The ESRF contribution covers one return trip between the home laboratory and the ESRF via the most direct route.

The user is expected to demonstrate a responsible use of the public funds from the ESRF member and associate member countries that provide the financial support for eligible ESRF users, combining the most economical and best ecological travel options when purchasing tickets. Cost caps are depending on the location of the user’s home laboratory (France, continental Europe, outside Europe). The cost cap applies to plane and train tickets, and does not include local ground transport (e.g. bus, metro, shuttle) to/from airports and train stations.

The ESRF does not cover additional administrative costs associated with the travel such as extra travel insurance (the user being already covered by the ESRF insurance when travel is booked by the ESRF), nor extra costs resulting from delays or unforeseen events such as strikes, extreme weather conditions, natural catastrophes, etc.

23.1  -  MEANS OF TRANSPORT

Collective public transport must be given priority when organising travel, for reasons of economy, limitation of risk of accident, and environmental considerations.
 

23.1.1  -  Ground transport to airports/stations

The ESRF refunds travel by public transport (e.g. bus/tram, coach, shuttle, train), between the home laboratories or the ESRF and stations/airports. The most economic tickets must be purchased (typically “non-refundable, non-changeable”).

If a private/rental car or taxi is used, the maximum ESRF contribution will be calculated on the basis of the kilometric indemnity rate for non-authorised use of a car (Annex 3 – reduced rate use). Tolls and car park fees are not subject to ESRF contribution.
 

23.1.2  -  Travel by train

Train tickets must be booked in accordance with Article 22.5, when the duration of the outward journey is less than 6 hours.

Train tickets can be booked for longer distances, on the condition that the total cost is less expensive that of an airplane ticket (including local transfer).

These are non-changeable and non-refundable second-class train tickets.
 

23.1.3  -  Travel by plane

Air tickets may be booked when the duration of the one-way journey by other means of transport exceeds 6 hours.

Airplane tickets are booked in economy class and are non-changeable and non-refundable.

The ESRF can cover the cost of one piece of luggage in the hold provided that this luggage is requested at the time of the fight ticket booking (not refunded if paid by the user at the airport); any ancillary fees, such as seat reservations, easy check-in procedures..., are neither subsidised, nor refunded by the ESRF.

Any misuse will be tracked, and the traveller will be required to reimburse the additional costs.
 

23.1.4  -  Travel by car

a.    Normal Rate Use

The use of a car is permitted when two or more reimbursed users involved in the approved experiment are travelling together in the car. A second car may be authorised for experiments involving four subsidised users, under the same conditions.

The user must indicate this means of transport in their travel request and have it validated (more than 14 days before the arrival date).

The ESRF contribution is made on the basis of the number of kilometres between the home laboratory and the ESRF, via the most direct route.

The kilometric indemnity is a fixed allowance (per km) independent of the vehicle used by users, and includes petrol expenses (Annex 3 - normal rate use). The ESRF contribution is limited to the cost caps per reimbursed users in the car.

In these cases, refund of toll tickets can be made upon presentation of original dated receipts.

The ESRF contribution does not cover costs for ferry or Eurotunnel crossings, if these are required as part of the car journey.

Reimbursement of the associated travel expenses will only be made to one of the subsidized users travelling in the car (no split refund).

          b.    Reduced Rate use

Except in the case described in Article 23.2, when a car is used for a single reimbursed user involved in the approved experiment, reimbursement is made on the basis of kilometres travelled (Annex 3 – reduced rate use), up to ESRF limits based on the distance from/to the home laboratory.

In these cases, tolls, car-park fees and petrol expenses are not refunded.
 

23.2  -  TRANSPORT OF SAMPLES AND EQUIPMENT

In general, extra costs related to the transport of equipment and/or samples during a user's trip are not covered by the ESRF.

However, in the case where a single reimbursed user requests to travel by car rather than public transport for reasons of transporting large or heavy equipment, and provides due justification to the User Office, the ESRF contribution to these costs, if approved, is made on the basis of kilometres travelled according to the conditions described in Article 23.1.4. (Annex 3 – normal rate use). This contribution cannot be cumulated with another full rate use of car, as noted in Article 23.1.4

Furthermore, the transport of samples as part of an experiment may be subsidised as a replacement of a subsidised user. In this case, the ESRF contribution to the transport of samples is strictly limited to shipments to or from the ESRF member countries. It does not cover the transport of other goods such as equipment or chemicals, even if they are directly related to the experiment. The ESRF does not reimburse additional costs related to insurance or customs clearance; these costs must be borne by the user or their institute.

Reimbursement will be based on the most economical option and, in any event, will not exceed the cost of travel for a user from the same country to the ESRF. This reimbursement is subject to prior approval by the ESRF User Office.
 

23.3  -  SPECIAL CONDITIONS

a.    Should a user request particular arrangement for personal convenience, travel costs will be reimbursed according to the present regulations and with prior agreement from the ESRF (Article 22.5). Any additional costs must be borne by the user. Nevertheless, exceptions may be made in the case of duly justified medical conditions and/or physical disability (on presentation of a medical certificate), provided that prior written authorization has been given by the ESRF User Office.

b.    Exceptional contributions may be decided by the ESRF in the case of cancellation or late changes to the experiment session dates if these modifications are required due to a problem identified as being the responsibility of the ESRF (e.g. significant beam loss of beam, broken beamline equipment).

In such cases, prior written authorisation must be given by the ESRF User Office.

c.    In the event that all the participants cannot be accommodated at the ESRF Guesthouse, and the experiment requires travel to/from the ESRF outside public transport hours, the group is permitted to request the booking of a rental car for the duration of its stay. If agreed, the ESRF will book and pay for the rental car, but fuel costs are to be borne by the group.

d.   The ESRF refunds Visa costs for reimbursed users affiliated to laboratories in ESRF member or associate member countries. Only Visa costs directly related to the experiment to be carried out at the ESRF are refunded against presentation of a fully justified original receipt in French or English. The reimbursement includes the visa application fee and the basic service fee charged by any official partner of the French authorities (i.e. VFS Global (India and Russia) or CAPAGO (South Africa)).

24.1  -  DURATION OF ACCOMMODATION

Users are normally accommodated at the ESRF Guesthouse, booked through the ESRF. When the onsite guesthouse is full, accommodation in town is booked and paid by the ESRF, for subsidised users only (for non-subsidised users, the ESRF can recommend hotels near the ESRF).

For both subsidised and non-subsidised users, the duration of the booking will not exceed the number of reimbursed nights/days noted in the invitation letter, except in the case of an authorised extension to the experiment or when the alternative travel booking proposed by the ESRF requires extra nights on site (Article 22.6).
 

24.2  -  COSTS COVERED

The ESRF contribution covers the cost of one bed and breakfast per day for each subsidised user.

Any extra expenses, as well as the Guesthouse invoice for non-subsidised users, must be settled by the user before checking-out.

The user remains fully responsible for any accommodation which is not booked through the ESRF. In these cases, the maximum ESRF contribution corresponds to the cost of bed and breakfast at the onsite Guesthouse at ESRF rates (for subsidised users only).
 

24.3  -  BOOKING CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS

!The user must notify the ESRF of any booking changes or cancellations as soon as possible.

In case of a “No show” arising through the failure of a user to inform the ESRF in due time, any cancellation charges or other losses invoiced to the ESRF will be deducted from any later reimbursement.
 

24.4  -  SPECIFICATIONS FOR USERS FROM LABORATORIES IN THE GRENOBLE AREA

Users from laboratories in the Grenoble area may only be accommodated at the ESRF guesthouse if vacancies are available five days before arrival.

In this case, the duration of the stay is strictly limited to the dates of the experiment and the accommodation costs are not covered by the ESRF user budget.

25.1  -  ESRF RESTAURANT/CAFETERIA

The ESRF takes care of the preparation of the canteen card for meals (lunch and dinner) at the onsite ESRF restaurant/cafeteria (open 7/7). The ESRF will not pay for meals purchased elsewhere.
 

25.2  -  MEAL CREDITS

Meal credits for subsidised users are calculated on the basis of the duration of the reimbursed stay, at the level of 2 meals per day plus dinner on the arrival day and lunch on the departure day.

Any additional expenditure is to be borne by the user by purchasing further credits at the cash desk of the ESRF restaurant.

!Remaining meal credits paid by the user must be claimed at the cash desk of the ESRF restaurant before leaving the site.

26.1  -  REIMBURSEMENT CLAIMS

The ESRF refunds travel expenses paid by the user in accordance with the present regulations (i.e. those not prepaid by the ESRF), travel costs by car (Article 23.1.4) and previously agreed cheaper travel alternatives booked by the user (Article 22.5).

Reimbursement of expenses is paid directly to the user; refunds cannot be made to institutes.

Travel expenses are reimbursed on presentation of dated original receipts. 

Receipts are original or dematerialized documents that clearly identify the expense incurred, thus confirming that it relates to the business trip. Normally, they should specify the date of the purchase (or service), its purpose, the amount, the currency, the names of the beneficiary and of the merchant. 
(Credit card receipts or copies of cell phone screens are not accepted as proof).

Claims are only processed when all original proof of expenditure has been submitted to the ESRF, via the ESRF Travel management application.

!The ESRF will process a maximum of one claim per reimbursed user per experiment.

Further receipts sent after the refund of expenses by the ESRF for the same user and experiment will not be reimbursed.

 

26.2  -  DELAY FOR REIMBURSEMENT CLAIMS

The reimbursement of expenses incurred must be claimed without delay, in any case not later than one month after the visit. Claims submitted outside this period will only be paid further to special authorization of the ESRF Director of Administration

26.3  -  PAYMENT OF REIMBURSEMENTS

All reimbursements are paid by bank transfer. The user is responsible for any charges incurred on his/her own bank account in relation to such transfers. 

This annex is a reference to Annex 3 of the official ESRF Travel Regulations revised in July 2026

1  -  NORMAL RATE

	Reimbursement rate
Car	0.32 € / km

2  -  REDUCED RATE

	Reimbursement rate
Car	0.18 € / km