Free trains are back across Europe. See what requirements must be met

The next edition of the DiscoverEU program started on October 4. The competition winners will receive the opportunity to travel on European trains completely free of charge for 30 days. The chances of receiving the prize are very high – last time, 10,000 Poles took part in the draw, of which as many as 2,700 received free tickets. The main requirement is the age of candidates – they must be born between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005.

When can you apply?

The competition is open to 18-year-old citizens of European Union countries and countries cooperating with the Erasmus+ program: Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey. A special DiscoverEU ticket entitles you to travel free of charge on almost all trains, enabling tourists to reach tens of thousands of cities and towns on the old continent. According to the organization’s website, the aim of the program is to learn about the cultural richness of Europe and its history. Young Europeans also have the opportunity to make friends with peers from other countries. Selected winners will become DiscoverEU ambassadors and share their trip via social media.

The application period runs from October 4, 2023 (12:00:00 Brussels time) to October 18, 2023 (12:00:00 Brussels time). After entering the website, all interested parties can start the application. We can choose to apply for the program on our own or travel with a group of friends (maximum four other people). After sending your willingness to participate, we will receive an e-mail link to a form in which you must provide the necessary personal data and answer questions related to the European Parliament and the Erasmus+ program.

If you do not qualify immediately, you may be placed on a waiting list

DiscoverEU is an initiative of the European Parliament. MEPs believe that the program allows young people to experience European diversity, understand each other better and learn more about Europe. The winners will be able to make a trip lasting at least 1 day and at most 30 days in the period from March 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025. Participants of the trip will also receive a special discount card, thanks to which they can enter tourist facilities and use public transport. it will definitely be cheaper.

The number of tickets that will be awarded to 18-year-olds from a given country is proportional to the population. Notifications about the award of tickets will be sent to the e-mail addresses provided in the application. The organizer will also create a reserve list in case one of the candidates decides not to travel. Notification of qualification will be sent to the first person on the list.