At the end of her Erasmus stay in Istanbul, master’s student Magdalena made the long journey across Europe back home to Bonn by bus. Passing through Thessaloniki in Greece, Skopje in North Macedonia and Munich in Germany, she managed the whole trip in a climate-friendly way without seeing hide nor hair of a plane.
Noah, a geography student at the University of Bonn, also chose the sustainable option for his Erasmus stay. Instead of flying, he took the train, bus and finally the ferry to get from Bonn to Cork in Ireland around 1,100 kilometers away. He actually ended up traveling about 1,300 kilometers, each and every one of them a conscious contribution to climate action. Both students are shining examples of how sustainable travel as part of Erasmus+ is perfectly possible—and there is even money available for it.
What counts as “green” travel?
“Green” travel in this context means using environmentally friendly means of transportation for over half the total distance you travel (outward and return journeys added together). For example, this would include taking the train or bus, carsharing (with at least one other person) or cycling. By contrast, stretches of your journey that you undertake by plane, motorbike, ferry or alone in your car are not regarded as “green.”
You can request an additional flat-rate daily allowance—between €18 and €170 depending on your destination country—for each calendar day on which you will be traveling exclusively by a “green” means of transportation.
“Green on the Move” competition: win prizes worth a total of €1,000
The “Green on the Move” competition puts students in with a chance of being rewarded for traveling in an especially environmentally friendly way. Prizes are available for particularly creative and sustainable forms of travel forming part of an Erasmus stay. The money is being put up by Team N (N for “Nachhaltigkeit,” or “sustainability” in German) and the Vice Rectorate for International Affairs at the University of Bonn.
How to enter:
Whether you send us a travelogue, video, podcast or blog post, we want to hear your personal experiences and tips for sustainable Erasmus+ travel. Your entries will need to inspire other students and get them interested in climate-friendly traveling. Besides getting to your destination and home again in an eco-friendly manner, you are also encouraged to make sustainable decisions throughout your stay, be this when doing your daily shop or getting around your new home town.
Entries close on September 15, 2025.
You can find more information on “green” travel and the conditions of participation here.