.ch, as well as according to the information communicated in writing by Linguista Language Travel (e.g. booking confirmation). Linguista Language Travel only act as an intermediary for the services of third parties such as schools, airlines, etc.
2.2 The prospectus and the advertisements on the website are not binding offers. Changes to services (price, course, timetable and accommodation changes) are expressly reserved.
3. Fees
3.1 Linguista Language Travel will charge a flat rate of CHF 80.– per order for each registration (CHF 100.– for programs from Work & Travel, youth language courses CHF 80.–). We charge express expenses of max. 80.– CHF per order for bookings that reach us 10 working days or later before the start of your trip (for youth language courses this applies from 30 days before the start of the trip). Additional fees are charged for third-party services such as car rental and hotel bookings.
3.2 If you would like to change the payment arrangements agreed upon when booking, we will charge a fee of CHF 60.–.
4. Confirmation/Invoice/Course documents
4.1 Linguista Language Travel will send you your course confirmation no later than 10 working days after receipt of your registration. The down payment of 500.– CHF per person (plus the order fee) is due immediately upon confirmation of the course.
4.2 The final invoice will be sent to you 4–6 weeks before your departure. The balance must be paid at least 21 days before departure. The foreign currency amount is converted into Swiss francs at the exchange rate valid on that date. We use a standard internal bank exchange rate to cover currency risks. This exchange rate is clearly indicated on the confirmation/invoice.
You may also pay your invoice in your respective foreign currency. However, you must inform us of this at the latest when you register. All bank charges associated with your deposit are at your expense.
4.3 The aforementioned payment periods are expiry days. If payment is not made on time, the customer is in default without a reminder. In this case, Linguista Language Travel are entitled to withdraw from the contract without notice, to refuse the travel service and to cancel the booking after deduction of the full cancellation costs. Further claims for damages remain expressly reserved.
4.4 You will receive the travel documents after payment has been made, usually about 10 days before departure.
5. Transfers
5.1 We endeavour to meet your re-booking requests. Requests must be made in writing. We charge a processing fee of at least CHF 150.– to a maximum of CHF 250.– per re-booking.
5.2 If the re-booking of a flight ticket is also necessary within your re-booking, we will charge you the re-booking expenses applicable by the respective airline, i.e. re-booking fees of the airlines of up to 100% can be charged. The conditions of the airlines apply.
5.3 If the re-booking includes a change of school, this is considered a withdrawal with the corresponding legal consequences in accordance with Section 6 and not a re-booking.
6. Withdrawal (cancellation) by the customer
6.1 The cancellation of your booked language course must be made in writing (the date of receipt of the written cancellation by Linguista Language Travel is decisive). For cancellations, we generally charge a processing fee of 500.– CHF per person as well as the fixed rate order fee.
6.2 If we receive your cancellation less than 30 days before your departure date, the following additional cancellation costs will be charged as a percentage of the invoiced amount for course, accommodation and all school fees.
Cancellation of language course and accommodation:
- 29–15 days before departure: 20%
- 14–8 days before departure: 40%
- 7–1 day(s) before departure: 80%
- Cancellation on the day of departure or after the start of the course: 100%
6.3 Apartments, studios, residences and hotel rooms are subject to the cancellation policies of the local service provider and are usually significantly higher than those associated with host family accommodation. These cancellations can be up to 100%. The conditions of the respective service provider also apply to offers from third-party providers (e.g. transfers). Please note that any additional expenses by other service providers will be charged in full. We would explicitly like to point out that fixed rate order fees, express fees and insurance premiums will always be charged in addition to the cancellation fees.
6.4 The cancellation conditions of the booked airline apply for flight bookings. Tickets that have been issued can usually only be cancelled with very high fees.
6.5 A cancelled language course is not transferable to another person. You are not entitled to a refund if you do not take part in the language course or break off the course prematurely. Cancellation costs resulting from a withdrawal for medical reasons (medical certificate required) of the participant or his/her relatives can be covered by travel cancellation insurance (see point 8).
7. Air travel
7.1 Linguista Language Travel are an intermediary for air travel and arrange this as an individual service. Linguista Language Travel do not assume any liability for claims that can be traced back to flight arrangements.
7.2 The general terms and conditions of the respective airline apply. Any claims must be directed exclusively to the airline. In the case of re-booking, delays or cancellations, the rules of the booked airline apply, i.e. up to 100% of the ticket price can be charged.
8. Insurance
8.1 We recommend that you take out travel/cancellation insurance, such as the basic package from Europäische Reiseversicherungs AG. The insurance covers you for 365 days and includes SOS return travel cover during this period. We would be pleased to advise you about the exact benefits and prices of this insurance. We would explicitly like to point out that processing fees and expenses are not covered by this insurance.
8.2 We would be happy to advise you about additional travel insurance such as single trip, accident and luggage insurance. Check and make sure that you are adequately protected in your destination country by your health insurer in the event of illness.
9. Price changes
Linguista Language Travel reserves the right to change the advertised prices for important, unpredictable reasons (e.g. in the event of subsequent price increases by the service providers, changes in exchange rates, as well as subsequently introduced taxes such as airport taxes, fuel surcharges or other taxes).
10. Liability of the intermediary
10.1 As a language travel agent, Linguista Language Travel are liable to the customer for the proper fulfilment of the contract, in particular for the careful selection and monitoring of the service providers and the professional organisation of the language travel. With regard to language schools and private accommodation, Linguista Language Travel is only liable for language stays to the extent mentioned above due to careless selection or instruction.
10.2 Liability is excluded to the extent permitted by law and limited to double the price of the trip. This limitation does not apply to personal injury and not in the event of intent or gross negligence. In particular, liability for consequential damage is excluded.
10.3 Linguista Language Travel are not liable if the non-fulfilment or improper fulfilment of the contract is due to negligence on your part, to errors by third parties not involved in the fulfilment of the contract or to events of force majeure. Claims for damages and reimbursements are excluded in this case.
10.4 Linguista Language Travel are generally not liable for external services that are not part of the booked language course (e.g. excursions, sports activities, events, etc.). Liability for external services booked on-site through schools and other service providers is excluded.
11. Complaints/Holidays
11.1 If problems or complaints arise during your language course, you must contact the school management immediately. If your concerns cannot be resolved to your satisfaction, it is your responsibility to contact Linguista Language Travel (by phone, fax or email) immediately. In the event of culpable non-compliance with this obligation, later claims are excluded.
11.2 If deficiencies cannot be remedied on site, these must be reported to Linguista Language Travel in writing no later than 30 days after completion of your language course. Do not forget to have your complaint and any possible assurances made by the school management confirmed in writing. If the defects are not asserted within this period, all claims are forfeited.
11.3 No refund will be given for services not used. Holidays are neither compensated nor reimbursed.
12. Program changes and cancellation by the agent
12.1 If a language course has to be cancelled for imperative reasons (such as force majeure, warlike events, terror, riots, strikes, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, official measures, etc.) or the programme has to be changed for one of the above-mentioned reasons, Linguista Language Travel tries to offer an equivalent replacement program. Further claims, in particular refunds or claims for damages, are excluded.
12.2 Claims for reduction or damages are excluded for program changes that cannot be influenced by Linguista Language Travel (such as changing school buildings or campuses, changing teachers, changing host families, deviating from the travel route, etc.). No liability is assumed for program changes due to travel delays or strikes.
12.3 If there are too few students in a class, the school reserves the right to reduce the number of lessons.
13. Reservations of the agent
We reserve the right to exclude travel participants from the programme if they permanently disrupt the proper implementation of the language course, violate the rules of the language school or the host country despite a warning or endanger other course participants in any way. All associated costs, including early return home, shall be borne by the participant. In this case, services not used will not be reimbursed and additional costs are to be borne by the travel participant.
14. Entry requirements/Visa
14.1 You are responsible for the necessary travel preparations (entry documents, any visas, vaccinations, etc.). This applies in particular to compliance with the entry, visa, currency, customs, vaccination and insurance regulations valid in the individual countries.
If entry is refused for reasons beyond Linguista Language Travel's control, the booked language course is considered cancelled, subject to the cancellation conditions mentioned in point 5.
14.3 Linguista Language Travel is in no way responsible for incorrect or insufficient entry documents and disclaims any liability. Refunds for services not used or claims for damages are excluded in these cases.
15. Ombudsman
Contact the independent Ombudsman for the Swiss Travel Industry before taking legal action. The Ombudsman will strive to find a fair and balanced agreement between you and Linguista Language Travel for any kind of problem. The Ombudsman's address is:
Ombudsman of the Swiss Travel Industry, Etzelstrasse 42, 8038 Zurich.
16. Travel Guarantee Fund
Linguista is a member of the Guarantee Fund of the Swiss Travel Industry, which guarantees the security of the amounts paid in connection with your trip. The fee for guaranteeing the client‘s funds is included in the price. For more information, please visit www.reisegarantie.ch
17. Applicable law and jurisdiction
Swiss law applies exclusively. Subject to mandatory legal provisions, the place of jurisdiction is Zurich.
18. Organisation
Linguista Language Travel is a brand of Media Touristik AG, Zurich.
19. Privacy policy
Please find our updated privacy statement here.
