More than 40,000 young Europeans under the age of 18 will once again be able to travel across Europe this year with free train tickets. The European Commission announced the winners of the fall round of its DiscoverEU program on Wednesday in Brussels. A total of 798 young people from Austria are among those selected, allowing them to explore the cultures of all European countries by rail for up to 30 days within one year, using a youth card.
Eligible to apply were all individuals born between January 1 and December 31, 2007, from EU member states or Erasmus+ associated countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey). According to the European Commission, a total of 246,782 applications were submitted. Since 2018, nearly two million young people have applied for 431,931 travel passes. As in previous years, special arrangements will allow participation for travelers from islands or remote regions. Participants with disabilities or health conditions may travel with an accompanying person.
Youth card with 23,000 discounts
In addition to the travel pass, participants also receive the DiscoverEU Youth Card, which offers more than 23,000 discounts on public transportation, accommodation, food, and cultural, sports, and other activities in over 30 European countries. National Erasmus+ agencies also organize meetings before, during, and after the trips. In Austria, the responsible body is OeAD – the Agency for Education and Internationalization.
DiscoverEU is a core component of the Erasmus+ exchange program and aims to promote youth mobility, environmentally friendly travel, cultural exchange, and European unity. The next application round will open in spring 2026 and will be available to applicants born between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008. “This special edition marking the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Area reminds us that mobility is a right we value—a cornerstone of our shared European identity,” said EU Youth Commissioner Glenn Micallef.
