DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THE TRAVEL PLANNER
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Get to know the info pack of the project you have been approved for participation.
It contains important details.
In the info packs the maximum amounts per person for a round trip are stated.
Reimbursement is based on distances, and can vary based on project frame.
https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/resources-and-tools/distance-calculator
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
Remember
Keep every original tickets, boarding passes, receipts and invoices.
If you use an app, make screen shots – often some companies do not provide access to expired trips.
How to get to Karlovo and Mrachenik
Remember that contribution to the return travel costs of participants (reimbursement of travel) is meant to support you with travelling and is NOT expected to cover absolutely 100% of your travel expenses, neither it is expected to leave you with extra money on top (profit). Reimbursement takes time, and you must actively participate in the process. Eligibility of travel cost depends on rules and Smokinya Foundation is here to observe them and inform you.
Important
Always choose the most economy option!
Your travel must start from the country where your sending organisation is, to the location stated in the confirmation letter in Bulgaria, and back to your sending country. If you travel from, or to different place than those, extra rules apply. If you exceed the maximum amount, you must cover the difference at your own expense. We ask you to choose the most economical tickets. First-class tickets, luxury services, including taxi are not eligible.
Rarely, exceptions might apply ONLY communicated and approved by the Smokinya Foundation representative in written.
Reimbursement is a process, and as such it is different from country to country, depending on national regulation and bookkeeping rules.
For projects in Bulgaria you must provide all original tickets, boarding passes, receipts and invoices.
That means, after the project, when you get back home, you must mail by registered post (with tracking number) all your original travel documents that you got.
It might take between 30 and 60 business days to be completed as a process and highly depends on your active participation in providing your travel documents in a timely manner.
Keep every original tickets, boarding passes, receipts and invoices.
If you check-in via app service, make screen shots – some companies do not provide access to expired trips.
The travel has to happen a maximum of 1 day before / 1 day after the training. Sightseeing and touristic activities are not allowed.
Accommodation and food are provided only for the days of the training. Should you arrive earlier, you must cover your expenses and make your bookings. Same with departures.
No late arrivals, after the first day of the program.
No early departures, before the last day of the program.
Exceptions are only possible in force majeure duly justified in-written cases.
Where available, ask for an invoice in the name of:
Smokinya Foundation
UIN 177019886
4362 Mrachenik
Bulgaria
If that is not possible, your names MUST to appear on the invoice, or other travel document.
In a nutshell:
1. reimbursement is a process and it takes time (30-60 business days)
2. choose the most economical travel options
3. we all must follow:
– the the national requirements of the Erasmus+ programme enforced by the National Agency of Bulgaria, and/or other relevant involved NAs;
– the national regulation and bookkeeping rules.
4. keep and provide original travel documents (tickets, invoices, boarding passes, receipts etc.) within the deadlines given by the organisers
5. organise and implement follow-up / dissemination activity in your country of residence
6. When possible, we may be able to do individual travel reimbursement bank transfers – we will let you know in the email communication and make relevant agreements and provide necessary information.
6.1. In some case, we might need to do ONLY 1 transfer per each country group – division of the reimbursement money is responsibility of the participants – we will let you know in the email communication and make relevant agreements and provide necessary information.
7. anything not mentioned here, clarify with the Smokinya Foundation staff.
Green travel
Green travel in general relates to environmental sustainability: the project is designed in an eco-friendly way and incorporates green practices (e.g. green travel). Green travel is the one that use low-emissions means of transport for the main part of the travel, such as bus, train or car-pooling (with 4 or more people on board).
IMPORTANT
For green travel what is acceptable and important to know and remember is that only up to four additional days (in total) for participants receiving a green travel grant.
NEW UPDATE
27.10.2025
After consulting different NAs across EU, we concluded that:
Green travel is ONLY when the total distance is travelled in eco-friendly way (bus, train, carpooling). If there is a flight involved – no matter for arrival, departure, or in-between travels, the person’s trip and travel CANNOT be and will NOT be considered Green travel. Regular rules apply.
NB!
A note from Bulgarian National agency:
In the case of a person travelling on the way to Bulgaria by bus, or train, and then eventually going back to their home country by plane, this is NOT to be considered as green travel. Unless, the person can explicitly prove that the greater part of the trip was in an ecological low-emissions means of transport.
The lump sum for travel for sustainable means of transport (eco-travel) is eligible if sustainable means of transport are used for the majority of the round trip (in terms of distance travelled). The proving of that is in the responsibilities of the interested participants, following our guidance and Erasmus+ and ESC rules, and national requirements of the Bulgarian NA, and/or other relevant involved NAs.
National Agencies managing Erasmus+ and ESC on national level, might have extra conditions, rules, and requirements regarding the green travel, e.g. signing a declaration, providing extra proofs etc.
Smokinya Foundation might need to consult NA and get approval if a trip can be considered green travel.
For green travel with bus and / or train, you must consider some extra risks.
* unexpected delays, cancellations, mechanical damages, luggage theft
* bus and train ticket reservations might be not possible for several weeks before the travel, and that is also a risk for us as host organisation to ensure your participation and not dropping out, so we will ask you to pay via bank transfer a REFUNDABLE (only if you arrive and participate fully) security deposit of 50 EUR per person traveling by bus / train
* in duly justified cases, there might be extra financial support for up to 4 days if the trip takes that long (2 days before the activity, and 2 days after the activity). In case participants need additional travel in order to reach the location where the activity starts, they are also entitled to travel support, including “green travel” where applicable. Subject to request, justification, and approval.
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
For the green travel in the case of car pooling
Carpooling is a great way to have a trip and be sustainable, as far as you meet the requirements and you are willing to do the extra work, considering some extra risks.
In order to be eligible for travel reimbursement for carpooling, you need to have:
* min 4 people (or 5) traveling together in one car.
* have international car insurance
* provide car papers (year, make, model, fuel type, consumption per 100 km.)
* pay as you go your fuel, toll fees and collect every receipt in original hard copy
* shared car ride (carpooling) also hides risks like unexpected car mechanical, or electronics problems that you may need to solve abroad, and pay for that – those are NOT reimbursable expenses, those are your personal expenses.
* carpooling is also risk for us as host organisation to ensure your participation and not dropping out, so we will ask you to pay via bank transfer a NON-REIMBURSABLE security deposit of 50 EUR per person traveling by car
* as far as accountancy is concerned, Smokinya Foundation is obliged to follow Bulgarian accountancy and bookkeeping rules and your travel fuel and toll fees reimbursement is subject to evaluation. It might be that you get partial reimbursement up to limits fixed by Bulgarian norms per car make, year, model, fuel.
* subject of evaluation and approval is route, which has to be the shortest, and realistic fuel consumption (if it really incurred).
* your car may break abroad, may be damaged abroad, may be fined for bad parking, may be stolen, or else – those are your personal risks.
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
We often check flight options here
www.kiwi.com
https://www.google.com/flights
http://www.azair.com/
https://www.edreams.net/cheap-flights/
Smokinya Foundation reserves the right to change, or modify, some of those details above, based on contractual requirements and limitations of EU financed project.
We always want to reimburse every participants in the fastest way, as well as up to the highest limit. This depends on rules, which we all must follow.
Failure to follow the above mentioned steps may lead to delayed, or reduced reimbursement.
Should you have a question, contact us: info@smokinya.com.
