Young people keen to travel by train in Europe have one day left to sign up for the Discover EU programme, where they can benefit from a free pass in the EU for up to 30 days.
According to the youth.europa.eu website, registration closes on 30 April at 12.00 Central European Time (13.00 Romanian time). The Commission is offering young people 35 500 free travel permits.
The application round was launched on 16 April. In total, 35 500 travel permits are available. To get one, young people born between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2006 can take part in a quiz with five questions about the EU and one additional question on the European Youth Portal. Successful candidates will receive a free rail pass to travel in Europe for up to 30 days between 1 July 2024 and 30 September 2025.
The call for proposals is open to applicants from the European Union and countries associated to the Erasmus+ programme, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey. Ticket holders can plan their own routes or draw inspiration from existing ones. For example, they can discover a route launched last year that focuses on cities and places that make the European Union “beautiful, sustainable and inclusive”, in line with the principles of the new European Bauhaus.
Participants can also benefit from the DiscoverEU cultural itinerary, a European Year of Youth 2022 initiative, which combines various cultural destinations including architecture, music, fine art, theatre, fashion and design. Participants can visit European Capitals of Culture, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List, sites bearing the European Heritage Label or Access City Award locations, cities that have gone the extra mile to make themselves more accessible to all.
DiscoverEU is much more than a ticket. Participants will also receive a discount card with over 40 000 discount opportunities for public transport, culture, accommodation, food, sport and other services in eligible countries. In addition, Erasmus+ National Agencies organise pre-departure information meetings and National Agencies in all Erasmus+ countries prepare DiscoverEU meetings, learning programmes lasting from one to three days.
While DiscoverEU encourages sustainable travel by rail, special arrangements are available for young people in outermost regions, overseas countries and territories, remote areas and islands.
Background
The Commission launched DiscoverEU in June 2018, following a preparatory action by the European Parliament. It is integrated into the Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme.
Since 2018, more than one million applicants have applied for the 284 000 available travel permits. According to the most recent post-travel survey, 72% of applicants said it was their first time travelling outside their country of residence by train. For many it was also the first time they had travelled without parents or accompanying adults, and most indicated an increased sense of independence. More than two-thirds said they would not have been able to finance their travel pass without DiscoverEU.
To apply, eligible applicants must complete a multiple-choice questionnaire that tests general knowledge about the European Union and other EU initiatives aimed at young people. The Commission will rank applicants based on their answers. The Commission will offer travel passes to applicants who follow their ranking, up to the limit of available tickets.
Share on:
