EU invites young people to apply for free interrail passes

 The European Commission has opened applications for free DiscoverEU passes, which will allow 70,000 18-year-olds to explore Europe by train.

The first application round of 35,000 tickets runs from noon on Thursday (7 April) to noon on 21 April. The second round, which will offer a further 35,000 tickets, will take place in October. Tickets are proportionally allocated to member states based on population size.

Those born between 1 July 2003 and 30 June 2004 are eligible to apply, with the October round reserved for those turning 18 in the second half of 2022.

“Today, we are offering 35,000 travel opportunities throughout Europe for 18-year-olds, adding to the 130,000 already allocated since 2018. Our aim is to give as many young people as possible the chance to travel, discover new places and make life-lasting encounters,” said Mariya Gabriel, EU Commissioner for youth. (...)