35,500 Free Travel Passes for Europe's Youth Available Starting Next Spring
Key Takeaways
1. Young individuals born in 2006 can apply for one of 35,500 travel passes starting next spring.
2. Successful applicants will have the chance to travel throughout Europe for up to 30 days between March 1, 2025, and May 31, 2026.
3. Participants will also receive a discount card offering access to over 40,000 deals on various services and pre-departure information sessions.
Beginning next spring, thousands of 18-year-olds will have the exciting chance to explore Europe at no cost, thanks to the European Commission’s DiscoverEU initiative.
A total of 35,500 travel passes are available under this initiative, with the current application period open until October 16.
To be eligible, individuals born between January 1 and December 31, 2006, must complete a quiz consisting of five questions about the EU, plus one additional question regarding the EU Youth Portal.
This opportunity is available to young people from both EU countries and those participating in the Erasmus+ programme, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, and Türkiye.
Successful applicants can travel across Europe for up to 30 days from March 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026. This initiative promotes cultural exchange and aims to enhance the sense of European identity among youth.
“DiscoverEU provides young people with an extraordinary opportunity to expand their horizons, experience the rich diversity of Europe, and build connections across borders. By offering these free travel passes, we foster a deeper understanding of European cultures, values, and history,” said Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth.
In addition to the free travel pass, participants will receive a discount card that grants access to over 40,000 offers on public transport, cultural events, accommodations, dining, sports, and various other services. Erasmus+ National Agencies will also organize pre-departure information sessions and DiscoverEU Meet-ups, which are learning programmes lasting from one to three days.
Free Travel Passes Awarded to 35,551 Young Europeans This Summer
The DiscoverEU initiative was launched in June 2018 as a preparatory action by the European Parliament and has since been integrated into the Erasmus+ programme for 2021-2027.
Since its inception, over 1.3 million individuals have applied for a total of 319,000 travel passes. Notably, 93% of participants reported that their DiscoverEU experience inspired them to travel by train more frequently in the future.
Additionally, this summer, a total of 35,551 young Europeans received travel passes to explore the continent for free. In the latest application round held in April, over 180,000 young people expressed their interest in the opportunity.
Those selected for the travel pass will have the flexibility to travel solo or in groups of up to five people from July 1, 2024, to September 2025.