DiscoverEU has opened a new application round, offering 40,000 free travel passes to 18-year-olds across Europe and associated Erasmus+ countries. The European Commission said applications opened on 8 April 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time and will close on 22 April 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time, with selected participants able to travel for seven travel days within a period of up to 30 days between 1 July 2026 and 30 September 2027.
Who can apply for the 2026 DiscoverEU travel passes
The new DiscoverEU round is open to young people born between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2008. Applicants must be citizens or residents of an EU member state, including the Union’s outermost regions and associated overseas territories, or of a country associated with the Erasmus+ programme, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Türkiye.
To apply, candidates must complete a short quiz on the European Youth Portal, answering five questions about the EU and one additional question. They can also apply as a group of friends, provided all members meet the eligibility criteria. The Commission will rank applicants and award passes until the available tickets run out.
How the free European train travel scheme works
Successful applicants will receive a pass that allows them to travel mainly by train for seven travel days within a period of up to 30 days. Participants can organise their own itinerary or follow suggested routes, including the DiscoverEU Culture Route, which links destinations connected to architecture, music, visual arts, theatre, fashion and design.
The pass also comes with a discount card covering public transport, cultural venues, accommodation, food, sports and other services in eligible countries. Participants can also join pre-departure information sessions and DiscoverEU Meet-ups, designed to help them meet other travellers and learn more about the EU.
Extra support for disadvantaged young travellers
The Commission said DiscoverEU includes additional support for young people with disabilities, health conditions or a low socio-economic background. This can include accompanying persons or extra funding through the DiscoverEU Inclusion Action.
Special travel arrangements are also available for participants living in islands, outermost regions, overseas countries and territories, and remote areas, where rail travel may not be the easiest option.
Why DiscoverEU remains one of the EU’s most visible youth programmes
The European Commission launched DiscoverEU in 2018, following a request from the European Parliament. Since then, more than 1.9 million young people have applied for 431,931 travel passes.
According to the latest post-travel survey cited by the Commission, 72% of participants said it was their first time travelling by train outside their country of residence. More than two-thirds also said they would not have been able to pay for the trip without the programme.
That helps explain why DiscoverEU has become one of the EU’s most recognisable youth initiatives. Beyond tourism, the scheme is designed to strengthen young people’s understanding of European history, cultural diversity and cross-border mobility at a time when the EU is trying to make programmes such as Erasmus+ more visible in everyday life.
A wider EU effort ahead of European Youth Week 2026
This application round comes just before European Youth Week 2026, giving the new call a broader political meaning. For the EU executive, the programme is both a mobility initiative and a symbolic investment in European belonging.
In a statement, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef said the scheme offers many young people a first chance to travel independently and connect with others across Europe.
As in previous years, participants selected in the round will also be encouraged to join the programme’s ambassador network and share experiences through the official #DiscoverEU community. For many applicants, the practical benefit is obvious: a free rail journey across Europe. For the EU, the longer-term goal is to turn that trip into a more durable connection with the European project.
