Students travelling
(BRUSSELS) – 35,511 young people are to receive EU travel passes to travel Europe for free, starting this summer, the European Commission announced Monday, in the latest round of the DiscoverEU scheme.
Part of the EU’s Erasmus+ programme, DiscoverEU, offers 18-year-old residents of EU Member States and countries associated to Erasmus+ the opportunity to travel throughout Europe and explore its diversity. Pass holders can learn about cultural heritage and history and connect with people from all over the continent.
“In terms of numbers, this application round is the most successful since DiscoverEU joined the Erasmus+ programme in 2021,” said Education Commissioner Iliana Ivanova: “I am happy that so many young people will get an opportunity to discover Europe and explore its culture and history.”
Young people benefitting from the ticket will be able to travel alone or in a group of up to five people between 1 July 2024 and 30 September 2025. Over 180,000 young people had applied for the latest round in April 2024. That brings the number of applications to 1.4 million since the scheme was launched in 2018.
The DiscoverEU applications open twice per year, in spring and autumn. Selected applicants are offered a travel pass and travel predominantly by rail. Travellers also receive a European Youth Card, offering discounts on cultural visits, learning activities, sports, local transportation, accommodation, and food.
More opportunities to strengthen the learning dimension of DiscoverEU, such as pre-departure information trainings and meet-ups, are available to the participants. More information is available on the DiscoverEU website and the April 2024 factsheet.
