DiscoverEU is an Erasmus+ action run by the European Commission and the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. It enables eligible 18-year-olds to explore Europe, mainly by rail, while learning about its cultures, heritage and history.
For autumn 2026, the organisers plan to award around 40,000 travel passes and discount cards from a EUR 23.5 million round budget. Successful applicants may travel during the authorised period from 1 March 2027 through 31 May 2028.
Benefits & funding
- A second- or economy-class travel pass, mainly for rail, covering seven travel days within a chosen period of up to 30 days.
- A DiscoverEU discount card; the May 2026 factsheet reports more than 23,000 discounts across accommodation, culture, transport, food and other services in over 30 countries.
- Up to four standard train-seat reservations can be booked free through the designated system, subject to the published restrictions.
- Accommodation, food, basic insurance, travel supplements and other trip expenses are the participant’s responsibility.
- Documented special-assistance costs may be covered, and the rules provide limited support for visa-issuing costs and related mandatory insurance.
Eligibility
- Be born from 1 January through 31 December 2008, meaning the applicant turns 18 during 2026.
- Be a citizen or resident of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain or Sweden; the EU route also covers French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, Mayotte, Saint-Martin, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands.
- Citizenship or residence in Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Territories, Greenland, New Caledonia, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Saint Pierre and Miquelon or Wallis and Futuna also qualifies, as does citizenship or residence in Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia or Türkiye.
- Enter an identity-card, passport or residence-permit number and accept the application declaration.
- Submit only one application in the round; anyone who previously booked a DiscoverEU travel pass cannot receive another one.
- If selected, plan a trip of one to 30 days with no more than seven travel days and visit at least one eligible country other than the country of residence.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Age requirement
18–18 yrs
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Application process
- 1Return to the DiscoverEU page when the Apply Now button appears on 1 October 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time.
- 2Complete the age, citizenship and residence eligibility check, accept the declarations, and choose an individual application or a group of no more than five people.
- 3Verify the submitted email address, then enter the requested personal and identity-document details.
- 4Answer the five-question EU knowledge quiz and the subsidiary estimate question; only the group leader completes these for a group.
- 5Review and submit the form before 15 October 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time, then retain the emailed application code.
Program timeline
Most recent application round closed
Apr 22, 2026
Next application round opens
Oct 1, 2026, 12:00 Brussels time
Next application round closes
Oct 15, 2026, 12:00 Brussels time
Results notification
January 2027
Authorised travel period starts
Mar 1, 2027
Travel-pass activation deadline for the autumn 2026 cohort
Mar 15, 2027
Authorised travel period ends
May 31, 2028