Put your backpack on your shoulder, take your tickets with you, a fantastic company and breathtaking landscapes: it seems the perfect recipe for an unforgettable experience, and that’s it! If you are 18 years old and have European citizenship, get ready to find out DiscoverEU, an EU initiative that connects young Europeans through a train trip along the beautiful wonders of our continent.
With DiscoverEU you will admire Europe in all its wonderful variety from the window: going down to each stop, you will be lucky enough to live sometime in small and large cities, discover different lands, new people, different cultures and lifestyles, with curious and passionate people like you, familiar faces and new faces that will even enrich your experience.
DiscoverEU is the new initiative of the European Union that replaces the old and famous Interrail. This opportunity rewards every year 60 thousand young Europeans and will allow you to leave for a rail trip where you will discover the beauties and cultures of our continent. You only need to apply and if you pass the selection, you will only have to worry about choosing the destinations of your incredible trip around Europe. For a whole year, you will have in your hands a “ticket” that will open the doors to special places: from the charming European big cities to the warm Mediterranean beaches, from the green northern European plains to the snow-capped alpine mountains.
If you want to participate, you must meet two basic requirements:
Every year there are two rounds of applications that are open for about 14 days (you can check when they will be open again by following us on Instagram and Facebook, register to the official website or the European Youth Portal). For these two rounds, the European Commission will select 60 thousand young people, from all 27 European Union member countries, who will embark on this incredible adventure.
If you pass the selections, you will get a travel pass that will allow you to travel for a minimum of 1 day and a maximum of 30 days in the two years following the registration. Once you have passed the selection stage, you will start your journey in any European Member State and you will necessarily have to visit at least one foreign State, within the European Union, compared to the one of departure. You will be able to travel mainly by train and they will explain to you how to book your tickets once you are officially part of DiscoverEU.
You will be able to travel both alone and in a group, provided that you are part of a group of up to 5 people, each with the requirements already mentioned. Groups can be composed of people with different nationalities. Your friends will need to use your application code if they want to apply. You can find more information, in English, on the DiscoverEU website in the FAQ section from B.5 to B.11.
There are still other surprises… By becoming a DiscoverEU Ambassador you can also participate in the #DiscoverEU Photo/Video Contest where you can win a lot of prizes. If you want to make your experience even more meaningful, you can ask your school, community, or reference body to share the moments that matter most to you through a presentation event.
For those who have a disability or a health problem that could make the trip more complex, DiscoverEU and its Team guarantee all the necessary assistance. For more information, you can check the official website in the section FAQ C. 13.
If you still have any doubts or uncertainties, in addition to using the official website, you can also join the official Facebook group of DiscoverEu, where you will find new and old participants who can help you find all the information and support you are looking for.
To apply to DiscoverEU you will need to access the European Youth Portal and complete the online application form. EU. During the application you will be assigned a personal code that you will have to keep jealously. If you’re applying as a group leader, that code will need to be used by your friends in order to register.
The application procedure consists of 7 phases and although it will seem complicated, it is actually very simple and intuitive:
1st phase – Eligibility check: you will have to fill in all the data so that they can make sure that your profile meets the requirements that we have illustrated above.;
2nd stage – Alone or in a group?: at this stage, you will have to choose whether to leave for an individual trip or apply together with 4 friends. Remember, however, that all members of the group must comply with the requirements applicable to the application;
4th phase – Email: you will have to provide an email that will be used to communicate if you have passed the selection;
5th phase – Quiz: no need to worry, it is not an exam or a difficult test. You will simply have to pass a quiz on the European Union and its initiatives. There will be 5 simple multiple choice questions;
Stage 6 – General Information: You will be asked to provide some information about your trip with DiscoverEU. They will ask you, for example, if it is your first solo trip or how you plan to finance the food and accommodation in the various places you will visit or what you would like to learn and discover thanks to this trip;
7th phase – Confirmation email: you will receive a confirmation email for the successful application. You will also be sent the date to check the results.
You can check if your application has been successful by checking your email or using your code on the European Youth Portal. If you have not passed the selection do not panic! There is a reserve list where you could appear. Check the email because they may contact you and assign you an unassigned DiscoverEU ticket.
For weeks, months, or even years you and your friends have been imagining a project for your city, to change something, spread an idea, or deal with an extremely important topic. You have tried to make it happen and might have also succeeded. However, too many times you had to give up that purchase that
Put your backpack on your shoulder, take your tickets with you, a fantastic company and breathtaking landscapes: it seems the perfect recipe for an unforgettable experience, and that’s it! If you are 18 years old and have European citizenship, get ready to find out DiscoverEU, an EU initiative that connects young Europeans through a train