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Free policy template · Word

Travel Policy

A travel policy governs how employees plan and undertake official travel — who approves trips, how tickets and hotels are booked, entitled class of travel and hotel category by grade, safety and insurance, and rules for international travel. Expense claims and settlement after the trip are covered in a separate travel expense policy.

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Preview of the policy

[Highlighted] = fill in
[Company Logo][Company Name]

TRAVEL POLICY

Policy No.:
[Reference Number]
Version:
[Version Number]
Effective Date:
[Date]
Policy Owner:
Administration & Finance

1. Purpose

This policy sets the rules for official travel by employees of [Company Name], so that trips are necessary, safe, comfortable and cost-effective.

2. Scope

It applies to all employees and to consultants travelling on company business. Relocation on transfer is covered by the Employee Transfer Policy.

3. Definitions

  • Official travel: travel outside the base city for company business.
  • Travel desk: the internal team or agency that books tickets and hotels.
  • Metro city: [List of Cities]; all other cities are non-metro.

4. Policy

  1. All travel requires prior approval in [Travel Tool] by the Reporting Manager; international travel also needs [Authorised Signatory] approval.
  2. Domestic air tickets are booked at least [Number] days in advance unless urgent; the lowest logical fare within the entitled class is chosen.
  3. Bookings are made through the travel desk; self-bookings are allowed only when the desk is unavailable.
  4. Employees must carry valid ID and follow airline and hotel rules.
  5. All employees on travel are covered by company travel insurance of ₹[Amount].
  6. Women employees arriving after [Time] will be provided a company-arranged cab and company-approved hotel.
  7. For international travel, the company arranges visa, insurance and forex as per the Travel Expense Policy.
GradeAirRailHotel – Metro (per night)Hotel – Non-Metro (per night)
[Grade]EconomyAC 3-tier₹[Amount]₹[Amount]
[Grade]EconomyAC 2-tier₹[Amount]₹[Amount]
[Grade]Economy / Premium EconomyAC 1st₹[Amount]₹[Amount]

5. Procedure

  1. Employee raises a travel request with purpose, dates and destination.
  2. Manager approves; travel desk books and shares the itinerary.
  3. Changes or cancellations are informed to the travel desk immediately.
  4. After the trip, the employee submits the claim under the Travel Expense Policy within [Number] days.

6. Responsibilities

  • Employees: plan early, follow entitlements, keep safe.
  • Managers: approve only necessary travel.
  • Travel desk: best fares, safe hotels, 24x7 support.
  • Finance: monitor budgets and compliance.

7. Non-compliance

Costs above entitlement without approval will be borne by the employee. Unapproved trips will not be reimbursed. Misrepresentation of travel purpose is misconduct.

8. Review & Approval

Entitlements are reviewed annually by Finance and HR.

Prepared by
[HR Name]
Human Resources
Approved by
[Authorised Signatory]
[Designation]
Date: [Date]

What this template includes

  • Pre-travel approval — every trip has a business purpose and approver
  • Booking via travel desk — better fares and duty-of-care visibility
  • Entitlement table — air/rail class and hotel category by grade
  • Advance booking window — [Number] days ahead to control fares
  • Safety and insurance — travel insurance, emergency contacts, women travellers
  • International travel — visa, forex, approvals

When to use it

  • Sales and service teams travel frequently and bookings are inconsistent
  • Setting grade-wise entitlements for air, rail and hotel
  • Moving to a central travel desk or corporate booking tool
  • Covering safety, insurance and visa rules for overseas trips

How to customise this template

  1. 1Fill the entitlement table with your grades and city categories
  2. 2Insert your travel desk contact or booking tool
  3. 3Set approval levels for domestic vs international trips
  4. 4Decide when employees may book directly
  5. 5Link to your Travel Expense Policy for claims

HR tips

  • Book early — last-minute air fares inflate travel costs
  • Prefer company-booked hotels for women and late-night arrivals
  • Ask employees to share their itinerary with the travel desk for emergencies
  • Avoid combining personal leave with business travel without approval of extra costs

This travel policy is a template. Review it with Finance for tax and GST implications of bookings and with legal advice for insurance and duty-of-care obligations.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a company travel policy include?+

It typically covers approvals, booking process, class of travel, hotel limits, local conveyance, safety and international travel. Daily allowances and claims are often in a separate expense policy.

Who decides the class of travel?+

Class of travel is normally fixed by grade and journey length, for example economy air for most employees and higher classes only for senior grades or long-haul trips.

Can an employee extend a business trip for personal leave?+

Many policies allow it with prior approval, provided the company pays no extra cost and the employee is responsible during the personal days.

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