EU launches 41,000 free rail passes for young travelers across Europe

The European Commission announced the start of the next DiscoverEU selection, offering 41,000 free rail tickets to young Europeans and citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey. Interested individuals born in 2008 must apply online by 15 October and answer a quiz. Successful applicants can travel for up to 30 days between March 2027 and May 2028, receiving a Travel-Pass, a youth card with discounts on transport, hotels, food and cultural activities, and, for the 250 highest-ranked candidates, a complimentary stay in a youth hostel.

A new DiscoverEU route will link sites bearing the European Heritage label, and group applications as well as companion support for participants with disabilities are now permitted. Recipients are expected to act as ambassadors, sharing experiences on social media with #DiscoverEU and giving talks in schools or communities. The programme, launched in 2018, has already issued around half a million passes to 2.1 million applicants.