Starting this summer, thousands of young people will travel back to Europe by train for free thanks to the latest call of the DiscoverEU programme. Today at 12:00 CET during the European Youth Week buzzing with activity, the Commission launched the latest round of DiscoverEU applications. It will end on Tuesday, April 30 at 12:00 CET.
In total, 35,500 travel passes are available. To get one, young people born between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2006 can take a quiz with five questions about the EU and an additional question about the European Youth Portal. Successful applicants will receive a free rail pass to travel within Europe for up to 30 days between 1 July 2024 and 30 September 2025.
The call is open to applicants from the European Union and associated countries Erasmus+ program including Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey. Ticket holders can plan their own routes or be inspired by existing ones. For example, they can discover a street launched last year, which 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 take advantage of the Discover EU Culture Route an initiative of the European Year of Youth 2022 that combines different cultural destinations including architecture, music, art, theatre, fashion and design. Participants can visit European capitals of culture which are on UNESCO World Heritage List, European Heritage Label sites, gold City Access Award the places of the label, which are the cities that have gone above and beyond to become more accessible to all.
DiscoverEU is much more than just a ticket. Participants will also receive a discount card with more than 40,000 discount possibilities on public transport, culture, accommodation, food, sports and other services in eligible countries. In addition, Erasmus+ National Agencies organize information meetings before departure, and national agencies in all Erasmus+ countries prepare DiscoverEU Meet-upslearning programs lasting from one to three days.
Social inclusion is a major priority of the Erasmus+ program, so participants with disabilities or health problems receive support in their travels. From October 2022, the Erasmus+ National Agencies have implemented DiscoverEU Inclusion Action, which allows organizations working with young people with fewer opportunities to apply for a grant. This action provides extra support to participants, such as extra funding and the possibility to travel with accompanying persons. More than 250 projects have been awarded by Erasmus+ National Agencies since the first call in October 2022, and two Inclusion Action calls are in this year.
While DiscoverEU promotes sustainable rail travel, special arrangements are available to young people from outermost regions, overseas counties and territories, remote areas and islands.
Background
The Commission launched Discover EU in June 2018 after a preparatory action by the European Parliament. It is integrated into the Erasmus+ program 2021-2027.
Since 2018, more than 1 million applicants have applied for 284,000 available travel passes. According to the last post-trip survey, 72% of candidates said it was the first time they traveled outside their country of residence by train. For many, it was also the first time they traveled without accompanying parents or adults, and the majority indicated an increased sense of independence. More than two-thirds said they would not have been able to finance their travel pass without DiscoverEU.
The DiscoverEU experience gave young people a better understanding of other cultures and European history and improved their foreign language skills. Participants are invited to become DiscoverEU Ambassadors to support the initiative. tea #DiscoverEU Official group has more than 96,000 members where young travelers can contact each other to share experiences and advice.
To apply, eligible applicants must complete a multiple-choice quiz on general knowledge of the European Union and other EU initiatives aimed at young people. The Commission will rank the candidates on the basis of their answers. The Commission offers a travel pass to the candidates after their ranking up to the limit of available tickets.
For more information
Quote(s)
DiscoverEU is a fantastic opportunity for young people who want to explore Europe, discover places and meet new people. I am delighted to launch this spring application during the exciting European Youth Week. I wish good luck to all applicants!
Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
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