The HR department will establish whether the person concerned is entitled to travel expenses when the latter's contract is drawn up.

1. Staff members and scientific associates

1.1 Benefits

1.1.1 Cost of the journey

At the time the members of the personnel take up their appointment, the cost of the journey corresponds to the travel expenses for the outward journey from the home station or from the place of residence at the time of their recruitment (choice to be left to the staff member) to CERN.

For staff members, definition of the home station is governed by the provisions of Article R II 1.25 of the Staff Regulations and its location is determined when their contract is drawn up. For associated members of the personnel, the home station is replaced by the place of residence determined at the time that they are recruited.

Members of the personnel organise their travel, and the Organization shall pay the value of the cheapest ticket available on public transport, according to the travel classes below, taking account of the journey time from the train station, airport or port closest to the place of residence of the member of the personnel.

Travel classes:

1. Plane: economy or equivalent
2. Train: first-class, sleeper or couchette
3. Boat: cabin berth or equivalent

1.1.2 Luggage expenses

The Organization will reimburse luggage expenses:

• up to a maximum of 30 kg,
• by CARGO air freight,
• from the departure airport to the airport of arrival.

CERN will also reimburse the luggage expenses of family members up to a maximum of 30 kg per person.

To obtain this reimbursement, the member of the personnel must submit a receipted invoice from the CARGO service of a passenger transport or freight airline company (e.g. Swiss World Cargo in the case of Swiss International Airlines).

The invoice must show the following information:

• the number of kilos of luggage transported by the carrier,
• the departure and arrival airports,
• any costs arising from import/export formalities and customs duties, and
• details of any additional services invoiced (e.g. special insurance, etc.).

The Organization will reimburse only the cost of air freight. It will therefore not reimburse:

• the cost of delivery (from or to the place of residence) or packaging,
• any costs arising from import/export formalities and customs duties, and
• any additional service.

N.B. Any excess luggage registered at the time of check-in is not considered to be air freight. Consequently, the member of the personnel will not be reimbursed for any excess baggage surcharge by an airline company. In the same way, express shipping services are not considered as air cargo.

Special case: When no CARGO service is available for the transport of equipment on behalf of individuals, as this is the case for example from some airports in the United States, members of the personnel are invited to contact HR.Official.Travel@cern.ch before incurring any costs with a CARGO air freight company. The service may in this case recommend, where possible, that additional luggage (up to 30 kg) be taken in charge during the travel to CERN (not to be confused with excess luggage charges). 

1.2 Members of the family

The same conditions apply to the payment of travel expenses on taking up appointment for family members of:

• staff members: provided that they take up residence with the members of the personnel within two years of the member of the personnel taking up appointment.
• scientific associates
  • holding a contract of at least six months;
  • provided that they take up residence with the members of the personnel for at least six months within two years of the member of the personnel taking up appointment.

1.3 Payment of travel expenses

Travel expenses are paid at the request of the members of the personnel to their departmental secretariat (DAO), on arrival, on presentation of their travel tickets and receipted invoices, at the latest within two years of taking up their post.

2. Graduates and students (technical, doctoral or administrative)

Members of the personnel organise their travel and travel expenses are paid on a lump-sum basis, regardless of the means of transport used.

The amounts per country are indexed every year: consult the table annexed to the memo Payment scheme for student travel (simple-way) for ADMI, TECH, DOCT (01.06.2024). 

Travel expenses are paid at the request of the members of the personnel to their departmental secretariat (DAO), on arrival, at the latest within two years of taking up their post.

2.1 Benefits

A lump sum for travel expenses is paid for the graduates' and students’ journey from the place of residence at the time of their taking up appointment to CERN.

2.2 Members of the family

• Graduates: Travel expenses of their family members who take up residence with them within two years of the member of the personnel taking up appointment are paid under the same conditions. 50% of the lump sum is paid for children under the age of 2.

• Students: Travel expenses are not paid for members of the family.

2.3 Payment of travel expenses

3. Summer students

The travel expenses of summer students are paid once when the contract starts. The service of Personnel Accounting automatically makes the necessary arrangements for the payment of a lump sum amount on the basis of a return-trip lump sum per country.  

Summer students are not entitled to travel expenses for family members or to luggage expenses.

4. Users and non-scientific associates

Travel expenses on taking up appointment may be paid at the discretion of the Director-General if the preconditions are met, as a function of the date that the contract of association is drawn up and within the limits defined in paragraph 1.1.1.

In this case, the members of the personnel concerned must apply to their departmental secretariat (DAO).

Users and non-scientific associates are not entitled to travel expenses for family members or to luggage expenses.