Archive · 5 Nov 2025
EU Offers 40,000 Free Travel Passes to 18-Year-Olds for Schengen Anniversary
Imagine Europe is celebrating a big birthday for a special rule called the Schengen Agreement, which lets people travel between many European countries without showing their passports.
To celebrate, the European Union is giving away 40,000 free train tickets to 18-year-olds!
If you turn 18 in 2025 and live in an EU country, you can apply.
You'll need to answer some questions about Europe.
The winners can travel for up to a month by train, bus, or ferry to explore different cultures and places.
This is part of a program called DiscoverEU that started in 2018 to help young people see Europe and feel more connected.
It's also a way to encourage green travel, like taking trains instead of flying.
The European Commission has launched a campaign offering 40,000 free travel passes to 18-year-olds to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement.
Applications are open to individuals turning 18 between January 1 and December 31, 2025, residing in EU member states or associated countries.
Applicants must complete an online form and a quiz on EU history, culture, and sustainability goals; applications close on November 13.
Winners receive a digital travel pass for 1-30 days of travel via train, bus, ferry, or flights, valid from March 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027.
The initiative aims to foster European unity, intercultural understanding, and promote sustainable, low-carbon travel aligned with the EU's Green Deal.
- Who
- 18-year-olds residing in EU member states and associated countries
- What
- Offering 40,000 free travel passes for train travel across Europe as part of the DiscoverEU program
- When
- Applications close November 13; travel is between March 1, 2026, and May 31, 2027
- Where
- Europe, across participating Schengen and EU member states
- Why
- To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement and promote European unity, mobility, and low-carbon travel
Campaign Benefits
Campaign Criticisms
Promoting European Unity
Campaign Benefits
DiscoverEU is presented as a 'soft power statement' to strengthen Europe's unity and foster a sense of belonging among young people, especially amidst rising anti-EU sentiment.
Campaign Criticisms
While framed as unity-building, the campaign's focus on free travel and experiences for a select age group could be seen as a superficial approach to addressing deeper political and social divisions.
Environmental Impact
Campaign Benefits
The campaign aligns with the EU's Green Deal by promoting low-carbon rail travel as a sustainable way to explore Europe.
Campaign Criticisms
While rail travel is promoted, the overall impact of mass tourism facilitated by such programs on local environments and infrastructure might be a concern not directly addressed by the campaign's messaging.
- Event
- 40th Anniversary of the Schengen Agreement
- Program Name
- DiscoverEU
- Offer
- 40,000 free travel passes
- Eligibility
- 18-year-olds born between Jan 1 and Dec 31, 2025, residing in EU member states or Erasmus+ associated countries
- Travel Period
- March 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027
- Application Deadline
- November 13, midday (Brussels time)
- Associated Countries
- Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Türkiye