Can you use your Belgian mobility budget for a holiday?

Planning a trip with your partner? Before you book the transport, check your mobility budget. It could cover both your tickets, leaving a little more room in your holiday budget for dinner out.

You can use your Belgian mobility budget for public transport tickets for leisure travel within the European Economic Area (EEA), subject to your employer’s policy. Individual tickets for your partner can also qualify. Flights and Eurostar journeys to London are excluded.

New to the system? Here’s how the Belgian mobility budget works, including who’s eligible and how you can use it.

Flights, night trains and Eurostar: what’s covered?

Your choice of transport and destination both matter. A night train to Vienna can qualify, while a flight to Rome or a Eurostar journey to London cannot. Here’s how those journeys compare when departing from Belgium:

So, Vienna is an option. You still need to budget for your hotel and those café stops, but the train tickets could be covered.

Does the mobility budget cover leisure travel?

Yes. Public transport under pillar 2 of the mobility budget isn’t limited to commuting. You can use it for personal trips too, provided the journey meets the conditions and is included in your employer’s offer.

That opens up possibilities beyond your usual route to work. Visiting friends for the weekend? Taking a few days off to explore a new city? Check the transport before paying out of pocket.

Need a little travel inspiration? See how the Mbrella team travelled sustainably on holiday, with examples of trips by train and bus.

Which destinations are eligible?

Public transport journeys must stay within the European Economic Area: the EU countries, plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Train journeys from Belgium to Paris or Amsterdam can qualify. London doesn’t: following Brexit, the UK is outside the EEA, so Eurostar tickets to or from London are excluded.

When booking an international train, check the route as well as the type of transport.

Can your mobility budget cover your partner’s ticket?

Yes. Individual public transport tickets can be paid for on behalf of your partner, children or other people of your choice, within your employer’s policy.

The rule is more restrictive for season tickets: these must be for you or family members who live with you.

For a weekend away together, that means you can check whether both individual tickets are eligible, rather than just your own.

And holidays are only one part of the picture. Explore the other ways employees can use their mobility budget to see what could fit your everyday life too.

What should you check before booking?

A few minutes now can save you chasing up an expense later. Before you pay, check:

• The route: are the departure point and destination within the EEA?
• Your employer’s policy: is this type of spending included?
• Your available budget: is there enough left to cover the tickets?
• The expense process: which documents should you keep, and how do you submit them?

If you’re unsure, ask HR about the journey. You can also browse Mbrella’s mobility budget help centre for practical questions about managing your budget and expenses.

Once that’s settled, you can focus on finding a hotel and choosing where to eat.

Make it part of your travel planning

Planning your next getaway? Explore your mobility budget options before you reach for your bank card.

Working in HR and want to help employees make the most of their budget? Book a demo to see how Mbrella helps you manage mobility budgets and expenses.

‍