The European Commission has announced a great offer to mark the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement. The Commission has announced that under this new program called ‘Discover You’, young people under the age of 18 will be given free travel passes to Europe.
The campaign is part of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the 1985 Schengen Agreement, AFP reported. The new phase of the program begins this winter, with 40,000 travel passes to be given away.
A viral video of the campaign shows bright blue trains passing by the European Union flag. The video has already gone viral and has been met with a huge response from Gen Z travelers. Applications have started pouring in within days of the October 30 launch.
To be eligible to apply in the current round, applicants must be 18 years old between January 1 and December 31, 2025. Those residing in one of the 27 EU member states or in an Erasmus+ partner country such as Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia or Turkey are eligible to apply.
The application deadline is November 13, noon, Brussels time.
Applicants will need to fill out an online form, provide ID or passport information, and answer a six-question quiz about the history, culture, and sustainability goals of the European Union. Selected individuals can travel alone or travel together with up to four friends using a group code.
Winners will be given a digital travel pass that can be used for 1 to 30 days of train travel in Europe. The pass is valid from March 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027. For those living in remote areas or islands, the pass can be used on buses, ferries, or even flights.
Additional benefits include a Discover EU discount card, which offers discounts on hostels, museums, bike rentals and local food. Special assistance and accessibility facilities will also be provided for travelers with physical disabilities.
Previously, this offer received more than one million applications for 36,000 free passes.
