DiscoverEU was created to introduce young people to the cultural diversity and heritage of Europe. Twice each year, the European Union awards free Interrail passes to 18-year-olds, allowing them to explore Europe by train for up to 7 days within a one-month window. In regular sales, this pass typically retails for €286.
In the current application round, 40,000 travel passes will be awarded to 18-year-old citizens and legal residents born between January 1, 2008 (inclusive) and December 31, 2008 (inclusive). Winners can travel by train across Europe for up to 7 days within a one-month period between March 1, 2027, and May 31, 2028. In addition, selected travelers receive a European Youth discount card offering savings on cultural sights, accommodation, activities, and local transit. The application deadline is October 15, 2026 11:59 CEST.
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Who is eligible to participate?
To be eligible for DiscoverEU, applicants must:
- Be born between January 1, 2008 (inclusive) and December 31, 2008 (inclusive).
- Be a lawful resident of an EU Member State or a third country associated with the Erasmus+ program (including Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, or Turkey).
Timeline for the Current Application Round
The schedule for the current DiscoverEU round is structured as follows:
- Applications can be submitted via the European Youth Portal until October 15, 2026 (12:00 CEST).
- All applicants will receive an email notifying them whether they have been awarded a travel pass or placed on the reserve list. You can also monitor your application status via the European Youth Portal.
- Selected participants must redeem/confirm their travel pass by a designated deadline. You can choose between a fixed itinerary option or a flexible pass (roughly 95% of travelers opt for the flexible pass).
- Using the pass, you can travel across Europe by rail for up to 7 days within a one-month period between March 1, 2027, and May 31, 2028.
How Does the Application Process Work?
First, you will need to fill in your personal contact details. Applicants can choose to apply as an individual or form a travel group with up to 4 friends.
Next, you must complete a brief multiple-choice quiz consisting of 5 questions regarding the European Union and EU youth initiatives.
The tiebreaker is an estimation question. This round asks applicants to estimate how many young people applying during this window are still attending secondary school or graduating this year. With some quick research, you can narrow this number down substantially. Pro tip: The DiscoverEU factsheets from past rounds provide helpful statistical benchmarks.
Finally, you can answer a few optional questions to provide feedback on how the EU can further refine DiscoverEU.
How Does the Selection Process Work?
Each country is allocated a fixed quota of travel passes proportional to its share of the total EU population. A ranking list is generated based on the answers to the 5 multiple-choice questions and the accuracy of the estimation question. Travel passes are awarded in descending order of this ranking until the country quota is exhausted. For instance, in a 2025 round, the allocation by nation was distributed as follows:
Are you one of the lucky winners of an Interrail pass, or planning an upcoming European rail trip on your own? Be sure to read our 11 Essential Tips & Tricks for Interrail Travelers by editor Felix