A total of 36,319 young Europeans of the age of 18 will receive a free travel pass that will permit them to explore Europe, learn about its history and cultural heritage, and connect with other youngsters from the continent.x
The free travel passes are distributed through the DiscoverEU initiative, which is funded under the Erasmus+ programme, and all successful applicants have already received the news.
Successful applicants of the DiscoverEU October will be able to travel through Europe between March 2024 and May 2025, with the primary mode of travel for these young adventurers being rail.
Commenting on the initiative, the Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth, Iliana Ivanova, said that DiscoverEU will be a unique opportunity for everyone who has been selected.
DiscoverEU is a unique opportunity to embark on an unforgettable journey across Europe, where each stop creates new relationships and highlights Europe’s multifaceted beauty.
Commissioner Ivanova further said that this would be a remarkable journey for all participants and, at the same time, expressed her wishes for everyone.
To all the young adventurers stepping into this remarkable journey: may every location expand your perspectives, every interaction enrich your spirit, and every encounter leaves a lasting memory!
This application round for DsicoverEU was open to young people born between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2005, in the European Union Member States and Erasmus+-associated countries.
Data show that the competition for free rail passes was fierce, with a total of 144,38 youngsters from Europe applying for the opportunity.
Youngsters from Spain received the highest number of applications for this round. According to the EU Commission, 18-year-olds from Spain submitted a total of 33,663 applications. Of them, 50,36 have been selected to take part in the programme.
Youngsters from Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, and Czechia also submitted some of the highest numbers of applications.
Data reveal that 19,039 youngsters from Poland, 18,825 youngsters from Italy, 15,566 youngsters from Germany, 5,793 youngsters from France, 4,918 youngsters from Austria, 2,943 youngsters from Belgium, and 2,178 youngsters from Czechia applied for the pass.
However, only a limited number of them were selected to participate in the programme. According to the Commission, a total of 5,036 youngsters from Spain, 3,974 youngsters from Poland, 5,906 youngsters from Germany, 5,793 youngsters from France, 938 youngsters from Austria, 1,190 youngsters from Belgium, and 1,100 youngsters from Czechia were awarded free rail passes.
