Green travel is travel that uses low-emissions means of transport for at least half of the round trip, such as bus, train, bike or car-pooling. Traveling by boat will be considered as green travel if combined with another low emissions means of transport. In European Solidarity Corps volunteering projects, the travel contribution is based on unit costs, calculated on the travel distance per participant, including accompanying persons, and travel distances must be calculated using the distance calculator supported by the European Commission. In European Solidarity Corps volunteering projects, Organisational Support includes up to four additional days for participants receiving a green travel grant. Our guide on what the European Solidarity Corps is introduces that programme, what Erasmus+ is does the same for Erasmus+, and how travel distance bands work sets out the amount for each distance.
Last updated: October 2026.
What counts as green travel?
Green travel is travel that uses low-emissions means of transport for at least half of the round trip, such as bus, train, bike or car-pooling.
🚆 The transport: bus, train, bike and car-pooling are low-emissions means of transport, and green travel uses them for at least half of the round trip.
➗ The share of the trip: green travel uses low-emissions means of transport for at least half of the round trip.
⛴️ The boat: Traveling by boat will be considered as green travel if combined with another low emissions means of transport.
Our guide on what Erasmus+ covers lists the cost categories of a youth project, and how flights are booked and reimbursed explains what happens when you fly instead.
How much more money does green travel bring?
In European Solidarity Corps volunteering projects, the travel contribution is based on unit costs, calculated on the travel distance per participant, including accompanying persons, and travel distances must be calculated using the distance calculator supported by the European Commission. Our guide on how Erasmus+ and ESC travel reimbursement works gives the standard and green travel amount for every distance.
Do you get extra days when you travel green?
Yes: in European Solidarity Corps volunteering projects, Organisational Support and pocket money are based on the duration of the activity, including up to four additional days for participants receiving a green travel grant.
💶 Pocket money in European Solidarity Corps volunteering projects: pocket money is a contribution to additional personal expenses for participants, based on the host country and the duration of the activity per participant, excluding accompanying persons, including also one travel day before the activity and one travel day following the activity if necessary, and up to four additional days for participants receiving a green travel grant. Our guide on how much pocket money you get on ESC gives the daily figures.
🏠 Organisational Support in European Solidarity Corps volunteering projects: Organisational Support is based on the host country and the duration of the activity per participant, including accompanying persons, including also one travel day before the activity and one travel day following the activity if necessary, and up to four additional days for participants receiving a green travel grant.
🍽️ Individual Support in Erasmus+: Individual Support for youth exchanges covers costs linked to subsistence and is based on the receiving country, the duration of the activity per participant, group leaders, accompanying persons and facilitators, including also one travel day before the activity and one travel day following the activity if necessary, and up to four additional days for participants, for group leaders, accompanying persons and facilitators receiving a green travel grant. In mobility projects for youth workers, Individual Support is based on the receiving country, the duration of the stay per participant, accompanying persons, trainers and facilitators, including also one travel day before the activity and one travel day following the activity if necessary, and up to four additional days for participants, for trainers, facilitators and accompanying person receiving a green travel grant. In Youth participation activities, Individual Support is based on the receiving country, the duration of the stay per participant, accompanying persons and facilitators, including also one travel day before the activity and one travel day following the activity if necessary, and up to four additional days for participants, accompanying persons and facilitators receiving a green travel grant. Our guide on how much money you actually need turns these items into a real budget.
Which programmes and activities does the green travel rule apply to?
In the European Solidarity Corps, travel is a contribution to the travel costs of participants from their place of origin to the venue of the activity and return. Our guide on ESC volunteering from start to finish walks through every stage of a volunteering project.
🧑🤝🧑 Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges: travel is a contribution to the travel costs of participants, including group leaders, accompanying persons and facilitators, from their place of origin to the venue of the activity and return. Our guide on what a Youth Exchange is describes the activity.
🧑🏫 Erasmus+ mobility projects for youth workers: travel is a contribution to the travel costs of participants, including trainers, accompanying persons and facilitators, from their place of origin to the venue of the activity and return. Our guide on mobility of youth workers describes who takes part.
🗳️ Erasmus+ Youth participation activities: travel is a contribution to the travel costs of participants, their accompanying persons and facilitators, from their place of origin to the venue of the project activity or the physical event and return, regardless of whether the travel is national or transnational. Our guide on Erasmus+ Youth Participation Activities explains the format.
What are the rules below and above 500 km?
Below 500 KM, participants will, as a general rule, travel with low-emissions means of transport. Over 500 KM, participants are strongly encouraged to use a combination of different modes of transport to make their travel more sustainable. In Erasmus+ youth exchanges, mobility projects for youth workers and Youth participation activities, below 500 km participants will, as a general rule, travel with low-emissions means of transport, and over 500 KM participants are strongly encouraged to use a combination of different modes of transport to make their travel more sustainable.
Our guide on how travel distance bands work shows which band a journey falls into.
Frequently asked questions
Does travelling by boat count as green travel?
Traveling by boat will be considered as green travel if combined with another low emissions means of transport. Our guide on how Erasmus+ and ESC travel reimbursement works lists the green travel amount for each distance band.
Does the whole trip have to be green?
No. Green travel uses low-emissions means of transport for at least half of the round trip, such as bus, train, bike or car-pooling. Our guide on how flights are booked and reimbursed covers the part of a journey made by plane.
Is the green travel amount higher in every distance band?
No. In European Solidarity Corps volunteering projects, for travel distances between 4 000 and 7 999 KM the amount is EUR 1 188 per participant and 1 188 EUR in case of green travel, and for travel distances of 8 000 KM or more the amount is EUR 1 735 per participant and 1 735 EUR in case of green travel. Our guide on how travel distance bands work gives every band.
How is the travel distance calculated?
In European Solidarity Corps volunteering projects, travel distances must be calculated using the distance calculator supported by the European Commission. Our guide on how travel distance bands work explains how the calculated distance sets the travel amount.
Plan the journey, then the budget
Green travel uses low-emissions means of transport for at least half of the round trip, such as bus, train, bike or car-pooling. Our guide on how travel distance bands work sets out the amount for each distance, and how much pocket money you get on ESC shows what the extra days are worth in practice. The related pages below from Youth Works Hub cover each part of this guide in more detail.
Related pages: how travel distance bands work · how much pocket money you get on ESC · how flights are booked and reimbursed · what Erasmus+ covers · whether ESC is fully funded
👉 ESC projects: youthworkshub.org/category/esc-projects
👉 Erasmus+ projects: youthworkshub.org/category/erasmus-projects
