European Commission opens DiscoverEU applications offering up to 41,000 free rail passes

Application rules and selection process

The European Commission opened the autumn application round for its DiscoverEU program on Thursday, 1 October 2026. The application window is open until 15 October 2026 at 13:00 Romanian time. To qualify for the selection, applicants must be 18 years old, specifically born between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2008. Candidates must be citizens or legal residents of a European Union member state or a country associated with the Erasmus+ program, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, and Turkey. Submissions must be made through an online application form where candidates complete a multiple-choice quiz focused on general knowledge about the European Union. The European Commission ranks participants based on their quiz scores to determine ticket allocation. Young Europeans can submit individual applications or register as a group of up to five members, provided every person in the group satisfies the age and residency requirements.

Travel conditions and cultural itineraries

Selected candidates will receive a travel pass enabling them to explore Europe between 1 March 2027 and 31 May 2028. Depending on national ticket terms, the passes permit travel for up to 30 days across the continent, or up to seven travel days within a one-month window. The DiscoverEU initiative operates under Erasmus+ and focuses on low-emission transportation by using the European rail network as the primary travel method. For participants who reside on remote islands or in isolated regions where direct rail access is unavailable, the European Commission allows alternative modes of transport such as ferries or commercial flights. This application round also introduces a dedicated cultural travel route connecting locations that hold the European Heritage Label, aiming to familiarize young travelers with European history, architecture, and cultural heritage.

Pass distribution and regional quotas

The European Commission will distribute between 40,000 and 41,000 free travel passes across participating nations during this call. Pass quotas are allocated to individual countries based on population metrics. Among national allocations, French youths can access 5,600 travel passes, while approximately 1,050 tickets are reserved for applicants from Belgium. In addition to the standard travel pass, successful candidates receive the DiscoverEU European Youth Card. This card offers price reductions and discounts on local public transportation, accommodation, food, and various sports and cultural activities throughout Europe. Furthermore, the 250 top-scoring candidates on the selection quiz will receive a complimentary one-night stay in a youth hostel.

Youth mobility and program goals

DiscoverEU is organized under the European Union's Erasmus+ education and youth framework to promote cross-border mobility and intercultural exchange among young Europeans. Glenn Micallef, the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, stated that such initiatives allow young people to acquire new experiences and meet peers from different countries. The European executive body will process all submitted quiz responses following the 15 October deadline before notifying the winners ahead of the 2027 travel launch.