Turn 18 in Europe and you could get a free pass to see the continent. The EU's DiscoverEU programme has reopened applications, giving young people the chance to win free travel across Europe on green transport — mostly trains — with applications accepted until midday Brussels time on 15 October 2026.
The deal works like this: winners get to travel for up to seven days within a one-month window, with trips running between 1 March 2027 and 31 May 2028. It's part of Erasmus+, and the idea is simple — help young Europeans see the continent's culture and history first-hand, meet people from other countries, and do it all with a low-carbon footprint.
You don't have to go it alone. Applications can be solo or in groups of up to five friends, though each friend needs to submit their own application using the same group code. If you'd rather team up with strangers-turned-travel-buddies, the official DiscoverEU Facebook Group exists exactly for that. There's a bonus sweetener too: some participants can score a free youth hostel night, and a DiscoverEU discount card knocks money off accommodation, culture, sports and local transport throughout the trip.
Eligibility is tightly defined. You must have been born between 1 January and 31 December 2008, hold an ID, passport or residence permit number for the application form, and be a citizen or resident of an EU member state (outermost regions included), an associated Overseas Country or Territory, or one of the Erasmus+-associated countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia or Türkiye. Applications involve a short quiz — filled in by the group leader if you're applying as a team. Those selected get support from Erasmus+ National Agencies, including pre-departure meetings and meet-ups along the way, plus online factsheets explaining how it all works.
The big change this round concerns the UK. British 18-year-olds have been locked out of the scheme since Brexit, but the UK rejoins Erasmus+ — DiscoverEU included — from 2027. That's a genuine win for young Britons, who will get the same shot at a free interrail-style adventure as their European peers.
There's a small catch in the fine print: participants automatically become programme ambassadors, encouraged to share their trips on social media with #DiscoverEU or give presentations at schools and in their communities. For most teenagers, posting train-window photos is hardly a burden.
Why it matters: interrailing is expensive, and this is one of the few genuinely free ways to cross borders while you're young. If you or someone in your family hits 18 in 2008's birth cohort, the October 2026 deadline is the one to circle. Even if you miss out on a pass, the discount card and the meet-up network make DiscoverEU worth a look for anyone planning a first solo or group trip around Europe.
