Radboud University Travel and Moving Expenses Regulations 2026

As adopted and agreed by the Executive Board with the employee organisations at the Local Council meeting on 1 December 2025.

The employer has adopted the following regulations with due observance of Article 3.20(1a) and Article 10.2(2) of the Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) for Dutch Universities.

Section 1 General provisions

Article 1.1 Subject of the regulations

These regulations set out further rules, as referred to in the CLA, with regard to commuting expenses and moving expenses, and encourage employees to choose a sustainable mode of transport (public transport or bike). The regulations comply with the Mobility Vision adopted by Radboud University and meet the principle of good employment practices, both from the perspective of a socially responsible organisation and in terms of good employment conditions.

Article 1.2 Applicability of these regulations

  1. These regulations shall apply to employees of Radboud University as referred to in Article 1.1(1f) of the CLA.
  2. The provisions of Article 2.1(3) of these regulations shall apply to student assistants and on-call workers.

Article 1.3 Definitions

  1. For the purpose of these regulations, the place of employment shall be the campus.
  2. Travel distance shall be understood as the distance between home and the campus in kilometres per single journey, in accordance with a travel planner to be applied by Radboud University (PostNL postcode table).

Section 2 Travel allowance for commuting by public transport or bike 

Article 2.1 Employees using public transport, car or bike

  1. Employees shall choose one of the following options for travel from home to the place of employment (and vice versa):

    (a) travel distance of 10.1 km or more by public transport
    The employee with a travel distance of 10.1 km or more can use public transport with a 2nd class NS Business Card provided by the employer, enabling the employee to travel by train, tram, bus or metro. The NS Business Card can also be used for the public transport (OV) bike for travel to and from the Dutch Railways (NS) station as well as for Park and Ride (P+R) and bicycle parking at the NS station (the first 24 hours are usually free of charge). Radboud University shall upload the subscription recommended by NS onto the NS Business Card based on travel behaviour (check-in, check-out) and travel distance. If and insofar as the employee uses public transport outside the Netherlands and outside the travel area of the NS Business Card, the corresponding expenses shall be reimbursed in full. 


    (b) travel distance of 10.1 km or more by car
    The employee with a travel distance of 10.1 km or more who travels by car (or motorbike, scooter or moped) between home and the campus 5 days a week will receive a travel allowance of €15 per month. If the employee travels on four, three, two or one day(s) each week, the allowance shall total 80%, 60%, 40% or 20% of this amount, respectively. 

    (c) by bike regardless of travel distance
    The employee who uses a bike, whether electric or not, regardless of the travel distance, shall receive a monthly bike allowance of €0.05 per kilometre travelled.

    A combination of (a), (b) and (c) shall not be possible.
     

  2. Employees shall indicate their choice according to the procedure established by Radboud University. In the event of a structural change in the number of commuting days and the number of days working from home, employees can change their choice.
  3. Student assistants and employees with on-call contracts shall not be provided with an NS Business Card. Student assistants who do not have free transport as students and on-call workers shall receive a travel allowance of 
    €0.05 per km if travelling by bike or public transport. No allowance shall be granted if commuting by car.

Section 3 Conditions and use of NS Business Card for employees

Article 3.1 Use for commuting

  1. The NS Business Card can only be used for commuting.
  2. Private use of the NS Business Card provided for commuting purposes shall not be permitted.
  3. Any kilometres travelled to the public transport facility, other than those using the NS Business Card, shall not be eligible for reimbursement.

Article 3.2 Change to 1st class

Employees wishing to change the 2nd class NS Business Card to 1st class shall bear the corresponding additional cost for commuting themselves and shall pay this to Radboud University through a deduction from their net salary.

Article 3.3 Termination of employment

On termination of employment, the right to use the NS Business Card provided shall expire.

Section 4 Conditions of the bike allowance for employees

Article 4.1 Use for commuting

Employees wishing to qualify for the bike allowance must actually make the entire commute by bike, whether electric or not, and apply for this in accordance with the procedure in place at Radboud University. 

Article 4.2 Monthly allowance

  1. The bike allowance shall be paid monthly based on the number of travel days declared and approved as well as the postcode table applied by Radboud University.
  2. If the commuting distance is no longer travelled by bike but by car, for example, the employee shall no longer be entitled to the bike allowance and the employee should actively inform the employer about this in accordance with the procedure in place at Radboud University so that the allowance can be terminated.

Section 5 Supplement to the travel allowance via Selection Model

Article 5 Supplement to the travel allowance for car, bike or public transport

  1. Employees who do not use an NS Business Card for their travel to and from the NS station may be able to arrange a supplementary travel allowance for themselves up to the maximum amount allowed for tax purposes per kilometre commuted by using the holiday hours, salary, holiday allowance or end-of-year bonus sources in the Selection Model. This applies only if and to the extent that this results in an amount higher than the amount of the NS Business Card cost reimbursed by Radboud University to NS.
  2. Employees who travel to the campus by car can use the Employment Conditions Selection Model monthly, several times a year or once a year to arrange a (supplementary) travel allowance for themselves up to the maximum amount allowed for tax purposes per kilometre commuted by using the holiday hours, salary, holiday allowance or end-of-year bonus sources. As a result, the employee shall enjoy the tax benefit on the use of these sources. This benefit is generally around 36%, but it can rise to around 49.5% depending on income and even up to a 100% tax benefit if holiday hours are used. To be able to use the Selection Model, employees must make it known, in accordance with the procedure in place at Radboud University, that they commute to the campus by car. Only once the HR administration has a record of the fact that the employee travels to the campus by car can the maximum travel allowance to be applied for be registered in the Selection Model and then applied for.
  3. Employees who use a bike, whether electric or not, for their commute can arrange a supplementary travel allowance for themselves up to the maximum amount allowed for tax purposes per kilometre commuted by using the holiday hours, salary, holiday allowance or end-of-year bonus sources in the Selection Model. 

Section 6 Moving expenses allowance

Article 6.1 Moving expenses allowance and conditions

  1. New employees who prior to their employment live outside the Netherlands more than 150 km from the border shall be entitled to a moving expenses allowance for transport and travel expenses. This concerns the cost of transporting the household effects and the cost of travelling to the new place of residence for the employee as well as the employee’s partner, children and pets. Farm animals or livestock as well as large pets for which medical treatment is provided by a veterinarian who treats farm animals shall be excluded.
  2. In the exceptional situation that new employees, other than those referred to in the first paragraph, are actually and necessarily required to live in or near Nijmegen due to the nature and content of their job, these employees shall be entitled to a moving expenses allowance for transport and travel expenses. This concerns the cost of transporting the household effects and the cost of travelling to the new place of residence for the employee as well as the employee’s partner, children and pets.
  3. The move should be related to the new employment relationship with Radboud University. Prior to employment, the employee must live more than 25 kilometres away from the campus and the distance between home and place of employment shall be reduced by at least 60% due to the move.

  4. Combined moving expenses allowance 


    (a) In the event that a family is moving and both spouses/partners are entitled to a moving expenses allowance under these regulations, the allowance as stated in this article shall be paid to one employee only. 

    (b) If the move involves a family where one of the spouses/partners is entitled to a moving expenses allowance under these regulations and the other spouse/partner receives a moving expenses allowance on other grounds, the contribution shall be paid only to the extent that it exceeds the contribution received on other grounds. 
    The employee shall indicate whether this situation applies and shall inform Radboud University (the HR Service Center) about the level of the allowance from the employer of the spouse/partner. 

Article 6.2 Repayment of moving expenses

If the employment contract is terminated within 12 months of moving at the employee’s own request or as a result of facts or circumstances attributable to the employee, the employee must repay the moving expenses allowance received. This shall be done through a deduction from the net salary. 

Section 7 Allowance for temporary accommodation expenses

Article 7 Allowance and conditions for temporary accommodation on taking up employment

  1. If an employee referred to in Article 6(1) or (2) has yet to move to Nijmegen and/or the surrounding area on taking up employment and must move into temporary accommodation, resulting in double accommodation expenses, the employee may be eligible for an allowance for the double accommodation expenses.
  2. Double accommodation expenses shall only be reimbursed up to a maximum amount of 
    €1000 per month for a maximum duration of six months.

Section 8 Final provisions

Article 8.1 Hardship clause

In cases not covered by these regulations or where they have a manifestly unreasonable impact, Radboud University may decide differently in favour of the employee within the applicable tax frameworks.

Article 8.2 Entry into force, expiring regulations and manual

These regulations shall enter into force on 1 July 2026 and shall replace the previous ‘Radboud University Travel and Moving Expenses Allowance Regulations’ and the ‘Travel days for commuting and working from home manual’. In their current form, these regulations shall have a term of three years. The regulations shall be reviewed in the first quarter of 2028, on which basis a decision shall be taken whether to continue the regulations, in an amended form or otherwise, after 1 July 2029, to be agreed in the Local Council.

Article 8.3 Short title

These regulations may be cited as the 'Radboud University Travel and Moving Expenses Regulations 2026'.

Human Resources Modified on: Valid since: