Understanding Your Travel Costs: A Guide to the Travel Cost Calculator

Managing travel expenses can be a complex task, especially when it comes to projects funded by the European Union. Fortunately, the European Commission provides helpful tools to simplify this process. This guide will walk you through understanding and using the Travel Cost Calculator provided for EU-funded projects, ensuring you accurately determine eligible travel costs.

Calculating the correct reimbursement for travel depends on the distance traveled between your origin and destination. To make this straightforward, two types of calculators are available: one for land travel and another for air travel. These tools are designed to help beneficiaries quickly determine the distance bands relevant to their journeys, which in turn dictates the unit cost for reimbursement.

For air travel, the travel cost calculator helps you find the distance, which you then compare against the distance bands in the tables provided below. These tables specify the unit cost per return trip based on distance. Similarly, for land travel, the calculator’s distance output is matched against distance bands found in Annex 2a of the model grant agreement, available via a provided link. It’s important to note that the specific table you should use depends on the call opening date of your project and its end date. Always refer to the notes below each table and Annex 2a for clarity.

Land Travel calculator

Flight calculator

Once you have calculated your travel distance using the appropriate travel cost calculator, you need to refer to the correct unit cost table. The table you use is determined by the timeline of your project.

Table 1: Unit cost per distance band for air, rail or combined air/rail travel (reference Commission Decision C(2021)35)

Applicable for calls opened before 26/07/2023 and projects ending on or before 31/12/2022, or ongoing on 01/01/2023 where beneficiaries opted out of increased amounts in Table 2.

Table 1 is relevant if your project call opened before July 26, 2023, and your project concluded on or before December 31, 2022. It also applies to projects ongoing on January 1, 2023, where beneficiaries chose not to adopt the increased rates in Table 2. If these conditions match your project, use this table alongside the travel cost calculator to determine your reimbursable travel costs.

Table 2: Unit cost per distance band for air, rail or combined air/rail travel (reference Commission Decision C(2023)4928)

Applicable for all calls opened on or after 26/07/2023, and for projects ongoing on 01/01/2023 or starting after, where beneficiaries chose to use the increased amounts from the original call (Table 1).

Table 2 should be used if your project call opened on or after July 26, 2023. It’s also relevant for projects that were ongoing on January 1, 2023, or started after that date, given that the beneficiary decided to apply the increased unit costs. When your project falls into this category, the travel cost calculator in conjunction with Table 2 will provide the correct unit costs for your travel reimbursements.

Table 3: Unit cost per distance band for air or combined air/rail travel (reference Commission Decision C(2024)5405)

Applicable for calls opened as of 31 July 2024.

For projects with calls opening on or after July 31, 2024, Table 3 is the applicable reference. Utilize the travel cost calculator to determine your travel distance and then consult Table 3 to find the corresponding unit costs. Ensuring you use the correct table, aligned with your project timeline, is crucial for accurate travel cost management.

By using the provided travel cost calculator and referring to the appropriate unit cost table, beneficiaries of EU-funded projects can confidently and accurately calculate their eligible travel expenses, simplifying budget management and ensuring compliance with EU regulations.