Green Travel
Sustainability is, besides digitalisation and inclusion, one of the focus points of the new Erasmus program. To support the sustainability of Erasmus mobilities, you may receive additional funding if both the outbound and inbound journeys are taken sustainably. Also, there is a special Interrail pass for Erasmus+ which allows you to travel for 4 - 6 days within 6 months.
Top-up Green travel in Erasmus
In our project 2023, you have to submit the “Honorary Declaration for Green Travel” together with your final documents at the end of the internship. You may receive a once-off flat fee of €50 and up to 4 additional travel days at the daily rate of your grant. You will receive this additional funding with the final instalment after the end of your traineeship.
In the new 2024 project, you will be granted up to 6 travel days in addition to your Erasmus+ funding. This depends on the distance of the destination from your place of study. You have to submit the “Honorary Declaration for Green Travel” together with your application documents before the internship starts.
- 100 km - 499 km: 2 days
- 500 km - 1.999 km: 4 days
- from 2.000 km: 6 days
Sustainable, i.e. low-emission, travel means that:
- You cover more than 50% of the outward and return journey by sustainable means of transport.
- Sustainable means of transportation are: Train, bus, carpooling (not with parents), bicycle
- Not sustainable are: airplane, ferry/ship, car
The Green Travel grant is very low, while the administrative expense for us is high.
Therefore:
- We only need the Honorary Declaration. However, you must keep documents of proof for 6 years after the end of your traineeship for possible audits by us, the EU or the DAAD
- Consider whether your outbound and inbound journeys really are sustainable. The term “mainly sustainable outbound journey” is elastic. Air travel does not count as sustainable, travel by car only under certain circumstances (e.g. car sharing). We have no clear definition of “mainly”. For your orientation: We consider a journey sustainable that is not made by plane or car, but instead by train or bus.
- The EU has not provided concrete guideline regarding the additional travel days either, so here the choice is up to you as well. All your declarations must be plausible and reflect the reality.
