Green travel is one of the most underused perks in Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps. If you reach your project mainly by train, bus, bike, or carpool instead of flying, the programme gives you a higher travel grant and more paid travel days. It is a simple idea: travel in a low-carbon way, and the EU rewards you for it. This guide explains exactly what counts as green travel, how much extra you get (with the official figures), and when it is genuinely worth choosing.
What Is Green Travel in Erasmus+ and ESC? 🌍
Green travel is a funding option, not a separate programme. When you take part in an Erasmus+ mobility or an ESC volunteering activity, your travel is supported by a grant. If you make that journey using sustainable transport, you qualify for the green travel grant, which is higher than the standard one for most distances, plus extra days of support for the longer journey time. It exists because environmental sustainability is a core priority of Erasmus+ and the ESC.
What Counts as Green Travel? 🚆
The official definition is clear. Green travel means using low-emission transport for at least half of the round trip, such as:
🔹 🚆 Train
🔹 🚌 Bus or coach
🔹 🚲 Bike
🔹 🚗 Carpooling (sharing a car)
Travelling by boat only counts as green travel if it is combined with other low-emission transport. The key test is that at least half of your total journey there and back uses these low-carbon options, rather than flying.
Why the EU Rewards Green Travel 🌱
Environmental sustainability runs through the whole programme. Erasmus+ and the ESC actively encourage participants to reduce the carbon footprint of their mobility, and green practices are even part of how projects are assessed for quality. Rather than just asking people to fly less, the EU makes the sustainable choice the financially attractive one, so choosing the greener route usually means more money in your pocket, not less.
The Money: A Higher Travel Grant 💶
Here is the actual difference. Travel is reimbursed as a fixed amount based on the one-way distance band, and the green rate is higher than the standard (non-green) rate for most distances:
🔹 10 to 99 km: 56 EUR green vs 28 EUR standard
🔹 100 to 499 km: 285 EUR green vs 211 EUR standard
🔹 500 to 1999 km: 417 EUR green vs 309 EUR standard
🔹 2000 to 2999 km: 535 EUR green vs 395 EUR standard
🔹 3000 to 3999 km: 785 EUR green vs 580 EUR standard
⚠️ Honest note: for the longest distances, 4000 to 7999 km (1188 EUR) and 8000 km or more (1735 EUR), the green and standard rates are the same. Green travel gives you no extra money on those very long trips, which makes sense because they usually cannot be done overland. The financial bonus mainly helps on short and medium distances. For the full funding picture, see what Erasmus+ covers and is ESC fully funded.
Extra Travel Days for Green Travel ⏳
Sustainable transport is often slower, so the programme accounts for that too. Participants receiving a non-green travel grant get subsistence for a maximum of 2 travel days. Participants receiving a green travel grant get up to 6 travel dayscovered. In other words, the extra time your train or bus journey takes is supported, so going green does not eat into your own time or money for the days spent travelling.
How It Works in Practice 🧭
Claiming green travel is straightforward, but you need to do it properly:
🔹 Plan your route so that at least half of the round trip uses low-emission transport
🔹 Tell your organisation before you book, green travel is agreed as part of your travel arrangements
🔹 Keep all your tickets and proof (train, bus, carpool receipts), you may need them to justify the green grant
🔹 Book early, since trains and buses across borders can sell out and fares rise closer to the date
Your sending or hosting organisation handles the grant, so confirm the details with them first.
Green Travel in ESC vs Erasmus+ 🔄
The good news is that green travel works the same way in both programmes. Whether you are doing an Erasmus+ youth exchange, a mobility of youth workers activity, or ESC volunteering, the same distance-band logic, the same higher green rates, and the same extra travel days apply. So no matter which programme brings you abroad, choosing sustainable transport follows the same rules.
Is Green Travel Always Worth It? 🤔
Usually yes, but be realistic:
🔹 ✅ On short and medium journeys, you get more money and more paid travel days, and a lower-carbon trip
🔹 ✅ Overland travel often means seeing more places and a better experience along the way
🔹 ⚠️ On very long or intercontinental journeys (4000 km and up), there is no extra grant, and flying may be the only realistic option
🔹 ⚠️ Green routes take longer, so plan your time and book ahead
For most European journeys, green travel is a genuine win. For long-haul trips, choose whatever is practical, the programme does not penalise you either way.
Frequently Asked Questions ❓
What is green travel in Erasmus+ and ESC?
It is a travel-funding option where you use low-emission transport, such as train, bus, bike, or carpool, for at least half of your round trip. In return you receive a higher travel grant and more paid travel days than standard travel.
What counts as green travel?
Using low-emission transport for at least half of the round trip: train, bus, bike, or carpooling. Boat travel counts only if combined with other low-emission transport. Flying does not count.
How much more do you get for green travel?
The green rate is higher than the standard rate for most distances, for example 285 EUR versus 211 EUR for 100 to 499 km, or 417 EUR versus 309 EUR for 500 to 1999 km. For the two longest bands (4000 km and above) the green and standard rates are the same.
Do you get extra days for green travel?
Yes. Green travellers get subsistence for up to 6 travel days, compared with a maximum of 2 for non-green travel, because sustainable transport usually takes longer.
Does green travel work the same in ESC and Erasmus+?
Yes. Both programmes use the same distance bands, the same higher green rates, and the same extra travel days, so the rules are the same whichever activity you take part in.
In Short 💙
Green travel means reaching your Erasmus+ or ESC activity mostly by train, bus, bike, or carpool, and the EU rewards you with a higher travel grant and up to 6 paid travel days instead of 2. The bonus is real on short and medium journeys, though the green and standard rates are equal for the longest distances. If you can travel overland, going green is usually greener, cheaper for the EU, and better paid for you.
👉 Find your next opportunity: ESC projects or Erasmus+ projects on Youth Works Hub
