Business travel

Here you can find information on what you need to consider before, during and after a business trip.

Rail travel in Europe

It will now be easier for Lund University staff to travel by train in Europe. This means that we can further reduce the climate impact of our business travel. As of 1 June 2023, all rail travel abroad is to be booked through the Danish rail travel agency, Togrejse, via the link to a form, which can be found in Lupin/Proceedo. However, all air travel, airport transfers, rail travel connected with air travel and domestic rail travel are booked as previously via BCD Travel.

More information about this will be published soon.

New agreement for travel agency services

Lund University has procured a new agreement for travel agency services. From 1 February 2023 onwards, the new supplier will be BCD Travel Sweden AB.

Bookings could be made with Egencia up to and including the last day of January. After that, Egencia will only deal with bookings that have been made before the end of the agreement.

Step 1 – Consider travel-free alternatives

Before booking travel, you must always assess whether the travel can be replaced by digital meetings.

Read the regulations and general guidelines for business travel at Lund University:

Regulations for business travel at Lund University (PDF 41 kB, new tab)

General guidelines for business travel at Lund University (PDF 49 kB, new tab)

Step 2 – Manager approval

Travel must be approved by your line manager who has responsibility for ensuring you follow the regulations and for approving any deviations.

Step 3 – Consider the environment, safety and cost

If travel is approved, consideration must be given to the work environment and environment, as well as to cost efficiency.

Fossil-free modes of transport should be the first option. Trains should be the first option for domestic travel. Flights may be considered if the time saved is at least two hours on both the outbound and inbound journeys. The total travel time shall be compared (including connecting transport and waiting times).

As a public authority, we are not allowed to make use of carbon offset credits, such as the purchasing of emission allowances.

Consider cost efficiency and pay attention to all aspects of the trip: transport to and from train stations/airports, accommodation, working hours, allowances etc.

Before you book a trip, you should also check with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (UD) to see whether there is a travel advisory for your business trip destination or connecting countries on the planned route.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs advises against travel to certain countries.

Step 4 - Book

Travel must be booked via the travel agency with which Lund University has a procured agreement regardless of the mode of transport. This way, safety requirements and insurance are automatically included.

For travel in the immediate area, read about local travel

Cars shall be used restrictively for financial, environmental and safety reasons. Our procured rental cars shall always be green vehicles.

You can hire a plug-in hybrid car via LU Service. Bookings are made through Lupin.

Things to consider before and while travelling

There are also some practical things to consider and prepare before travelling, such as vaccinations and visas.

More information on travel preparations from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in Swedish)

You will be covered by travel insurance via the procured travel agency. As an employee, you are also insured via Kammarkollegiet’s business travel insurance.

For travel-related expenses while travelling, it is recommended you apply for a charge card.

Subsistence allowance

You are eligible for subsistence allowances and travel cost reimbursements for business travel.

Extend a business trip

If the traveller, for personal reasons, wishes to travel earlier or stay longer in connection with a business trip the line manager must approve this. The prolonged duration of the stay must be in reasonable proportion to the length of the business trip. You are responsible for the additional costs that occur due to the extension of the trip.

Accommodation

Accommodation shall be booked via the University’s procured travel agency. Hotel rooms should be of good middle-class standard (three or four star).

Link to the booking page of the procured travel agency BCD Travel

When it is not possible to book accommodation in advance or when the hotel is allocated for an external conference, you will have to report the expense through the University travel expense report system after returning home.

When you return home from your trip

Tickets and other travel-related expenses shall be invoiced whenever possible. If this is not possible, you may report expenses in the travel expense report system.

Information about how to do a travel expense report and receive reimbursement for expenses

Complaints

If you are unhappy with your trip or booking, it is important that you file a complaint with BCD Travel at lu [at] bcdtravel [dot] se.

Complaints about a booking made with the previous travel agency Egencia? Contact customer_service [at] egencia [dot] se.

Booking for visitors

If you have a guest whose travel and accommodation is to be covered by the University, bookings shall be processed in the same way as above via the procured travel agency.

For short-term and long-term accommodation with cooking facilities in Lund, Lund University has some guest accommodation to offer. Hotel bookings shall be booked according to the public hotel agreement.

Information on hotels, via public agreements, can be found in Lupin

Business travel insurance

You will be covered by travel insurance via the procured travel agency. As an employee, you are also insured via Kammarkollegiet’s business travel insurance.

Lund University Guest House

Lund University Guest House is located at Sparta, close to the Faculty of Engineering as well as Ideon and the School of Economics and Management, and a quick walk or bike ride from the rest of the University. Lund University Guest House offers simple rooms at a modest price.

Presentation material

In connection with your trip you may be speaking about Lund University. If this is the case, you can make use of general presentation material. You will find this here:

General presentation material about Lund University