639. Successive and substitute carriers.

If carriage governed by a single contract is performed by several successive carriers¹, each carrier, by the very act of taking over the goods with the consignment note², the luggage with the luggage registration voucher³ or the vehicle with the carriage voucher⁴, becomes a party to the contract of carriage⁵ and assumes the obligations arising therefrom⁶. In such a case each carrier is responsible in respect of carriage over the entire route up to delivery⁷.

Where the carrier has entrusted the performance of the carriage, in whole or in part, to a substitute carrier⁸, whether or not in pursuance of