You can apply for an advance payment for costs already incurred (travel costs, participation fees, etc.) for an approved business trip in good time before the start of the trip.
To do so, the original business trip approval, including receipts for the costs incurred, and the form ‘Request for granting an advanced payment’ must be submitted to the travel department.
Advance payments of less than €100.00 should be avoided wherever possible.

Please note that the trip must still be settled within the statutory exclusion period of six months. If this is not done, the travel department will reclaim the advance payment.

As soon as it is known that a business trip will not be taken, for which an advance payment has already been made, the travel department must be informed without delay.

According to Paderborn Univerisity's guidelines on environmentally compatible business trip, domestic flights should be avoided wherever possible.

With regard to the principles of economy and efficiency that must be observed for business trips, flexible fares and fares that are more expensive because bonus miles are not reimbursable.

What is reimbursable?

• If an aircraft is used for business reasons, the costs of the lowest available booking class will be reimbursed.
• If the pure flight time is at least five hours, the costs of the next higher class may be reimbursed. The prior approval from the budget holder must be obtained in advance.
• The travel department is also happy to advise you before booking.
• Flights within Germany should be avoided.

Frequent flyer programmes

• In recent years, airlines have introduced frequent flyer programmes, such as Lufthansa’s “Miles & More” programme.
• Under these programmes, every passenger who applies for membership has the miles flown credited to a personal account.
• For these credits, it does not matter whether the passenger pays for the trip themselves or whether it is paid for by a third party. Regarding the treatment of such benefits under travel expenses law, such as free flights, the Ministry of Finance has stated as follows: “Due to the principle of economy that must generally be observed in travel expenses law, benefits acquired in the course of business trips and journeys home are to be used exclusively for official purposes.”
• Flight costs for flights with higher prices due, for example, to 150% or 200% bonus miles can only be reimbursed after prior consultation with the travel department.
• The employees concerned must therefore be informed that, if they participate in bonus programmes, miles acquired through official travel may in turn only be used for business trips or journeys home, and that no other rewards may not be claimed.

Private stay during a business trip
You are combining your business trip with a private stay.

• Only those costs are reimbursable that would have arisen for carrying out the business trip without the private stay.
• Please obtain verifiable comparative flight quotes for the hypothetical flight or flights on the day of booking, and these must also show the booking date.
• Comparative flight quotes cannot be obtained retroactively. Reimbursement of flight costs without meaningful comparative flight quotes, using the same airline, as well as the same arrival and departure locations and travel times, is not possible.

The travel department will also be happy to advise you before booking.

An allowance of 5 cents per kilometre is granted for taking additional University members in your private car, as well as for transporting items that experience shows cause excessive wear and tear to the vehicle.

If a trailer is carried for official reasons, an allowance of 10 cents per kilometre is granted.

The names of the University members travelling with you must be stated in the expense report.

Details of the official luggage carried must also be stated in the expense report.

An application for approval of a business trip must be submitted in good time before the start of the business trip, unless a general business trip approval is already in place.

A business trip may only be undertaken if the superior has confirmed their consent by signing off the trip, and if the trip has been approved by the travel department. In justified exceptional cases, a business trip may also be approved retrospectively.

If no business trip application is submitted, there is neither insurance cover provided by the employer nor any entitlemen to reimbursement of travel expenses.

DB Business Customer Portal / 5% discount

Via Deutsche Bahn's corporate customer portal, you can receive a 5% discount on the Flexpreis Business fare. The BahnCard Business can also be used in addition.

The corporate customer discount may only be used for business trips, not for private travel.

If you would like to register for Deutsche Bahn's corporate customer portal, please send us an email from your official university email address to Reisekostenstelle@zv.upb.de. The travel department will record these details and arrange your registration with Deutsche Bahn. Registration using a private email address is not possible! Once registration has been completed, you will receive an email from Deutsche Bahn containing a link that allows you to log in to Bahn AG and create your personal corporate customer account. Further information is available at: Bahn: Informationen zum Online-Ticket

Deutsche Bahn corporate customer discount for business trips (bahn.corporate)

Please refer to your business trip approval for the customer number valid for Paderborn University, as the publication of the customer number is only permitted internally within the university.

Online booking via PC:
You can book your ticket online directly from any PC with an internet connection and printer, not just from your workplace computer, and print it out yourself. This online service desk is available 24 hours a day. Payment is made by credit card.
Further advantages of booking online include:

- Creation of online tickets and reservations up to ten minutes before departure, with immediate printout.

- Free online cancellation up to before the first day of validity.

- Identification on the train is carried out using a BahnCard Business, credit card or EC card/Maestro.

Purchase at the station ticket counter:
You can purchase your train ticket at the ticket office as usual, for example at the travel centre in Paderborn Central Station. Please simply inform the sales staff there that you would like to book the journey using the university's FKR number (corporate customer number) and have this number ready. This is also possible at any staffed railway station in Germany.

Purchase from a ticket machine:
Purchasing a ticket with a corporate customer discount on the standard fare in combination with the BahnCard discount is only permitted if you have a BahnCard Business that was purchased in advance via Deutsche Bahn's corporate customer portal.
If you do not have a BahnCard, the corporate customer discount on the standard far can be applied.

Online booking by mobile phone:
Detailed instructions can be found here: Bahn: Informationen zum Online-Ticket

Procedure for the reimbursement of a BahnCard

Pursuant to the circular issued by the Ministry of Finance on 22 January 2021:

• For BahnCard Business 25 and 50, it is mandatory for the business traveller to provide a forecast of the upcoming business trips over the next twelve months. The BahnCard costs will then be reimbursed (see below).
• Private BahnCard 25 and 50 will only be reimbursed once they have been fully amortised.
• As a general rule, the BahnCard 100 is not eligible for reimbursement, not even on a pro rata basis.

For business trips, a BahnCard Business should be purchased, as Deutsche Bahn’s corporate customer discount is only granted with this card. The BahnCard Business can also be used for private travel. Further information on the BahnCard Business can be found here.

BahnCard Business cards are reimbursed as follows:

• There is no longer any pro rata reimbursement.
• It is necessary for the business traveller to provide a forecast of the upcoming business trips over the next twelve months.
• The purchase price of the BahnCard Business will then be reimbursed upon submission of the relevant accounting form and a copy of the BahnCard/BahnCard invoice.

Private BahnCards are reimbursed as follows:

• There is no longer any pro rata reimbursement.
• Please submit a copy of your BahnCard/BahnCard invoice so that full amortisation can be tracked.
• Once the BahnCard has been fully amortised, the purchase price of the BahnCard will be reimbursed using the relevant accounting form.
• Once the BahnCard has been fully amortised, the traveller will receive a statement from the travel department listing the relevant accounting objects and the corresponding BahnCard portions eligible for recognition; these are, as before, calculated by the travel department when a travel expense claim is submitted, but are not reimbursed on a pro rata basis.

Using this statement, the traveller submits the designated accounting form to the travel department, stating one or more accounting objects.

Individual cities have introduced accommodation taxes, cultural promotion levies, bed taxes, or other charges under different names. In some cases, these charges are borne by the hotels, but in others they are passed on to guests.

These charges are not eligible for reimbursement under travel expenses law.

However, if overnight stays are necessary for official rather than tourist reasons, it may be possible to obtain an exemption from these charges locally. For this exemption, simply stating that your stay in the city is for official rather than tourist purposes is no longer sufficient.

There is nationwide information from the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA) on which cities proceed in this way. In addition, these charges are repeatedly referred to by a wide variety of names, so it is hardly possible to provide more comprehensive general information for travellers.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that some cities require a completed, stamped, and signed form from the relevant office, specifically designed for each individual city, and this must be completed separately for each trip. Even presenting a business trip approval is not accepted. It would be desirable for hotels to provide this information directly at the time of booking, as accommodation providers are obliged to collect these charges.

Please ask your hotel when making your booking.

You can find the exemption forms for the individual cities here: https://www.bettensteuer.de/

To be exempt from these charges, you must submit the completed forms to the travel department before the trip, together with your business trip application, so that confirmation can be provided there that your stay is for official purposes.

The chargeable accounting object or objects to be charged must be specified on the business trip approval. Travel expenses reimbursement can only be made if the funds are available at the time the travel expenses are settled and, in the case of third-party funded projects, if the expenditure complies with the funding guidelines.
Please note that by signing, the person responsible for the accounting object assumes responsibility for cost coverage under the specified budget item.

A business trip at the place of work or home is a journey made within the place of work or place of residence in order to carry out official business outside the place of work. The traveller informs their supervisor of this business trip verbally. The place of work is Paderborn. If a different place of work has been designated, for example through an amendment to the contract, the place of work is the municipality in which the traveller’s place of work is located. This business trip must be limited to the time strictly necessary. Eligible expenses, such as daily allowance and travel costs, are reimbursed as part of a travel expense report.

Exception: Business trips at the place of work or home to conferences and conventions for which participation fees are incurred.

For the reimbursement of travel costs and daily allowance after the end of the business trip, reimbursement of expenses can be claimed using the “Travel Expense Report” form. If this type of business trip is undertaken frequently, it is advisable to use one form for several business trips. The report must include the signature of your supervisor/budget manager, as well as the accounting object to be charged. The claim for reimbursement expires six months after the end of the individual business trip.

In third-party funded projects in which the funding provider requires the application of the Federal Travel Expenses Act (BRKG) or other provisions, such as DAAD special regulations, instead of the LRKG, it is essential to state in each individual case, as indicated in the form Application for Approval of a Business Trip, that federal law or the other applicable provisions are to be applied. The decision as to which law or provision is to be applied in each individual case is made by the project management, as set out in the funding provider’s usage guidelines.

Important!
1. In third-party funded projects, regulations other than those of the State Travel Expenses Act (LRKG) may apply to the determination and calculation of travel expenses, for example the Federal Travel Expense Act or other special provisions, DAAD lump sums, etc. These regulations arise from the grant notification and the ancillary provisions of the respective third-party funded project. The project management must ensure that the applicable provisions in each case are applied and must state this in every individual case without fail (see the form "Application for Approval of a Business Trip").

2. Please make sure that the staff funding is stated on the Application for Approval of a Business Trip. If the staff funding does not match the accounting object for the reimbursement of costs, the business trip application will be forwarded to grands and external funding administration for review (so-called “third-party funds loop”).

Following review by grands and external funding administration, together with the note:

• The business trip can be settled as stated.
  The business trip application will be approved by the travel department and then returned to the applicant.
   
• The business trip cannot be settled as stated.
  The business trip application will be returned by the travel department to the applicant without approval, with a request to clarify the review note issued by grands and external funding administration.

Please follow the travel and safety advice issued by Auswärtiges Amt (German Federal Foreign Office). Please also refer to the travel app supplied by Auswärtiges Amt. All the information you need for a safe and seamless trip abroad is summarised in one application.

The Auswärtiges Amt recommends that German citizens register online in the so-called ELEFAND crisis preparedness list, regardless of the country they are travelling to or the length of their stay abroad.

Travel to countries for which the Auswärtiges Amt has issued a travel warning must not be undertaken.

«Elektronische Erfassung von Deutschen im Ausland (ELEFAND)» is intended to ensure that German representations abroad can quickly contact Germans resident in their consular district, and their family members, quickly in an emergency. Those who are only staying abroad for a short period can register no earlier than ten days before the start of their trip.

The option of online registration replaces the German lists previously maintained manually by German representations abroad. Those registered on the ELEFAND list are requested are asked at regular intervals to confirm and update their details. This is intended to ensure that registrations remain complete and up to date.

For business trips abroad, a risk assessment or even mandatory preventive occupational health care by the Occupational Health Service, may be required!
Information on the risk assessment can be found under the letter R.

The list for the previous year, 2025, concerning foreign travel allowance and overnight allowance can be found here.
The list for the current year, 2026, concerning foreign travel allowance and overnight allowance can be found here.

Please note that, for travel abroad as well, business trips must be limited to the time necessary for official business.

If a previously approved business trip is not undertaken for valid reasons, the necessary expenses incurred in preparation that are eligible under the State Travel Expenses Act will be reimbursed (travel preparation costs).

Before cancelling a business trip for official or compelling personal reasons (e.g. your own illness, or a life-threatening illness of your spouse or child), please make sure to check the cancellation terms and conditions so that any unavoidable cancellation costs can be kept as low as possible.

When cancelling, please insist on a refund of the amount paid. The acceptance of vouchers should be avoided.

Please also attach the receipts, as well as proof that an attempt was made to cancel the costs incurred and to keep them as low as possible.

You can find information on cancelling Deutsche Bahn tickets here.

Please submit a travel expense claim to the Travel Expenses Office within the statutory exclusion period of six months after the planned end of the trip.

Please attach the following to the claim:

• receipts for costs that could not be cancelled
• the original business trip approval
• the signature of the traveller and the person responsible for the budget
• in the case of higher accommodation costs, a higher travel class, or a domestic flight, please provide a justification

• The current form is used.
• Proof of the duration of the official business is attached
• Personal details are complete
• The travel destination is stated
• The purpose of the trip is stated
• Details of the travel duration and the duration of the official business are provided in full.
• Funding is secured (accounting object and staff funding are stated, and the supervisor has signed)
• The means of transport is stated and, where applicable, justified
• Funding of the trip pursuant to the LRKG or, where applicable, pursuant to the Federal Travel Expenses Act - BRKG (for some third-party funded projects, see the funding provider’s usage guidelines)
• Decision on whether the supervisor's consent is granted as applied for or in a restricted form

Comprehensive Business Travel Insurance for Private Vehicles

Employees of the University of Paderborn have the option to take out comprehensive business travel insurance through a framework agreement with Provinzial Versicherung.

You can find the application forms here.

The comprehensive business travel insurance is covered in Section D of the insurance certificate. The private vehicle (car or motorcycle) of the employee is insured during a business trip. A deductible of €300 applies per damage event – for both comprehensive and partial coverage claims. This deductible is covered by the departmental accident insurance if damage to a private vehicle occurs during an approved business trip and is not caused intentionally, grossly negligently, or by an identifiable third party. The annual premium is based on the annual business mileage.

• For partial coverage claims, we only provide benefits if and to the extent that another casco insurance is not primarily liable.
• In the event of comprehensive coverage claims, you can first claim compensation under this framework agreement (see product information sheet on pages 10+11).

We provide our form as an editable PDF document (PDF forms are easy to send by email, fill out, save, and print. Only handwritten signatures need to be added).

To apply for business travel insurance, we require:

• only the copy of the insurance certificate intended for us (= page 2)
• and the returned SEPA direct debit authorization (= page 6).

A function has been integrated into the form, ensuring that only the first page of the insurance certificate or the SEPA authorization needs to be completed. The carbon copies will be filled automatically.

Please note: Contributions can only be collected via direct debit. Payment by invoice is not possible.

Mailing Address: Provinzial-Allee 1, 48131 Münster
Tel. +49 251 219-2822
Fax +49 251 219-3716
www.provinzial-online.de

Important: If you also have comprehensive insurance for your private vehicle for private use, please verify before taking out business travel comprehensive insurance that a claim during a business trip will not lead to an increase in your premium for your private comprehensive insurance, even if you also have business travel comprehensive insurance. The insurance companies sometimes agree to share the cost of the damage; however, it must also be clarified that your private insurance will not increase your premium!!!

Travel expense reports must be received by the travel department within a cut-off deadline of six months, pursuant to Section 3 of the LRKG. The deadline begins on the day after the business trip ends. After that, reimbursement of costs is no longer possible.

As a rule, trips should be submitted for settlement promptly after they have ended.

Claims received by the travel department after this point are time-barred and cannot be processed (see the note on the business trip approval form) .

You can find the information sheet on customs and export control here.

For a one-day business trip:

The daily allowance amounts to the following for each calendar day, depending on the duration of absence:

1. more than 8 and up to 11 hours: €6
2. less than 24 hours, but more than 11 hours: €12, and
3. 24 hours: €24

For a multi-day business trip:

For the day of departure and the day of return, the daily allowance is €12 in each case, provided that the business traveller stays overnight away from their home on that day, the preceding day, or the following day, regardless of the duration of absence.
 

If meals are provided to the business traveller free of charge, the daily allowance is reduced

• by 20% for breakfast, and
• by 40% each for lunch and dinner

of the daily allowance for a full calendar day.

This means that the deduction is €4.80 for breakfast, and €9.60 each for lunch and dinner.

Reimbursement of Expenses for a Longer Stay at the Business Destination

If the stay at the same external business destination for official reasons lasts longer than 14 days, a daily allowance reduced by 50% is granted from the 15th day onwards. §6 (2) of the State Travel Expenses Act (LRKG) must be observed, i.e. if the business traveller is provided with meals free of charge by virtue of their office, and these must be declared, the daily allowance due must be reduced on the basis of the full daily allowance by 20% for breakfast, and by 40% each for lunch and dinner, regardless of whether the meals are actually taken.

(VV 14.4.1 relating to §14 LRKG - Annex 4)

You can find the list for the previous year, 2025, on per diem and accommodation allowances for international travel here.
You can find the list for the current year, 2026, on per diem and accommodation allowances for international travel here.

§14 Abs. 6 Travel Expenses Reimbursement for a Longer Stay at the Business Destination

By way of derogation from §9 sentence 1, the reduction in the per diem allowance for a longer stay at an international business destination is only 10%.

§14 Abs. 7 Illness During an International Business Trip

If business travellers are admitted to a hospital abroad due to illness, they receive, in addition to reimbursement of costs pursuant to §12 sentence 2 , 10% of the previous international per diem allowance for each full calendar day spent in hospital.

You can find the list "General Administrative Provision on the Revision of International Per Diem and International Accommodation Allowances (ARVVwV)” for 2026 here.

• Letter from the Ministry of Finance dated 2 May 2023

Further information on reimbursement:

• Reimbursement of the Deutschlandticket requires full monthly amortisation. It is therefore necessary to submit proof of the regular fare with the travel expense report in the form of a screenshot. Only regional train connections can be used for this purpose, as the Deutschlandticket cannot be used on IC/ICE connections. If amortisation in a given month is only achieved through several business trips, these business trips must be bundled together and submitted for one month with the travel expenses claims. Partial reimbursement is not possible!
• Additional costs, such as further necessary travel by ICE, will continue to be reimbursed as before.
• Deutschlandtickets can only be purchased privately. Procurement by the university is not possible.
• As the Deutschland ticket is purchased as part of a subscription, please note that, in months in which no amortisation, or no full amortisation, can be demonstrated, reimbursement by Paderborn University as part of business trip claims cannot be made.

The travel department will be happy to provide advice, including in advance when planning business trips.

The duration of the business trip is determined by the departure from and arrival at the home, pursuant to §2 Abs. 5 of the LRKG. 

If the business trip begins or ends at the place of work, this replaces the home.

The applicable provision is Section 7 of Paderborn University’s Travel Expenses Policy.

The guidelines for more environmentally sustainable business travel must be observed.

For the sake of clarity, invitations and/or assignments for guests carrying out tasks for Paderborn University should include a reference to the travel expense reimbursement in accordance with the provisions of the above-mentioned Travel Expenses Policy, based on the State Travel Expenses Act. It is also possible to limit the travel expense reimbursement, for example, to a maximum amount. The decision as to whether, and to what extent, travel expenses for external parties are to be covered lies with the inviting office.

Advance reimbursement of travel expenses, including partial advance reimbursement, is not permitted for external parties.

Applications for reimbursement of travel expenses must be submitted using the “Travel Expense Report” form, together with the invitation/assignment and all invoices and receipts. Here, too, travel claims must be submitted within an cut-off deadline of six months.

Accommodation offers in Paderborn at special rates can be found under the letter H.

Field trips are teaching events held outside of Paderborn University and are only permitted if they are necessary within the framework of classes in the respective study programme.

Information on insurance coverage can be found here.

A risk assessment must always be prepared for field trips. Here you can find the risk assessment for trips within Germany as well as for travel abroad.

When conducting field trips, the principle of economy and efficiency must always be observed.

It is not permitted to process field trips via a private account. If no accounting object (AO) is available for a planned field trip, a separate AO can be set up for this purpose.

Procedure in Chronological Order

1. Application for business trip approval for the field trip leader and the accompanying staff

• Field trips must be submittedin good time before the start of the trip to Department 4, the travel department, using the form"Application for Approval of a Business Trip" by all travelling employees, but not by students, lecturers with teaching assignments, or doctoral candidates without an employment relationship. The business travel applications must indicate who is in charge of the field trip, as only that person is authorised to claim booking costs for the group.
• The following information is required for business trip approval: the relevant account assignment details, the staff financing accounting object (Prof. are exempt from this requirement), the name of the field trip leader, and consent confirmed by the dean’s signature. In addition, an informal declaration must be attached stating that this is a field trip for students carried out within the framework of classes offered in the respective study program.
• Please also submit the risk assessment, as well as a list of participants if this is already available, together with the business trip application, as the list of participants is particularly important for insurance cover.

2. List of Participants

• The participants are: the field trip leader, additional accompanying persons, and students, whereby students do not require business trip approval.
• The number of accompanying persons should be appropriate in relation to the number of students in order to ensure proper academic supervision of the students, while also observing the principle of economy and efficiency.
• If the list of participants has not yet been finalised, it must be documented with the current status no later than the start of the field trip and enclosed with the subsequent settlement of accounts.

3. Insurance Cover

• As a matter of principle all field trip participants are covered by accident insurance provider through the public sector accident insurance provider, Unfallkasse NRW, on the basis of the approval and the list of participants. Civil servants are excluded from this, as they are covered directly by Paderborn University.
• For field trips that do not involve any costs, approval and a list of participants are also mandatory, as insurance covera is only ensured on the basis of the approval.

Further details on insurance cover can be found in the information brochure issued by Unfallkasse NRW, especially on pp. 6 and 7.

4. Specific planning of the field trip

• Please contact the Procurement Office. Field trips are excluded from direct purchasing and must therefore always be processed via Unit 1.4.
• Please already prepare auditable documents for the later settlement of accounts, including lists of costs for travel, accommodation, admission fees, etc., as well as records of the financial contributions made by the individual students. If subsidies from additional accounting object (AO) are granted, please also include these in the documents.
  If students participation fees are to be charged, these must be paid to Paderborn University into the corresponding accounting object (AO).
• When making bookings, the principles of economy and efficiency must always be observed, as must the principles of the State Travel Expenses Act. In addition, please also ensure that favourable cancellation options are available.

5. Reimbursable expenses

• The expenses of the field trip leader and accompanying persons are reimbursed pursuant to the State Travel Expenses Act (LRKG) and must be claimed by means of a travel expenses claim.
• If the travel costs or accommodation costs have already been settled through the expenses of the field trip group, no additional travel costs or accommodation costs can be paid. This must be indicated in the travel expense report.

Travel and flight costs

• Where possible, journeys should be made using public transport. The semester ticket should be used wherever possible.

Coach travel

• Before the jouneys begins, quotations must be obtained from three coach companies. As mentioned above, Unit 1.4 must be involved in the tendering and contract award process for field trips.

Flight costs

• In exceptional cases, flight costs may also be reimbursed if this is economical. Only the costs of the lowest available booking class are eligible for reimbursement. In the case of domestic flights, however, reimbursement is limited to the amount that would be reimbursable for overtravel. For reasons of climate protection, this should be avoided.

Accommodation costs (excluding meals)

• Accommodation costs must be evidenced either by invoice (submitted by the field trip leader) or, in the case of private accommodation, are reimbursable at a rate of €20.00 per night within Germany and €30.00 per night abroad per participant.

Overnight stays in youth hostels:

• Paderborn University is a member of the German Youth Hostel Association; information on this can be found under section Y. If a membership card is required, please contact the travel department.

Incidental expenses

Necessary incidental expenses that are reimbursable include:

• admission fees
• costs for guided tours
• travel costs at the field trip location
• hire fees
• room hire, and
• fees for reservations, bookings and cancellations.

The following, for example, are not reimbursable:

• private insurance
• expenses for leisure activities during the field trip
• cleaning and repair costs
• expenses for social and representative obligations, such as hospitality costs for other persons, guest gifts, and tips

6. Payment of advances or direct account charging for bookings made as part of planning the field trip

If the field trip leader has paid costs in advance:

• Please submit an application for the granting of an advance payment to the travel department together with the proof of payment and the original business trip approval for the field trip leader. It is also possible to apply for additional advances at a later date.

For invoices relating to bookings:

• If invoices, for example invoices from travel agencies for flights, coach companies, youth hostels, hotel invoices, etc., are to be paid directly, please submit these invoices to the travel department together with the original business trip approval for the field trip leader and the corresponding account assignment sheet. Please do not forget to include the order number from the Procurement Office on the account assignment sheet.

7. Settlement of the field trip

• Field trips must be settled by the field trip leader within the cut-off deadline of six months after the end of the field trip.
• When settling field trips, only those expenses that were necessary for carrying out the field trip may be taken into account.

For the settlement of the field trip, the travel expense report form is used with account code 6851 (field trips). The stated accounting object must be countersigned with the name and signature of the budget manager.
By signing, the field trip leader confirms the information provided is correct.

The settlement must be submitted to the travel department with the following documents:

• If students are required to make their own contributions, this must be stated in the settlement.
• Business trip approval, together with the list of participants and the risk assessment.
• Receipts for all expenses. For costs that have already been paid, a copy of the invoice is sufficient.
• Reimbursement to students' costs, with proof provided using a travel expenses claim form

Subsidies from third parties, such as DAAD grands, must be offset against the reimbursable expenses. These must be declared and documented by the field trip leader.

For your own protection, it is also strongly recommended that you take out foreign health insurance including repatriation cover.

Please note that the following are not eligible for reimbursement under the LRKG:

• foreign health insurance, including repatriation cover
• special accident insurance, including flight accident insurance, or health insurance
• trip cancellation insurance

Request for approval of a business trip

Request for granting an advanced payment for business trips

Travel expense report

A general business trip authorisation is issued by Section 4.1 (Mr Stork – B1.232 – 05251 60-3768) if an employee regularly has to carry out recurring, similar official business at the same destination for a specific period of time.

You can find the application for a general business trip authorisation here.

If you have any questions, please contact the travel department.

For professors, a generel business trip authorisation can be issued for travel within Germany. The general business trip authorisation remains valid until the holder leaves active service at Paderborn University.
Please contact the travel department regarding the required form.

A business trip (domestic or international) is a trip undertaken to conduct official business outside the place of work.
When arranging, approving, and carrying out a business trip, the principles of efficiency, and economy must be observed.
Business trips should only be undertaken if they are necessary for work-related reasons, and where a more cost-effective way of conducting the official business, in particular by using digital communication options, is not possible, or not reasonable. They must be carried out in an economical manner, and limited in duration to the extent strictly necessary. When choosing the means of transport, climate protection considerations must be taken into account alongside economic aspects, in particular.
Unless there are compelling reasons to the contrary, the business trip should be undertaken primarily by public transport. Reimbursement of travel expenses must be applied for in writing within a statutory exclusion period of six months.

The legal basis for all official travel is the State Travel Expenses Act (LRKG).

An application for approval of a business trip must be submitted in good time before the start of the business trip!

Information on business trips funded through third-party projects can be found under the letter D.

A business trip may only be undertaken if the supervisor has confirmed their consent by signing the form, and if the trip has been approved by the travel department. If a business trip is undertaken without approval, no travel expenses may be reimbursed. In justified exceptional cases, a business trip may also be approved retrospectively.

Business trips at the place of work, or place of residence, may also be ordered, or approved, orally by the supervisor.

Important: There is no accident insurance cover for trips that have not been approved!

Business trips may only be approved for university employees (professors, staff, student assistants, research/graduate assistants with a bachelor's degree [WHB], research/graduate assistants [WHK]).
The original business trip approval must be attached to the travel expense report. For trips where no reimbursement is claimed, it remains with the applicant. No business trip approval may be issued to individuals who do not have an employment contract (e.g. external lecturers, and students).

Since 20 July 2023, Paderborn University has had new travel guidelines.

The Guidelines of Paderborn University for More Environmentally Friendly Business Trips address topics including the compensation of CO2 emissions.

Further information can be found in the Guidelines of Paderborn University for More Environmentally Friendly Business Trips.

See also “Paderborn University Travel Expenses Guidelines” under the letter P.

According to the LRKG, necessary accommodation costs can be reimbursed.

The necessity of overnight stays follows logically from the nature and scheduling of the trip (for example, if a business trip would have to begin before 6 am without an overnight stay in advance, or if a return journey without an overnight stay would not be possible until after 10 pm).

An accommodation allowance of €20 per night can be reimbursed without submitting an invoice, or, if an invoice is submitted, the verified accommodation costs excluding breakfast can be reimbursed, provided that the invoice is addressed to Paderborn University, up to a maximum of €80, without differentiating between smaller and larger cities.

Change effective from 1 January 2026

By resolution of the Executive Board dated 19 November 2025, VV 7.1.2 on the LRKG NRW was amended for reasons of administrative simplification. The justification threshold in connection with the reimbursement of accommodation costs within Germany was adjusted. Therefore, the following applies to future business trips:

“As a general rule, the hotel closest to the conference venue and the most reasonably priced hotel at the destination must be booked. An amount of up to €120.00 may be regarded as necessary for accommodation. Accommodation costs exceeding this amount require a detailed justification and must be agreed in advance with the travel department. If a more expensive hotel is chosen for personal reasons, business travellers must determine the additional costs compared to the cheapest nearest hotel before the trip begins and must bear these costs themselves.”

Accommodation prices in Germany of up to €120.00 therefore no longer require a separate justification. For accommodation costs exceeding €120.00, a detailed justification will be required in future.

A detailed justification is deemed to have been provided if it can withstand an objective review by third parties regarding the necessity of the costs. In cases of doubt, please clarify with Paderborn University’s Travel Expenses Office before booking the room whether the accommodation costs are eligible for reimbursement.

Please also note the information on the so-called bed tax.

Below you will find booking links for selected hotels. Please note that these links for hotel bookings at special rates may only be used for official purposes. Private use, as well as unauthorised disclosure to third parties, is not permitted.

You can find the various booking links here: https://www.uni-paderborn.de/zv/4-1/dienstreisen-stichwortverzeichnis-en/hotelbuchungen-1

Necessary expenses incurred in conducting official business that are reimbursable as incidental expenses pursuant to §8 of the LRKG, for example, include:

• transport of personal and official luggage
• room reservations
• parking fees up to €10 per day (any costs exceeding this amount must always be justified)
• fuel costs for rental cars and official vehicles
• admission fees for visiting exhibitions, and participant passes for conferences or meetings, if the visit or participation has been officially ordered
• fees for officially necessary purposes (e.g. official Wi-Fi use in a hotel)
• visa fees
• passport fees and a photograph, insofar as a passport is required for conducting official business
• expenses for travel vaccinations required by the country of entry (mandatory vaccinations)
• expenses for a required medical certificate

Please note: incidental expenses must be documented by receipts.

Examples of expenses that are not considered incidental expenses within the meaning of the LRKG include:

• usual social and representative obligations
• taking out special accident insurance, including flight accident insurance, health insurance, or trip cancellation insurance
• exchange losses incurred when selling foreign currency; exchange gains are likewise disregarded under travel expenses law
• BahnCard travel insurance
• fines

You can find the Information Sheet on Customs and Export Control here.

A business trip (within Germany and abroad) is a trip undertaken to conduct official business outside the place of work.
When ordering, approving, and carrying out a business trip, the principles of efficiency and economy must be observed.
Business trips should only be undertaken if they are necessary for official reasons and if a more cost-effective way of carrying out the official business, in particular by using digital means of communication, is not possible or not appropriate. They must be carried out economically and limited in time to what is necessary. When choosing the mode of transport, aspects of climate protection must be taken into account in particular, alongside economic considerations.
Unless there are compelling reasons to the contrary, the business trip should primarily be made using public transport.

The Landesreisekostengesetz NRW (LRKG) is authoritative for all official trips.

Hinweise zu Mietfahrzeugen und deren Erstattungsmöglichkeiten für Dienstreisen

Rahmenverträge mit Miet-Kfz Firmen konnten wegen enormer Preissteigerungen nicht geschlossen werden. Die Firmen vermeiden, sich durch langfristige Verpflichtungen an festgelegte Preise zu binden.

Stattdessen bieten die Miet-Kfz Firmen die Möglichkeit an, als Firmenkunde Rabatte bei den jeweils aktuellen Preisen zu erhalten und stellen hierfür Buchungslinks zur Verfügung. Diese Möglichkeit kann bei den unten gelisteten Firmen genutzt werden. Bei Ihren Buchungen ist der Grundsatz der Wirtschaftlichkeit und Sparsamkeit sowie der Klimaschutz zu beachten. Erstattungsfähig sind Buchungen bis zur Kompaktklasse/Mittelklassewagen, wie z.B. Passat Kombi oder Mondeo). Buchungen von Fahrzeugen wie z.B. SUV, der Oberklasse oder auch Cabrios sind im Hinblick auf die durch das Reisekostengesetz vorgegebene Wirtschaftlichkeit und Sparsamkeit sowie den Leitlinien für umweltverträglichere Dienstreisen nicht erstattungsfähig.

Bitte beachten Sie immer bei der Buchung von Miet-Kfz unbedingt die folgenden Punkte:

• Erstattungsfähig sind nur Kosten für Mietfahrzeuge bis zu einer bestimmten Fahrzeugklasse (Kompaktklasse). Nicht erstattungsfähig sind höhere Fahrzeugklassen, insbesondere SUV, die für die Durchführung von Dienstreisen in der Regel nicht notwendig sind. Höhere Fahrzeugklassen sind nicht nur in der Tagesrate teurer, sondern auch bei der Höhe des Selbstbehaltes für die Vollkasko, was beides nicht erstattungsfähig ist.
• Im Schadensfall an einem Miet-Kfz ist bei den Miet-Kfz-Firmen eine Selbstbeteiligung durch den Mieter zu zahlen. Diese Kosten dürfen nur bei Sachschäden an Fahrzeugen aus dem Reisekosten-AO erstattet werden, wenn der Schaden nicht durch einen ermittelbaren Dritten und nicht durch Vorsatz oder grobe Fahrlässigkeit entstanden sind. Bei Drittmitteln erfolgt zusätzlich die Prüfung, ob die Förderrichtlinien diese Erstattung zulassen. Bitte bei der Reiseplanung auch darauf achten, in welcher Höhe der Selbstbehalt für die Vollkasko des gewählten Fahrzeuges liegt. Es ist möglich, durch Zusatzzahlungen die Höhe des Selbstbehaltes zu verringern, was auch aus dem Reisekosten-AO erstattet werden kann. Hier muss die budgetverantwortliche Person entscheiden, welche finanziellen Ausgaben sie*er entweder bei der Buchung oder im Schadensfall bereit ist, einzugehen.
• Eine Reduzierung auf weniger als 300,- € ist nicht notwendig und daher nicht erstattungsfähig.
• Im Schadensfall umgehend die Reisestelle per Mail informieren.
• Zusätzliche Versicherungen (wie z.B. Insassenversicherung, etc.) sind nicht notwendig und auch nicht erstattungsfähig. Bitte bei der Buchung auf „versteckte Kosten“ achten, im Zweifelsfall nachfragen oder vor der Buchung mit der Reisestelle klären.
• Weitere nicht erstattungsfähige Positionen: Winterreifen in den Sommermonaten, Klimaschutzbeitrag
• Kosten, die rund um einen Tankservice bei der Mietwagenstation anfallen, sind nicht erstattungsfähig, da die Mietwagenfirmen häufig einen höheren Literpreis und eine zusätzliche Tankgebühr berechnen und dies weder wirtschaftlich noch sparsam ist.
• Bei der Übernahme eines Miet-Kfz auf Schäden achten und darauf bestehen, dass diese im Übernahmeprotokoll dokumentiert sind. Bei der Rückgabe des Miet-Kfz mit dem Übergabeprotokoll bestätigen lassen, dass kein Schaden am Fahrzeug entstanden ist. Bei der Rückgabe des Fahrzeugs außerhalb der Geschäftszeiten bitte Fotos vom Fahrzeug machen.
• Vor der Buchung von „Nutzfahrzeugen“ wie z.B. LKW oder Transporter oder bei einer dienstlich notwendigen Buchung oberhalb der Kompaktklasse bitte vorher die Reisestelle involvieren.

Hier finden Sie die Buchungslinks zu den Mietwagenfirmen.

If no vehicle is provided by the employer, a mileage allowance is granted for the use of a motor vehicle, pursuant to §5 (1) of the LRKG, at a rate of 35 cents per kilometre, and at a rate of 23 cents per kilometre for two-wheeled motor vehicles and bicycles.

See also under the letter P.

Since 20 July 2023, Paderborn University has had new travel guidelines.

Paderborn University Travel Expenses Policy govern, in line with the State Travel Expenses Act, among other things, the reimbursement of travel expenses for guests.

Further information can be found in the Travel Expenses Policy.

See also “Guidelines of Paderborn University for More Environmentally Friendly Business Trips” under the letter G.

Parking costs of up to €10 per day are reimbursable as incidental expenses.
Parking costs exceeding this amount must be justified.

See also under the letter I.

If no vehicle is provided by the employer, a mileage allowance is granted for the use of a car, pursuant to §5 (1) of the LRKG, at a rate of 35 cents per kilometre, and for two-wheeled motor vehicles and bicycles at a rate of 23 cents per kilometre.
Business trips must be undertaken economically and with due regard for environmental protection; therefore, the use of public transport should be given preference.
In the application for approval of a business trip, the need to use a private car must be explained.

If you combine your business trip with a private stay, only those costs are eligible for reimbursement that would have arisen for the business trip without the private stay.

For business trips combined with a private stay, reimbursement is based on the notional costs of the official trip alone.

If you are travelling by air, please obtain reliable comparative flight quotations for the notional flight or flights on the day of booking, showing the booking date. Comparative flight quotations cannot be obtained retrospectively. Reimbursement of flight costs without meaningful comparative flight quotations (same airline, as well as the same arrival and departure airports, and travel times) is not possible.

The travel department will also be happy to advise you before booking.

For any questions, please send an e-mail to reisekostenstelle@zv.upb.de.

You can find the contact details of the individual staff members under the letter R.

Michael Stork - B1.232, 60-3768

• General matters relating to the section
• Processing of business trip applications

Theamarie Bittermann - B1.328, 60 - 5215
Nils Schneider - B1.328, 60 - 4437
Domestic travel

• Settlement of business trips, interview trips, training and professional development trips, and retreat meetings
• Processing of applications for advance payments
• General travel expenses matters
   

Norbert Bornhorst - B1.234, 60 - 2537
Petra Kürpick - B1.236, 60 - 2764
International travel

• Settlement of business trips, interview trips, training and professional development trips, and retreat meetings
• Processing of applications for advance payments
• General travel expenses matters

• Stays abroad involving special climatic stresses and infection risks, and travel lasting more than three months:
  For activities in tropical and subtropical regions, stays abroad involving special climatic stresses and infection risks, and stays abroad totalling more than three months per year, an occupational health assessment and a risk assessment must be carried out before the business trip can be approved. Further information is available from Occupational Safety. An overview of the countries concerned can be found here.
  Proof of the assessment and risk assessment must be submitted together with the business trip approval. Otherwise, approval for the business trip cannot be granted.
   
• All other business trips and field trips abroad and within Germany:
  In principle, risk assessments must be prepared before all other business trips abroad or within Germany. Information on this can be found from Occupational Safety.
   
• In principle, a risk assessment must be prepared for field trips.

If you have any questions, please seek advice from our occupational health and safety staff or company doctor.
If you provide insufficient information here, your insurance cover under employment law may be jeopardised.
Please make sure to check the Auswärtiges Amt advice for your destination country in advance.

Seat reservations for rail travel or flights are reimbursable incidental expenses.

See also under the letter I.

Please refer to this information sheet for information on secondment.

Since 1 January 2019, the Travel Expenses Department must report Steuermerkmal M to the LBV Düsseldorf for all employees who receive a complimentary meal as part of official travel, so that this can be recorded on the income tax certificate for the current year.

This obligation arises from the excerpt from the letter issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance below.

The full letter from the Federal Ministry of Finance is available here.

Excerpt from the BMF letter on the reform of tax travel expenses lawfrom 27 September 2017: "Certification Requirement for Steuermerkmal “M”

“M” must generally be entered if, on the occasion of or during a work-related trip away from the usual place of work, or within the framework of a work-related double household, the employee was provided with a meal by the employer or by a third party at the employer’s instigation, and that meal is to be valued at the official non-cash benefit rate pursuant to §8 (2) sentence 8 EStG. The entry must be made regardless of whether taxation of the meal is waived under §8 (2) sentence 9 EStG, or whether the employer taxed the meal individually or at a flat rate under §40 (2) sentence 1 no. 1a EStG.

In addition, the explanations in marginal no. 90 ff. of the supplemented BMF letter on the reform of tax travel expenses law from 1 January 2014, dated 24 October 2014, must also be observed for certification of the capital letter “M”.

The transitional arrangement granted for technical implementation in marginal no. 92 of the aforementioned BMF letter expired definitively on 31 December 2018. From 1 January 2019 onwards, “M” must be entered in accordance with the explanations set out above.

If a taxi or rental car was used for official reasons or for compelling personal reasons, the necessary costs incurred will be reimbursed.

The reason must be stated precisely in the expense report, including a sound justification and submission of a receipt.

Necessary taxi costs will be reimbursed if:

• the official business, or on the return journey a train with mandatory reservation, could otherwise not be reached in time, or if this makes it possible to combine several items of official business,
• journeys must be made between 10 pm and 6 am,
• regularly operating means of transport are not available or do not operate in time,
• there is a severe disability with a degree of disability of at least 50 and one of the markers G, aG, Gl, Bl, Tbl, or H, or mobility restrictions that make the use of other means of transport unreasonable, or
• no higher costs arise from using a taxi, for example if it is used by several people.

This list is exhaustive.

Costs incurred for travel by scheduled public transport are reimbursed up to the costs of the lowest available class.

From 1 January 2022, the actual cost of first-class rail travel may be reimbursed for train journeys of at least two hours. If the business traveller has a disability with the degree of at least 50% and holds a severely disabled person's ID card marked G, aG, GI, BI, Tbl or H, first-class travel costs will generally be reimbursed.

If the business trip begins and/or ends at the traveller’s home, reimbursement for first-class travel on scheduled public transport is only possible if a travel time of at least two hours would also be reached if the trip began and/or ended at the official place of work.

Expenses for business trips must be settled through the travel department.

Travel expense reimbursement will only be calculated once the expenses claimed have been documented by means of receipts or other supporting documentation. The following documents must be attached to travel expense reports:

• Receipts for travel costs: tickets, flight tickets and receipts for other expenses, such as seat reservations, etc.
• Receipts for accommodation
• Receipts for incidental expenses, admission tickets, etc.
• The exemption or approval for the business trip in the original

The information provided in the travel expense report must be complete and unambiguous.

When completing the form, particular attention must be paid to the following:

• The purpose of the trip must be explained in detail.
• The itinerary of the business trip (including dates and times) must be stated.
• Any deviations from the business trip application must be justified.
• All amounts for which reimbursement is being claimed must be entered on the form.
• For business trips abroad, the country must be stated that was last reached before midnight on the day of  the border crossing. For the return journey, the daily allowance is calculated on the basis of the final business location
• For air travel, the foreign  airport of departure, and the time of the first landing within country, must be stated.
• Expenses for using transport services that do not operate on a regular schedule (e.g. taxis) must also be justified; reimbursement will only be made where there is a substantiated need.
• Any free meals and/or accommodation must be briefly explained in the travel expense report.
• For round trips, the individual countries/places visited, including border crossings (with date and time) must be stated in the travel expense report.
• If extensive explanations are required, an appendix to the travel expense report must be prepared.

If an application for approval of a business trip carried out as part of a staff member’s main duties for Paderborn University is submitted and approved without reimbursement of expenses, this is irrevocable, and no travel expenses may be claimed.

This also applies to any costs incurred in connection with business trips, field trips, retreat meetings, and team events, in particular admission fees, hospitality costs, and other expenses.

Trip cancellation insurance costs are not eligible for reimbursement.

See also incidental expenses under the letter I.

hier: Unfallrechtliche Fragen

Wiederholt wird die Frage gestellt, welche Ersatzleistungen Reisende insbesondere für Sachschäden erhalten, die anlässlich einer Dienstreise mit Miet-Kfz oder privateigenen Kraftfahrzeugen (Kfz) verunglücken.

Stellungnahme:

Aus dienstunfallrechtlichen Gründen ist es notwendig, dass das Formblatt „Antrag auf Genehmigung einer Dienstreise“ rechtzeitig vor Antritt der Dienstreise der Genehmigungsstelle vorgelegt wird, damit die Genehmigung noch vor Antritt der Dienstreise erteilt werden kann.

Sollte sich ein Sachschaden an einem Kfz während einer Dienstreise ereignen, bitte Fotos machen, Augenzeugen benennen, eventuell die Polizei hinzuziehen und umgehend die Reisestelle – Herr Stork - B1.232 - 05251 60-3768 – informieren!

Sofern die Reise mit einem Miet-Kfz oder einem privateigenen Kraftfahrzeug durchgeführt wird und sich ein Unfall ereignet, kann grundsätzlich Ersatz von Sachschäden erfolgen, wenn der Schaden nicht vorsätzlich, grob fahrlässig oder durch einen ermittelbaren Dritten verursacht wurde.
Die Ersatzleistung ist bei privaten Kfz auf einen Höchstbetrag von 300,- Euro beschränkt, da die Kosten durch die Kilometerpauschale abgedeckt sind; Kosten des Abschleppens, der Reparatur und der späteren Abholung eines bei einer Dienstreise liegen-gebliebenen Kfz können nicht als Nebenkosten erstattet werden. Schäden, die bei einem Unfall Dritten zugefügt werden, sind durch die Haftpflichtversicherung der Dienstreisenden abzugelten; Rabattverluste in der Haftpflichtversicherung werden nicht durch den Dienstherrn/ Arbeitgeber übernommen.

Es besteht keine dienstrechtliche Verpflichtung der Bediensteten für Dienstreisen ein privateigenes Kfz zu benutzen. Die Mietwagenfirmen, mit denen die Universität Paderborn einen Rahmenvertrag abgeschlossen oder als Firmenkunde Sonderkonditionen hat, erheben zum Teil als Selbstbehalt für einen Sachschaden am Miet-Kfz 300,- €. Wird ein Miet-Kfz mit einem höheren Selbstbehalt angemietet, ist zu beachten, dass auch der höhere Selbstbehalt in einem Schadesfall aus dem Reisekosten-AO gezahlt werden muss.

Hinweis:

Sollten Sie einen Unfall erleiden, informieren Sie bitte unverzüglich das Personaldezernat; über Ersatzleistungen entscheidet die Hochschule ggf. unter Einbeziehung der Landesunfallkasse im Rahmen bestehender Vorschriften.

Empfehlung:

Vorstehender Ausführung ist zu entnehmen, dass die Benutzung privateigener Kfz bei Dienstreisen weitestgehend in der Risikosphäre der Reisenden liegt; von hier aus kann daher nur empfohlen werden, regelmäßig verkehrende Beförderungsmittel (mit Ausnahme des Flugzeugs- hier gelten besondere Bestimmungen-) oder ein Miet-Kfz zu benutzen. Beachten Sie bitte die Möglichkeit des Abschlusses einer Dienstreise- Vollkaskoversicherung!

Gute und unfallfreie Fahrt wünscht Ihnen

Ihre Reisestelle

Paderborn University is a member of the German Youth Hostel Association and receives internationally valid DJH group membership cards every year.
These membership cards can be used, for example, for field trips in Germany and abroad.
For further information, please refer to the letter from DJH-Service GmbH dated 23 December 2025.

You can obtain the membership card (youth hostel membership card) from

Ilona Backer Room B3.342 Tel. -2806

Michael Stork Room B1.232 Tel. -3768

If you have any questions, the contact persons listed above will be happy to help.