DiscoverEU: Travel passes to explore the EU this summer
DiscoverEU gives young people the opportunity to travel around Europe
As of 12 June until 26 June, young people can apply for a ticket giving them the opportunity to discover their continent from July 2018 until the end of October 2018.
DiscoverEU will enable them to better understand Europe's diversity, enjoy its cultural richness, make new friends and get a sense of their European identity.
Under this new EU initiative, young people will be able to travel as individuals or as a group of maximum five people. As a general rule they will be travelling by rail. However, to ensure wide access across the continent, participants can, in special cases, use alternative transport modes, such as buses or ferries, or, exceptionally, planes. This will ensure that young people living in remote areas or on islands part of the EU also have a chance to take part. As 2018 is the European Year of Cultural Heritage, those traveling will have the chance to participate in the many events that are being organised all over Europe.
How to apply
Applicants will need to provide their personal data as well as details about the trip they are planning to make. They will also need to complete a 5-question quiz, linked to the 2018 European Year of Cultural Heritage, EU initiatives targeting young people and the upcoming European Parliament elections. Finally, they will need to answer an additional question on how many young people they think will apply for this initiative. The replies will allow the European Commission to select the applicants. Once this is done, participants need to start travelling between 9 July and 30 September 2018. They can travel for up to 30 days and can visit up to 4 foreign destinations.
With a budget of €12 million in 2018, DiscoverEU is expected to give at least 20,000 young people the opportunity to travel around Europe this year.