HEPLANO
Trades & Small BusinessTravel Cost Calculator for Tradespeople

Travel Cost Calculator for Tradespeople

Your real travel costs are the distance driven times your vehicle cost per kilometer, plus any billed travel time and a call-out fee.

Last updated 19.09.2026

Many tradespeople only estimate travel costs roughly or don't price them in at all – yet fuel, wear, insurance and above all your own time on the road add up to a significant cost over a year.

Formula: Travel costs = (distance × number of trips × vehicle cost per km) + (travel time × hourly rate) + call-out fee

Example calculation

ItemAmount
Distance (15 km × 2 trips × €0.30/km)€9.00
Travel time (0.5 h × €45/h)€22.50
Call-out fee€0.00
Real travel costs€31.50

Without travel time and vehicle costs, this job would be priced €31.50 too cheap.

Your travel cost calculator

km

Distance to the job site in km, one direction.

×

2 for a round trip, more for multiple visits.

€/km

Fuel, wear, insurance – around €0.30/km is typical.

hrs

Time on the road, if you want to price it at your hourly rate.

€/hr

Only needed if travel time is entered above – pre-filled if you already used the hourly rate calculator.

€

A fixed amount you charge in addition to the distance.

Non-binding estimate, not tax or legal advice. For a binding calculation, talk to your tax advisor.
Next step

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Frequently asked questions about travel costs

How do I calculate travel costs for a job?

Multiply the distance driven by your vehicle cost per kilometer, add travel time priced at your hourly rate, and any call-out fee. The calculator above does this automatically.

What's a typical travel cost rate for tradespeople?

There's no legally fixed value. Many businesses use €0.30–€0.50 per kilometer for the vehicle, plus a possible call-out fee for short trips.

Should I bill travel time as work time?

That's a business decision. Many tradespeople price travel time at a reduced or full hourly rate, since they can't work other jobs during that time.