Commission awards over 40,000 free DiscoverEU travel passes to young people on the 40th anniversary of Schengen

More than 40,000 18-year-olds will be able to embark on a free rail journey across Europe following their selection in the latest DiscoverEU awards by the European Commission.  

On top of the travel pass, participants will benefit from a discount card, offering thousands of reductions on cultural activities, accommodation, local transport, food and other services. DiscoverEU will also contribute to the Culture Compass for Europe through stronger promotion of the DiscoverEU Culture Routes, a collection of European destinations carefully curated for fans of film, fashion, food, fine art and more.  Part of their programme will be pre-departure information sessions and DiscoverEU meet-ups.  One of those meet-ups will be organised in Lyon (France) in July, in the context of the European Youth Week 2026, focusing on solidarity and fairness. More than 200 young travellers will gather there from all over Europe.

DiscoverEU is a key part of the Erasmus+ programme and fosters youth mobility, eco-friendly travel, cultural exchange, and European unity. This edition also celebrates 40 years of travelling around Europe without borders, following the Schengen agreement.  

Glenn Micallef, Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, said: “DiscoverEU gives thousands of young Europeans the chance to explore our continent, meet new people and experience the value of free movement first-hand. This special Schengen 40th anniversary edition is a reminder that mobility is a right we cherish; a cornerstone of our shared European identity.”

This round was open to people born between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2007, from both EU Member States and Erasmus+ associated countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Türkiye) and attracted 246,782 applications. Since 2018, more than 1.9 million young people have applied for 431,931 travel passes. As in past editions, special arrangements will ensure access for travellers from islands, outermost regions or remote areas.

More information on DiscoverEU, including call results per country, is available online.

(For more information: Eva Hrncirova - Tel.: +32 2 298 84 33; Eirini Zarkadoula - Tel.: +32 2 295 70 65)