Deutsche Version: Reisekosten: Von A bis Z

You can find key information on work-related travel and travel expenses here. This overview does not claim to be comprehensive. The topic of work-related travel is constantly changing. Please therefore regularly check the currently valid regulations before planning work-related travel.

Forms (Formulare)

• Payment request for travel expenses  (only for student or graduate assistants and external individuals - including those holding an emeritus position)
• Request for the approval of a work-related trip
• Request for a work-related travel form (A1)

Certificate for working abroad (A1-Bescheinnigung/Entsendung)

For staff who are employed in Germany and are sent to work abroad temporarily by their employer, the German regulations on social security are to continue to apply under certain conditions. This avoids short-term and potentially repeated transfers between the social systems of different countries, as well as time-consuming processes for registering with and deregistering from these systems and for the subsequent granting of benefits.

Staff are deemed to have been posted abroad with regard to social insurance regulations if they conduct work-related travel abroad in the context of an employment relationship existing in Germany. This travel must be limited in time due to the nature of the activity (e.g. attending a conference or a convention).

The competent social insurance institutions are responsible for determining whether a person sent to work abroad is subject to German regulations on social security.

According to the latest information from the Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund (DRV) and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS), the regulations have now been streamlined since the social security agreements do not explicitly require you to carry a certificate for working abroad with you. Furthermore, when such documentation is checked, the academic sector does not appear to be the focus.

For this reason – and following discussions with other higher education institutions – effective immediately, a certificate for working abroad/portable document A1 no longer needs to be requested before the start of your trip. If you are asked to present this document, it can be requested and issued retroactively. In such cases, it is essential that you contact UDE’s Travel Expenses team.

Exceptions to this rule are France, Austria and Switzerland, where the national regulations include the requirement to carry this document and checks may be performed more often. For these three countries, you must still request a portable document A1 before the start of your trip. To do so, please fill out the corresponding form (German/English) in good time before departure and send it to the group mailbox entsendung@uni-due.de.

If you wish to carry a portable document A1 for other countries with you during your trip, we will honour this request and submit it for you. To do so, please also fill out the corresponding form (German/English) and send it to the group mailbox entsendung@uni-due.de.

Claiming travel expenses (Abrechnung der Reisekosten)

As is the case with requests and approvals in connection with work-related travel, payment requests for travel expenses are also to be submitted via the SAP portal.

After successfully claiming travel expenses, please upload the receipts for the costs incurred as an attachment. However, submitting the receipts in digital form is not a substitute for fulfilling your obligation to keep the original receipts. The originals need to be presented upon request in the context of random or ad hoc checks.

The documents to be submitted include:

• receipts for transportation costs
• receipts for accommodation
• receipts for additional costs
• documents giving reasons why travel is necessary
• the approval for the work-related travel or the instruction regarding work abroad if the request for work-related travel was not submitted in the SAP portal
• in the case of travel including flights: a flight itinerary where all departure and arrival times are visible

• In the case of trips that last more than one day, a document giving reasons why travel is necessary and indicating the start and end times of the work commitments involved (e.g. programme, invitation) is required.

  Exceptions from the submission of receipts in digital form:

  Receipts relating to work-related travel in the context of EU-funded projects (WBS/PSP elements with ‘1’ or ‘2’ as the tenth digit) must still be submitted on paper. To do so, please send the original receipts and copies to your travel expenses administrator along with a note indicating that the trip is to be accounted for as part of an EU-funded project.

  To ensure the claim’s review and payment are completed as quickly as possible, please provide complete and coherent information in your request for the payment of travel expenses.                                                                                                     For further information and detailed instructions regarding the overall request and approval process, it may be helpful to take a look at the tutorials and guides (in German).

Approval of general work-related travel (Allgemeine Dienstreisegenehmigung)

In order to fulfil work commitments of a similar nature within a geographical area to be defined, the Travel Expenses team can issue an approval of general work-related travel. This means that, for example, an approval of general work-related travel can be issued as part of a project in which you regularly visit one or more destinations (e.g. construction site, school, company, a specific city).

Please send a request (using the form ‘Request for the approval of general work-related travel) to this end to the Travel Expenses team.

If you want an approval of general work-related travel that only serves the purpose of providing accident insurance coverage, we do not require the cost centre to be stated. Please send us your request for an approval of general work-related travel following the hierarchical channels.

Important: Approvals of general work-related travel cannot be issued with retroactive effect. As long as you have not received an approval of general work-related travel from the Travel Expenses team, you need to submit a request for a work-related trip following the usual procedure.

American-Express (American Express)

All staff whose job at the University is their primary occupation have the possibility of acquiring a personal American Express card free of charge. The card is primarily intended for work-related use – in particular to cover travel expenses – but can also be used for private purposes. The American Express card is distinguished in particular by the fact that payment is deferred by at least 28 days in contrast to standard credit cards.

The benefits of the American Express Corporate Card:

• monthly invoice with a payment term of at least 28 days from the invoice date
• no spending limit
• insurance for luggage and personal belongings up to €5,000 per trip (max. €750 per item)
• transport accident insurance up to €570,000
• work-related travel accident insurance up to €350,000
• international travel insurance up to €2 million (return transportation/repatriation included)
• Global Assist – a worldwide service offering information and assistance in German and English 24 hours a day
• cash withdrawal from ATMs
• account access via an app or on a computer

• You can find more detailed information in the schedule of fees and services (in German) and the membership terms and conditions.

• An important clarification regarding the second page (the ‘Kartengebühren’ (card fees) section of the schedule of fees and services): the annual charge negotiated between the University and American Express is €0.00.

   

  Application procedure:

  The entire application procedure is conducted online:

1. Please apply for an American Express Corporate Card by sending an email to amex-kartenantrag@uni-due.de.
2. After a short processing period (two working days at most), you will receive an invitation link for the card application module.
3. Please fill in the application within 30 days. In the context of submitting the application, you will confirm the membership terms and conditions and acknowledge the schedule of fees and service.

4. An important clarification regarding the second page (the ‘Kartengebühren’ (card fees) section of the schedule of fees and services): the annual charge negotiated between the University and American Express is €0.00.

5. Subsequently, you have to prove your identity to American Express. You can do this in one of the three following ways:

     a. identification using the WebID service (only possible with a computer/laptop with an integrated or connected camera)

     b. postal identification with POSTIDENT

     c. identification through your bank account

1. After this, please send in your completed application. As soon as the responsible administrator in the Personnel & Organisation Division has confirmed your card application, it will be sent directly to American Express. The application is usually forwarded to American Express on the same working day.

   From this point, the University can and may no longer intervene in the contractual relationship between you and American Express.

Cut-off period  (Ausschlussfrist)

Claims for travel expenses must be submitted within a period of six months. This period begins on the day after the trip has been completed. After this period has expired, a reimbursement of expenses is no longer possible. There are no exceptions to this rule. Receiving an advance payment does not release you from the obligation to submit information on travel expenses.

Use of regularly scheduled means of transportation (Benutzung von regelmäßig verkehrenden Beförderungsmitteln)

For economic reasons and taking into account environmental protection, regularly scheduled means of transportation are primarily to be used in the context of work-related travel. As a rule, only the costs incurred for the lowest available class will be reimbursed.

In the case of train journeys of two hours or more, costs incurred can be reimbursed up to the amount required for the next class up from the lowest. The timespan between the scheduled departure and the scheduled arrival at the nearest train station is the decisive aspect in determining whether this rule applies. The time required for changing trains is included in these calculations.

If there are compelling personal reasons (e.g. individuals with a disability with the code aG, Bl or G on their disability pass), the costs of the next class up can also be reimbursed.

As a rule, tickets valid for a certain time period or transport network or employer-subsidised subscription tickets that have been purchased privately are also to be used for work-related travel. This also applies to BahnCard discount cards that have been purchased privately. A partial reimbursement of the cost for private tickets or discount cards is not possible.

Appointment procedures (Berufungsverfahren)

Travel costs incurred in the context of appointment procedures are reimbursed in accordance with the North Rhine-Westphalian Travel Expenses Act (Landesreisekostengesetz NRW) and covered by central funds (General, Financial and Other Personnel Matters Department). To request reimbursement of your expenses, please send the following information to your travel expenses administrator:

- ‘Payment request for travel expenses’ form for non-members: German, English

- receipts

- the letter inviting you to participate in the appointment procedure

Daily allowances will not be paid in this context.

 

 Travelling to the other campus (Campusfahrt)

 

If work commitments require a staff member to travel to the UDE campus that is not their usual place of work, this is generally approved for all staff. This form of travel therefore does not need to be ordered or approved in advance, either in writing or digitally.

In this context, please take note of the circular dated 2006-05-17 (in German). Of course, travel to the other campus can also begin or end at the staff member’s place of residence. The reimbursement of costs and the booking of travelling times are limited to the distance between the two campuses.

Please find further information (in German) about requesting reimbursement for trips you made to the other campus in the handout (Abrechnung einer durchgeführten Campusfahrt) provided for this purpose.

 Definition of work-related travel or a work-related trip (Definition Dienstreise)

Work-related travel’ or ‘a work-related trip’ means travel which is undertaken to fulfil work commitments away from the place of work and which has been ordered or approved in advance. The necessary costs incurred for work-related travel are reimbursed to the person undertaking travel in accordance with the North Rhine-Westphalian Travel Expenses Act. As a rule, the principles of cost effectiveness and economy are to be observed when approving, conducting or instructing staff to undertake work-related travel.

If an individual does not leave their residence or place of work to fulfil a work commitment (e.g. when taking part in an online event), it does not constitute work-related travel.

 

Definition of place of work (Definition Dienststätte)

 

The place of work is the smallest administrative unit that can be defined in organisational terms within the employing body. This generally corresponds to the building where staff usually perform their work. Travel costs between the staff member’s residence and place of work cannot be reimbursed; they can only be claimed in the context of occupational expenses in the staff member’s income tax declaration. The staff member’s residence does not constitute the place of work when working from home or remotely.

Work-related travel in the location of the place of work or residence (local trips to conduct work-related errands and activities) (Dienstreisen am Dienst- oder Wohnort (früher Dienstgänge))

A Work-related travel in the location of the place of work or residence can be undertaken upon verbal instruction or approval. The requirement to submit a written or digital request therefore does not apply.

In the case of work-related travel in the location of the place of work, only costs that would have been incurred if the work-related travel had begun or ended at the place of work are reimbursed. This does not apply if the place of work and residence are identical or if starting or ending the work-related travel at the staff member’s residence is more economical.

Principle of reimbursement (Erstattungsprinzip)

In general, the principle of reimbursement applies. You initially bear the costs incurred in connection with work-related travel yourself. After submitting an expense claim for work-related travel, you will be reimbursed for the necessary costs.

In justified cases, you can be granted an advance payment to a maximum amount of 80% of the expected expenses to be reimbursed. This advance payment can be requested when recording the work-related travel in the SAP portal (see page 28 of the handbook for further information in German). Costs will not be reimbursed directly to third parties.

Deutsche Bahn business travel portal (Firmenkundenportal der Deutschen Bahn AG)

Train tickets for the Deutsche Bahn can be purchased via the Deutsche Bahn’s business travel portal (bahn.business). There are two steps to activate your account:

• Please send an email to your responsible travel expenses administrator and ask for your account to be activated.
• After your account has successfully been activated, you will receive an email with the necessary details. Accounts are usually activated promptly.

You can log in immediately and book tickets. Train tickets can be paid for using a personal credit card or PayPal.

Travelling by plane (Flug)

Flight costs will be reimbursed if the flight is necessary due to work-related or economic reasons. Domestic flights in Germany should be avoided for environmental reasons.

If you take a flight for work-related travel with good reason, costs will be reimbursed up to the amount required for the lowest class. In the case of plane travel where the flight time alone constitutes five hours or more, the costs required for a higher seat class (business class) can be reimbursed. Benefits acquired through work-related travel (e.g. Miles & More) must in turn be used in a work context. Costs for seat reservations can only be reimbursed if they are necessary due to work-related or personal reasons.

It is possible to book flights via the travel agency  that cooperates with the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Please always consider the environmental consequences of flying and check if you could rather travel by train, particularly in the case of shorter routes. The costs incurred in this context will also be accepted if they exceed those of travelling by plane because public transport takes precedence as a rule. You can find an emissions calculator on www.flyless.net, a website from the UDE for Future group (see also the ‘Sustainable travel (Nachhaltiges Reisen)’ section).

Approval of work-related travel (Genehmigung von Dienstreisen)

As a rule, work-related travel must be requested and approved via the SAP portal before commencing travel. In this context, it may be helpful to take a look at our tutorials and guides (in German). Only student or graduate assistants and external individuals (including those holding an emeritus position) are exempt from the obligation to use the SAP portal. These individuals can request the approval of work-related travel or the reimbursement of the related expenses in writing.

The workflow in the portal consists of two stages. This means that a work-related travel request is to be approved by both the budget manager and the line manager. As soon as a work-related travel request has received final approval, staff will be informed of this in an automatic notification generated by the system.

The budget manager checks whether the cost allocation details provided in the work-related travel request are correct and if sufficient funds are available.

The check on the part of the line manager includes whether the work commitment can rather be fulfilled through the use of digital communication tools. Line managers also check whether the work-related trip should begin or end at the place of work or at the staff member’s residence. Due consideration should also be given to welfare aspects (length of the work-related trip, staff members’ care obligations, particular days of travel, etc.).

Hotel bookings (Hotelbuchungen)

Please find information on special conditions for hotel bookings in the Sonderkonditionen Hotels (special conditions for hotels) tab of the protected area.

Benefits acquired from customer loyalty programmes (e.g. Miles & More) through work-related travel are to be used exclusively for work-related purposes.

Rental cars (Mietwagen)

It is possible to rent a vehicle if regularly scheduled means of transportation are not available or there are other compelling reasons to use a vehicle. The use of rental cars is to be limited to what is necessary for work-related purposes, taking into account the principle of cost effectiveness.

The University of Duisburg-Essen has a cooperation with the rental company AVIS. After receiving approval for work-related travel, you can receive a voucher from the Travel Expenses team that can be presented to AVIS when renting a car. As soon as you have received an invoice from AVIS and checked that it is correct, please send it to your travel expenses administrator. It will be paid by the Travel Expenses team.

Sustainable travel (Nachhaltiges Reisen)

During the coronavirus pandemic, the academic community proved that academic exchange also works well online and that the production of a large amount of pollution can be avoided in the process. Support UDE’s efforts to act in a sustainable, eco-friendly way by also taking into account potential harm to the environment when planning trips. The UDE for Future initiative has published tips in this regard on its website: www.flyless.net.

Reimbursement of additional costs and expenses (Nebenkosten- und Auslagenerstattung)

Expenses that are necessary for fulfilling a work commitment and cannot be categorised as travel, daily subsistence or accommodation costs are reimbursed as additional costs (e.g. reservation costs, parking fees or visa fees).

If planned work-related travel is not undertaken for good reason, the necessary costs incurred during preparation that are eligible for reimbursement will be reimbursed. In such cases, please cancel any travel components giving rise to expenses as early as possible.

Travel agency (Reisebüro)

Train and flight tickets can be purchased via DERPART Gemar Reisebüro in Essen, a travel agency that cooperates with the University of Duisburg-Essen (phone: +49 (0)201 872340).

Booking via the travel agency has the advantage that you do not need to pay for these flight and Deutsche Bahn train tickets yourself in advance.

Before booking tickets, please request approval for the work-related travel. Please ensure that you enter the correct financing details in the work-related travel request.

Please note that this is an offer from the University of Duisburg-Essen. A booking through Derpart Gemar Travel Agency does not constitute a commitment by the traveler. Independent bookings through common travel portals, for example, are possible at any time.

Roles and authorisations (Rollen und Berechtigungen)

As a rule, all staff members automatically receive authorisation to use the SAP portal within a few days of the start of their employment relationship with UDE. You can find the area where work-related travel can be approved and the reimbursement of the related expenses can be requested under the tab ‘HCM Employee Self-Services’.

It is also possible to request the assignment of various special roles. Please send us the necessary forms for this and also inform us of any changes that have occurred. For a quick introduction, you can also take a look at the video tutorials.

• Budget manager:

The budget manager role is required in the first stage of the two-stage work-related travel approval process. People with this role are responsible for checking whether the cost allocation details given in staff’s work-related travel requests are correct and whether sufficient funds are available. In this context, the workflow for travel expenses is always based on the organisational allocation of a staff member and not on the source of funding for work-related travel. You can

forward a request if you are not authorised to make decisions regarding a certain funding source.

Please note: a budget manager cannot authorise another individual as their delegate. It is therefore recommended to always name at least two budget managers per organisational unit. In contrast, if no specific budget manager is defined, the line manager is also automatically responsible for the budget.

• Travel assistant:

Travel assistants can request approval for work-related travel and claim the reimbursement of the related expenses on behalf of another person. However, to avoid overburdening secretarial offices with managing work-related travel matters for the whole organisational unit, only professors and heads of central services and facilities, inter-faculty research centres and divisions are permitted to nominate a travel assistant. Individuals undertaking work-related travel can continue to request approval for work-related travel and claim the reimbursement of the related expenses themselves at any time.

• Line manager:

All line managers are usually automatically assigned this role, which is required to grant approval for work-related travel in

terms of appropriateness, i.e. checking whether a staff member’s planned work-related travel is necessary.

Since the North Rhine-Westphalian Travel Expenses Act stipulates that work-related travel is to be approved by a line manager, this task cannot be delegated to the secretarial office. Only another line manager or the deputy in the organisational unit can therefore be authorised as a delegate in the travel expenses workflow. This can be done on a temporary basis, i.e. by manually activating it in the portal, or on a permanent basis.

Sharing service providers (Sharing-Anbieter)

If vehicles or bicycles are hired from a sharing service provider in the context of work-related travel, the same compensation is paid as for the use of private vehicles or bicycles. However, please note before renting an e-scooter or a bicycle that short journeys of up to 15 minutes on foot are reasonable and no reimbursement will be granted in these cases unless there are good personal reasons to the contrary.

Daily allowance for additional subsistence expenses (Tagegeld für Verpflegungsmehraufwendungen)

The amount of the daily allowance depends on the duration of the work-related travel. The daily allowance constitutes the following amount in the case of an absence from the place of work of the following length:

• €6 for an absence of at least 8 hours but less than 11 hours
• €12 for an absence of at least 11 hours but less than 24 hours
• €24 per calendar day for an absence of at least 24 hours

A daily allowance of €12 is reimbursed in each case for the arrival day and departure day.

If you are provided with meals free of charge, the daily allowance will be reduced as follows:

• by 20% for breakfast (€4.80)
• by 40% in each case for lunch and dinner (€9.60 per meal)

If work-related travel lasts longer than 14 days, a daily allowance reduced by 50% is granted from the 15th day onwards.

In the case of work-related travel abroad, lump sums are granted in accordance with the list of countries. Like the daily allowance for travel within Germany, the daily allowance for travel abroad has graduated amounts according to the duration of the absence.

Taxis (Taxi)

Expenses for the use of a taxi must necessarily be justified. Costs are only reimbursed if there is a good reason for the use. Costs for the use of a taxi can only be reimbursed for the following reasons:

• the work commitment or the station cannot be reached in time
• the journey is taking place between 10 pm and 6 am
• regularly scheduled means of transportation are not available
• the traveller has a disability or reduced mobility
• no extra costs are incurred (e.g. in the case of several people)

Accommodation costs (Übernachtungskosten)

Accommodation costs are reimbursed if they are necessary. This is generally the case if the person undertaking the work-related trip would have to arrive at their residence after 10 pm or leave it before 6 am.

For work-related travel within Germany, expenses of up to €80 per night are reasonable. Accommodation costs beyond this require justification.

A price of €12 can be considered reasonable for breakfast including a drink in a hotel. However, due to income tax regulations, it is necessary that the invoice is issued to the University of Duisburg-Essen.

In the case of work-related travel abroad, accommodation costs can be reimbursed up to the maximum rate applicable to the relevant country.

Municipal levies (e.g. occupancy tax or city tax) are only eligible for reimbursement if there is no possible exemption for overnight stays for work-related reasons.

If no proof of the amount of accommodation costs can be presented (e.g. if staying with family or friends), a lump sum in the amount of €20 for work-related travel within Germany and €30 for work-related travel abroad will be reimbursed. This also applies if the individual undertaking work-related travel has actually demonstrably incurred lower costs.

If individuals who are not entitled to reimbursement stay in the same room as the individual undertaking work-related travel (e.g. their spouse), the costs can only be reimbursed in full to the appropriate amount if the invoice shows that no additional costs were incurred due to the additional occupant(s). If there is no proof of this available, the accommodation costs will be divided equally among the occupants.

Advanced Payment (Vorschuss/Vorauszahlung)

In justified cases, you can be granted an advance payment to a maximum amount of 80% of the expected expenses to be reimbursed. This advance payment can be requested when recording the work-related travel in the SAP portal (see page 28 of the handbook for further information in German). Costs will not be reimbursed directly to third parties. With the advance payment made, the University of Duisburg-Essen is providing an advance for you.

If this deadline is missed, the advance payment granted must be fully repaid in accordance with §§ 812 et seq. of the German Civil Code, even if the advance amount was spent during the business trip.Therefore, please settle these as soon as possible after the end of your business trip through the SAP portal, so that you do not incur any financial disadvantages.Compensation for distance travelled and for taking passengers (Wegstrecken- und Mitnahmeentschädigung)

Compensation for distance travelled and for taking passengers (Wegstrecken- und Mitnahmeentschädigung)

If a private vehicle is used for work-related travel, compensation to the amount of 35 cents per kilometre is paid for the distance travelled. 

Individuals undertaking work-related travel who take other passengers in their private vehicle for work-related reasons receive additional passenger compensation in the amount of 5 cents per kilometre. Compensation of 5 cents per kilometre is paid for luggage transported that is needed for work-related travel, which is known to potentially cause excessive wear and tear to the vehicle.

If a private two-wheeled motor vehicle (including e-scooters) or bicycle is used, compensation in the amount of 23 cents per kilometre is paid for the distance travelled. 

In all cases, the shortest standard road connection is decisive for calculating the compensation for distance travelled.

Please note that in the event of an accident or damage to a private vehicle as a result of its use for reasons of considerable work-related or private interest, only an excess to a maximum of €300 can be assumed. Consequential material damage (e.g. a negative rate readjustment by the insurer) beyond this will not be reimbursed because the costs for fully comprehensive insurance are also covered by the compensation for distance travelled. In order to prevent the suffering of disadvantages in the case of material damage to the private vehicle, individuals undertaking work-related travel are recommended to take out fully comprehensive insurance for work-related travel with the insurer Provinzial Rheinland. The Travel Expenses team is happy to provide you with further information on this topic.

Customs and export control regulations for non-EU countries (Zollrechtliche und exportkontrollrechtliche Bestimmungen bei Nicht-EU-Ländern)

When taking goods into non-EU countries or importing goods from non-EU countries in your luggage, customs declarations may have to be made and customs duties and import turnover tax may have to be paid. In addition, certain goods are subject to export control regulations and even export bans. Importing certain goods (e.g. cultural goods) is also prohibited; in the case of products of animal origin and plants, special regulations are to be observed. You can find further details (in German) in the information sheet. If you have any questions, please contact Alex Emre, the administrator for customs and tax issues.