Youth: DiscoverEU programme, 35,000 travel passes for European 18-year-olds from tomorrow

From tomorrow 7 April, European 18-year-olds will be able to apply for the opportunity to travel and explore Europe by train for free in the first round of applications under the DiscoverEU 2022 programme. 35,000 travel passes are available, the European Commission announced in a statement. All 18-year-olds “living in Erasmus+ programme countries will be able to apply” from “tomorrow 7 April at noon until 21 April at noon”. DiscoverEU is now part of Erasmus+. Overall, through the exceptional funding under the European Year of Youth 2022, 70,000 travel passes will be made available: another 35,000 will be up for grabs in a second application round in October. For the first time, young people from Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey will also be able to apply. Applicants who successfully pass the selection process, born between 1 July 2003 and 30 June 2004, will be able to travel in Europe for up to 30 days during the travel period 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023. Those turning 18 in the second half of the year will be able to apply in the October round. In addition, the beneficiaries will also receive a DiscoverEU discount card with over 40,000 special offers for public transport, culture, accommodation, food, sports, and other services. Young people with disabilities or health issues can be accompanied on their journeys. “DiscoverEU gives more opportunities to travel to young people than ever before. With the European Year of Youth, we celebrate youth. We owe this to an entire generation that could not travel for the last two years”, said European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas.
Valentina Bombelli